It’s not as pleasurable as gardening during the warmer months, but tidying, digging and maintaining the garden during the winter is a worthwhile task.
It saves us from that huge repair mission in spring, where we need to rescue a neglected garden. Also, even though daylight hours are shorter during the winter, (if we’re at home during the day) we have a view of the garden through our windows.
So, what should we do in our garden during the winter to maintain it? Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you?
Don’t walk on the lawn when it’s frosty. The grass is very brittle during frosty mornings and if you walk on it, you’ll break the grass. This then also leaves footprints across your lawn that will take for ever to disappear.
Do continue to dig your garden if the weather is ok and the soil condition is right. Avoid the wet and frost and dig on drier days.
Do brighten up your garden during winter months. Your garden doesn’t need to look baron or plain during cooler months. It’s worth paying a visit to your local garden centre to find plants that will survive the winter weather and planting them in your garden to cheer it up a bit.
Do continue to prune during the winter, particularly rose bushes and any plants or trees that could be carried by the wind. Remember the wind can get pretty strong and will cause plants and thinner tree branches to break further down than is healthy for them.
Don’t leave plants you usually keep on a window sill overnight during the colder months. Each night when you close the curtains, move the plant further into the room. In the morning, move the plant back to the window when you open your curtains, so that it can benefit from natural light.
Do clear snow from branches, foliage and bushes wherever possible. The excess weight of the snow will cause them damage if you leave them.
For garden maintenance advice and assistance contact GWB Horticulture in Bishops Stortford.
