Gardening Tips: Leave deep weeding, cover the plants with a ‘warm blanket’ of mulching, this technique will protect the roots from cold.

Garden expert Mo Alam said that most of the plants go dormant in winter, due to which their growth becomes very slow. At this time, disturbing the roots of plants or doing deep digging can be harmful for their health. Deep weeding can upset the soil temperature and moisture balance, which can ‘shock’ the plant.

The biggest disadvantage of deep weeding is that it can bring the tender roots of the plants in direct contact with the cold outside air. The icy wind and frost of winter can damage the exposed roots. If the roots are damaged, the plant will not be able to take up nutrients and may slowly wither and die.

The atmosphere is dry during the cold season. In such a situation, if you dig the soil deeply, the moisture present in the depth of the soil evaporates rapidly. Even though plants need less water in winter, it is important to maintain slight moisture in the soil. Deep weeding removes this essential moisture.

Experts recommend that in winter, loosen the top layer of soil only by 1 to 2 inches with a trowel. This is called ‘shallow weeding’. Due to this, air circulation is maintained in the soil and weeds growing above are also removed, without causing any damage to the main roots.

‘Mulching’ after weeding is the best solution to protect the roots from cold. Spread a layer of dry leaves, straw or sawdust around the stem of the plant. It acts like a ‘blanket’, keeping the soil temperature warm and protecting the roots from the effects of frost.

Immediately after light weeding, water the plants very lightly, so that the roots get set in the soil. Keep in mind that always water in the morning, avoid watering in the evening. Apart from this, stop or reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in winter, because plants are not able to absorb fertilizers during dormancy.