Readying Your Garden for Winter Weather

As winter approaches, many of us begin storing our summer clothes, bringing out the warmer woollies. We may place warmer duvets on our beds, and we certainly eat heartier foods. Often though, we don’t put as much effort into readying our gardens for the cooler weather. In today’s article, we are going to offer guidelines on what to do to keep your garden looking its best.

Clean and Aerate the Soil

Nobody likes weeding, but it is an essential chore you must perform regularly if you want your garden to flourish. Be sure to remove weeds and any other dead plant material from the ground. After that, you’ll need to work the soil to stimulate the growth of crucial anaerobic bacteria. There are many garden implements suitable for this purpose, the most common ones being spades, garden forks, and hoes.

Perennials

The plight of the honeybee being endangered is a fact that is being highlighted across the globe. You can do your bit to preserve this vital species by planting bee-friendly plants in your garden. One popular variety of such a plant is lavender. It will require pruning prior to winter setting in to keep it at optimal health. Other popular winter perennials you can plant, if you have not already done so are cyclamen, geraniums, and lilies of the valley.

Storage

Gardening equipment, fertilisers, chemicals, and fuel need to be safely stowed when not in use. Some UK gardeners are replacing their weathered, old garden sheds with larger, better-looking log cabins for this purpose. These outbuildings are quickly becoming must-have add-ons in many green spaces because they can be utilised for more than conventional storage; they have numerous multifunctional capabilities.

Feed the Soil

 Just as you need additional nourishment during winter, so too do your plants. It is important that you add something extra to the soil during the cooler months to give it the boost it needs to house your plants. Your local nursery is likely to carry a variety of fertilisers that you can add to the soil, along with any suitable food waste composted from your home.

Cover your Plants

Another important aspect of preparing your garden for winter is to cover your plants, especially the younger ones you’ve most recently planted. Colder temperatures can be detrimental to your shrubs and trees if they’ve not been properly dressed. To protect the roots of your plants, we recommend using mulch or similar wood shavings on top of the soil. This will generate a modicum of natural heat within the soil which will stimulate the growth of your plants, although it will be slower than in summer. For larger plants, such as trees, it is a good idea to cover their trunks to ward off frost. A reliable solution for this would be plastic tree guards or white commercial tree wrap.

Having a beautiful garden all year round involves planning and consistent management as each season changes. We hope that the tips above prove to be of value to you.

Dale Sayre