Winter damage is often believed to arrive with snow, whereas the problems begin much earlier. “Winter damage often starts long before the first snowflake falls,” notes an article on AOL. A split branch, dry soil, a forgotten hose at the back of the bed: in the heart of winter, these small oversights can spell disaster.
Late summer provides an ideal window to spot these weaknesses, as long as the soil remains soft and the plants still speak up. A slow tour of the garden helps reveal what is already suffering and what won’t get through winter without help. Seven end-of-summer checks, simple to perform before the first frosts, are enough to avoid many winter damages on plants, furniture and equipment.
Trees, soil and mulch: the first end-of-summer checks
The first instinct concerns trees and shrubs, especially young specimens or those that have weathered strong winds. Look for dead branches, cracks, crossing or rubbing shoots, loosened stakes—prioritize above a path or a terrace. It’s best to secure or guy-wire now, and simply mark doubtful branches for pruning at the right time rather than cutting too late.
Around the base of trees, hedges and installed perennials, the second check is in the soil itself. Insert a finger or a transplanting trowel a few centimeters deep: if the soil moisture is lacking, a deep watering is necessary, far more effective than a light daily soak. The third key point, mulch, is to fill bare areas, aerate compacted patches and always keep a few centimeters of soil exposed around the trunk.
Fragile plants, wildlife and watering: securing life
The fourth check targets fragile plants, sensitive to cold: tender perennials, terracotta pots, young shrubs not yet deeply rooted, exposed strawberries. Identify them now and decide on their overwintering strategy: relocation against a sheltered wall, a forthcoming winter cover, or a simple layer of dry leaves planned for later. This list helps you avoid panic at the first frost warning, when the whole neighborhood rushes to the garden.
Fifth, winter-hungry animals. Inspect young or slender trunks to spot old bites from rabbits or rodents, then remove clumps of grasses and piles of leaves that serve as shelter. Install fine meshes or protective sleeves before the snow, while access remains easy. Sixth check, garden irrigation: follow your pipes, drip lines and sprinklers, track leaks and fragile fittings, and already plan how everything will be drained before freezing.
Furniture, textiles and housekeeping: the final checks in the garden
The equipment should not be forgotten in this tour. For wood, the old-timers had a precious reflex: “A simple coat of stain applied as early as August saves your furniture from the dreaded frost,” recalls the Journal des seniors. The wood still warm and dry absorbs the product better, which seals microcracks before water can seep in, freeze and crack the fibers of tables, benches or trellises.
textiles follow the same logic of anticipation. “The golden rule for maintaining outdoor fabrics over the long term is to perform a thorough cleaning before taking them out of sight,” sums up Maison 20 Minutes. Cushion covers washed at 30 °C, shade sail brushed with lukewarm water and black soap or bicarbonate, complete drying, then airtight containers with silica or clay sachets, stored in a dry place inside the house rather than the garage. Last check, don’t clear everything: only remove diseased vegetation and leave a few stems and seeds for beneficial insects.
