Gardening takes no holidays! The amount of maintenance your garden requires does lower considerably in winter but there are still a few important things you need to do to prepare your garden for winter.
When you start to feel a slight chill in the air, it is time to get your garden ready for the cooler winter months.
How to prepare your garden for winter
Look after your lawn
Most species of turf go dormant over winter, but it still requires attention. If you want your lawn to be luscious come spring then you need to start prepping in autumn to ensure it’s at optimum health for the winter months.
As summer months are generally the wettest of the year, aerate your lawn during autumn using a pitchfork and apply fertiliser before the temperature drops.
Mow the lawn higher than you usually would to give the grass protection from frost and allow maximum photosynthesis throughout the winter months where sunshine is considerably less.
Prepare your garden for winter
- Exotic plants will need a little extra TLC on the lead up to winter to reduce any adverse affects from the elements. If your plants require protection from the frost, a lightweight wooden frame can be placed around them and plastic or cloth can be draped over the top of them to protect them from overnight frost. Remove this in the morning so that they can get the warm sunlight.
- Potted tropical and subtropical plans will thrive indoors, just reduce the amount of water you give them compared to when they are outside.
- For your veggies, add a thick layer of mulch, which will provide much needed protection from the cold.
- All weeds should be removed during and trees should be pampered. If they’re in good shape on the lead up to winter they’ll hold up better throughout the colder months.
Maintain your equipment
Winter is the perfect time to maintain and clean all of your gardening equipment that will be going into hibernation. Wash your mower and tools thoroughly and allow them to dry before you pack them away, ready to whip out when the weather starts to warm up again!
