An Arctic front is on the way, and today’s Wednesday Walkabout is all about quick, practical prep for your garden, containers, topiaries, and irrigation system—plus a few simple home steps that can prevent expensive freeze damage. It may be gorgeous outside right now, but when temperatures drop fast (and snow/ice is possible), a little planning goes a long way.
In this video, I’m sharing exactly what I’m doing around the cottage before the hard freeze hits: watering strategy, winterizing steps, protecting container plantings, and safeguarding boxwoods/topiary—so we can come out on the other side with the garden (and home) intact.
✅ Arctic Freeze Garden Prep (What We Cover)
🌿 Garden & Containers
Deep watering containers + beds before the cold arrives
Protecting pansies, violas, window boxes, urns, and large pots
Moving potted tulips into the garage for shelter
Covering tender “investment plants” to reduce wind + freeze stress
🚿 Irrigation & Water Protection
Running sprinklers through zones before shutting down
Turning off/winterizing irrigation to avoid burst lines
Unhooking hoses + removing attachments to prevent freeze damage
🌹 Plants to Watch in Warm Winters
Why extreme cold can reduce insect pressure later
What freeze can do to new rose growth after unseasonable warmth
Encouraging root growth (not top growth) in newly planted trees/shrubs
🌸 Bonus: Star Magnolia Insurance
Snipping a few branches to bring inside and force blooms (a little winter cheer)
🏡 Quick Home Storm Checklist
Cabinet doors open where pipes freeze
Faucets dripping slightly (when needed)
Groceries + basics ready in case roads/power are impacted
🕒 Chapters
0:00 Atypical Wednesday Walkabout + what’s coming
0:30 Arctic front forecast + snow potential
1:05 Prep plan: what to do before the plunge
1:53 Water containers + unhook hoses
2:30 Run irrigation zones + shut down sprinklers
3:31 Clear leaves/steps + protect turf
4:51 Cold benefits: insects + slowing bulb growth
6:13 Root-growth focus for new plantings
6:39 Star magnolia: bring branches inside to force
7:26 Wind cleanup + protect rosemary + move potted tulips
8:50 Cover topiaries with tarps/canvas
9:40 Final home + garden freeze reminders
🧤 Quick Freeze-Prep Checklist (Save This)
✅ Water containers and beds deeply
✅ Unhook hoses + drain/store attachments
✅ Run irrigation zones, then shut the system down properly
✅ Move potted bulbs/tender pots into garage or protected area
✅ Cover topiaries/evergreens if needed (secure tightly for wind)
✅ Clear leaves from steps/walkways before snow/ice
✅ Protect plumbing (cabinet doors + light drip where appropriate)
If you enjoy practical, real-life seasonal garden prep, subscribe for more Wednesday Walkabouts, winter gardening tips, container care, and four-season cottage garden ideas.
#ArcticFreeze #WinterGarden #FreezeProtection #GardenPrep #Irrigation #ContainerGardening #Boxwood #Topiary #Tulips #Roses #Magnolia #WinterStormPrep #CottageGarden
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25 Comments
Coastal Maine here. It's going to be below 0 but we're lucky to have a good blanket of snow to protect the shrubs.
Checking in from Northern Virginia. We’ve been super cold and super dry. I’m moving my pots close to the house and may cover some of them depending on the ice line for this storm. Hope you come through it ok!
Boxwood don't survive the Arctic blast. In 2020 we lost a beautiful hedge that was at least 17 years old. The landscaper took the dead hedge out but would not recommend another boxwood hedge. We still have some plants that are ok, they are the Korean boxwood species. Spray with wilt proof in the last fall to protect from freeze damage. I'd also cover any boxwood plants that are in pots, cover with burlap or a sheet.
Waving from southern MN..zone 4b. We currently have plenty of snow cover however, the high on Friday will be -13* with wind chills of -40*. Despite all this cold those pesky insects that afflict our plants DO return every year so don't anticipate less of them. They have learned how to adapt.
Unfortunately, I think you're going to lose all of those buds on your vibernum again, depending on your species. They are rated to a zone 2 however, that again is species dependent. Hoping you don't get all the ice that is predicted.
One of my things that I have done for years when the temperatures drop very low is I load my washing machine with a load of laundry and then I set my clock for 2:00 3:00 in the morning. Then I get up and hit that button and that runs my washing machine for about a half an hour which helps to keep my pipes from freezing
Bring your chair cushions and patio umbrellas into your garage! Bring your filled terra cotta planters in the garage too.
That magnolia is going to be totally fine! I have the exact one with same bud size here in Minneapolis. We are reaching down to -20 tonight and we have a night or two of that every winter. She’s gonna do AOK. 😉
Central Texas 8b has been really dry and warm!
Oh we have already gotten 104 " of snow in the U.P. of Michigan, and my seed orders are beginning to come in 🎉
PA has been extremely dry as well. Significant snow is finally forecast in this part of the state, south central, this weekend.
Our cedar siding is cracking in Michigan, so cold.
Salt Lake City. Driest winter I’ve seen in 31 years of living here. Zone 7
L.I. NY we are expecting snow storm over weekend. Only bright side is all snow storms were over weekends, less people not having to head out to work. This has been a rough winter, lots of wind, snow and very icy, also fluctuating temperatures.
We’ve gotten double the rain of our normal, in central ca yippee, we’ve had a warm winter too lots of fog , goodluck with that storm coming
I live NE Oklahoma and im hoping we get lots of snow also. We are so very, very dry. I hate it. Also Praying our electricity don't go off. These -3 and -4 degrees are sickening
PRAYERS TO EVERYBODY THATS IN THIS STORMS WAY.😢
.
North Louisiana here! I’m not looking forward to the ice. I would love to have a pleasant surprise with just snow.
Your beautiful linda
We are exceptionally dry here in MD.
Unhooking hoses, and putting up cold frames in NC; Zone 8a. Not only will we have terrible ice over this weekend, with sleet; but next weekend, we are expected to get snow. Throughout the week, we will have lows in the teens; so, we are prepping indoors and out! Everyone stay safe!!! ❄❄🌬🌨
Helping take care of Dani must have been soul restoring 😊 I hope the cold snap brings you snow.
Be safe I hope no ones power goes out I have a 79 year old widowed sister who lives alone near Dallas Tx she’s hunkered down as with my son near Waco Tx and nephew in Dallas. Prayers to everyone 🥶🙏
Hi, Linda! Doesn't watering your plants just before a cold snap risk freezing the roots? Thanks. Laura
Cover all of your boxwoods with a row cover and protect the trunk of your Japanese Maple. Best of luck. (Watching this video after this comment) !
Everyone stay safe and warm. Our gardens are always an adventure!
Recently loved just outside St. Louis and it’s also very unseasonably warm and dry until now 😂