Putting Your Garden to Bed: How to Protect Your Soil This Winter

May is a month of quiet transition in the New Zealand garden. Summer crops are spent, the days are shorter and there's a distinct chill in the morning air. But before the garden rests, there's one job that will make a bigger difference to your spring and almost anything else - protecting your soil through winter.

Why bare soil is a problem

If you have soil that will be left bare over the winter and is exposed to the elements this can cause real damage. Rain compacts the surface, cold temperatures slow biological activity and without plant cover or organic matter on top, the moisture and structure that took all season to build can be lost quickly.

Underneath the surface, your soil is home to billions of microorganisms - bacteria, fungi, earthworms and other organisms that form a living foundation of a healthy garden. These communities need protection through the cold months if they're to bounce back strongly in spring.

Mulch is your best friend

A layer of organic mulch - pea straw (Auckland Pea Straw), wood chip, bark or even autumn leaves - does several things at once. It insulates the soil, retains moisture, suppresses winter weeds and as it slowly breaks down, it adds organic matter that feeds the soil biology underneath.

Before you mulch, apply Fodda to the surface. With its blend of rock minerals, fermented fish waste and other natural ingredients, it gives the soil biology something to work with through the cooler months - so when the warmth returns, your garden wakes up ready to grow.

Leave roots where you can

When clearing spent summer crops, try leaving the root systems in the ground rather than pulling them out. As they decompose, they create channels for air and water movement and feed the organisms that depend on organic matter. It's a small thing that makes a real difference (do not leave roots in the soil that do not look healthy).

Cover crops for empty beds

If you have beds that will sit empty through winter, consider sowing a cover crop. Mustard, phacelia, oats or lupin all grow through the cool season, protecting the soil surface while their roots build structure underground.

It is important to cut your cover crop and dig them in before they flower. Aim to do this while the stems are still green and soft. Do this 4 to 6 weeks before you intend to plant a new crop so the material has a chance to break down.

By doing this you will create a natural green manure that enriches the soil for whatever comes next.

Winter is not the end of the garden story. It's just a quieter chapter - and how you manage it will write the opening lines of spring.

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