Rainbow Boulders

Winter does not mean neglecting your garden

As soon as the cold weather descends many of us have a tendency to neglect our garden until the Spring, especially coming into the New Year after a busy festive period. Many people talk about gardens being in a dormancy period over the winter months however there are still plenty of jobs that can be done. It’s an important time to maintain your garden so it is well prepared for next season. In this guide we offer some advice on jobs to be getting on with during the winter months.

Plant Winter Bedding

Plant Winter bedding to add colour and interest to your garden in Winter and early Spring. Many Winter bedding plants have a wonderful scent and come in variety of colours, helping to brighten up your garden on dull Winter days. Winter bedding plants can be planted in beds, borders, containers, hanging baskets and even window boxes or balconies. If you are looking to enjoy your bedding plants from indoors make sure you plant them in key places that can be seen from inside your home. You should also look to plant them close together as Winter bedding will not fill out as much as Summer displays.

Some of our favourite Winter bedding plants include:

·         Pansies

·         Primrose

·         Wallflower

·         Forget me not

·         Sweet William

·         Japanese Skimmia

·         Scarlet Willow

Dig over your soil

On milder Winter days an essential job is to dig over your soil. Make sure the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged before starting. Begin by digging and forking the soil to help loosen it and remove weeds as best you can this to help with your preparation for next Spring. Another great tip is to add compost to the soil as this will help improve the soil structure and create a food reserve for many plants through the harsher months…

Prune and Plant Shrubs

Pruning shrubs is another tasks for Winter months. Shrub roses may need care and attention, start by removing any dead or diseased branches. Take extra to cut back branches that rub against each other to prevent any damage, and any long branches should also be cut back.

Mild winter weather is also the perfect time to plant new shrubs and trees as soil conditions are both warm and moist enough to allow roots to fully establish. Ensure you water the shrubs regularly as droughts stress is common among new trees and shrubs. Dry windy conditions can lead to water shortages so keeping an eye on these plants is essential.

Grow Winter vegetables

Don’t let your vegetable plot stand neglected during Winter as there are plenty of vegetables to be grown! Winter vegetable growing allows you to extend your growing season and have tasty crops all year round and gives you the satisfaction of becoming self-sufficient and enjoying fresh vegetables. Vegetables like parsnips, broccoli and leeks are frost resistant and can grow successfully during Winter.

Vegetables to grow during Winter include:

·         Brussels Sprouts

·         Kale

·         Leeks

·         Parsnips

·         Cauliflowers

·         Broccoli

This is also a great time to sow indoor veggies such as broad beans, onions, and garlic.

General Maintenance

If you have some spare time get out into the garden and tackle some quick tasks that help keep your garden well maintained.

Sprucing up your garden path can take a matter of minutes but can really help add structure to your garden. Paths can become lost in your landscape during Autumn and Winter so begin by getting a brush and sweeping away the leaves. You may require a hard brush to get rid of any moss and weeds. Even a simple trim of lawn edges can spruce up the garden.

This is also a great time to clean patios and decks as the cold, damp weather can cause a build up of slippery moss and mildew. Not only is this unsightly but it can be dangerous underfoot. A good blast with a pressure washer with a patio cleaning head will clear any build up without damaging the surfacing or pointing.

Another quick task is to clear out your greenhouse. This is a great time to clean up and re sharpen tools where necessary you will benefit from this when you come to use them next season. Blunt blades on cutting tools can seriously damage plants.

Also go through seed catalogues and start selecting what you are going to grow the following year and take time to plan out your planting regime. Seed catalogues can provide a more interesting variety but most garden centres will carry a wide variety.

Take care in checking boundary fencing as at this time of year they can be prone to wind damage. Have any panels come loose?