Although this time of year the garden can be heavily neglected as we opt for indoor activities, a little work now can save a LOT of work when Spring comes round and you'll be so glad you put in the hours, however unappealing it feels in the cold wet weather. Sorting our gardens before the snow hits means that we know what's beneath the snow, making it safer for children and animals to play in, but also prevents damage to surfaces and plants beneath.
Here's a few things we can all be getting on with to make sure our gardens are in tip top condition, still looking nice and all ready to lay low while we await the brighter months of Spring.
Clean Up & Get Weeding
Start your Winter gardening with weeding any unwanted strays, as well as uprooting any plants that have seen better days and trimming back any that have finished for this year but will come back next Spring. Clean up patios and paths, tidy up edges of any flower beds you have and make sure your garden is free from any debris after the Autumn fall. Although there will be more weeds coming over winter, the more you get up now, the less work you'll have to do in Spring time.
Feed The Birds
Now may be a good time to clean out, stock up or invest in new bird feeders. With the likeliness of a lot of snow this winter, your garden could be a safe feeding spot for birds with less natural food around. Fat balls are a great addition to give birds what they need in colder months but also last well against the elements. The extra life and buzz in the garden may also be a welcome addition when there's a lot less going on colour and plant wise in our gardens over winter.
Plant Winter Containers
We all need a bit of life and colour still over winter, so before the real cold days hit, why not pot up your planters with Winter Warmers that will thrive in the cold. Plants like winter pansies, cyclamen, wintergreen and hardy sedums will all enjoy the winter container life, but are still best sheltered slightly from strong winds.
Plant Spring Bulbs
Before the ground freezes, there's still time to do some super Spring prep with some bulb planting. Tulips can go in now as well as daffodils, crocus and hyacinths and although it's still a little later than preferred, it is very mild still so if we're quick, we're good to go!
Look After Your Lawn
Although we won't get the use of our lawn this time of year, it's still important to look after it and most of all tread carefully when walking on it whilst it's damp or icy. Whilst it's mild, we can still chop the grass if required, though perhaps keeping a little longer than we would in Summer. Remove and old leaves and keep the lawn as free as possible from debris after Autumn. When it's time to pop the lawn mower away for winter, make sure it's packed away clean and dry, with sharp oiled blades, all ready for the next season and far less likely to rust while it waits.
Clean tools
After winter preparations have finished, make sure your tools are put away for the rest of the season in a good condition. Get rid of any you haven't and will not use and bin any that have seen better days. Any that survive the cull, be sure to clean well and oil before putting away. This way, your tools will remain clean and rust free, all ready to simply wipe and start using again when the weather warms up.
Get Composting
With so many weeds, old plants and Autumn debris to dispose of, now is the perfect time to add to your composting pile or start a new one if you haven't already. With the damp weather, things will soon rot down and it'll make for some great garden fodder when the year rolls round and saves space in your green bin too.
We have so much to do in our garden, even though it's small the jobs soon add up and adding to that, we have a lot of waste from our kitchen makeover still to dispose of! I'm keen to get sorted before the snow hits though. Are you planning a Winter garden sort out too?
