Preparing Your Garden for Winter
Gardening is a year-round task. Although the volume of work you have to put in during winter is considerably lower, there are still a few tasks that you need to do in order to reap great results come springtime.
What are these gardening and lawn care tasks that you need to do during winter?
Lawn care
Most turf species go dormant over the winter. That, however, does not mean that our lawn no longer needs your attention. On the contrary, winter is an important time for the lawn. If you want your lawn to look great for spring, autumn is the best time to make the necessary preparations.
One of the first things that you need to do is to ensure the optimal health of the lawn for the winter. That means applying fertilisers on the lawn before the temperature drops.
If the rains have been heavy during the summer, the soil on your lawn may have become heavily compacted. In order to remedy this, you will need to aerate your lawn. Spreading gypsum over the lawn can also help lessen the compaction.
There are a few different methods in aerating compacted soil that you can try. You can create holes on the soil manually using a pitchfork or you can wear shoes with spiked soles and walk around the lawn.
As the winter season draws near, it is a good idea to mow the lawn a little higher. This will give the grass protection from frost. Additionally, longer leaf blades help facilitate optimal photosynthesis which translates to healthier lawns, even if the amount of sunshine is considerably less during winter.
Gardening
Winter can be a harsh time for your plants, especially if you have exotics. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to minimise the adverse effects of the season before these set in. Autumn is the perfect time to take precautions because the soil is still warm and the days are longer.
For your vegetable garden, adding a thick of layer of mulch can provide much-needed protection from the cold weather.
Make sure that you remove all weeds from your garden and add organic compost after tilling the soil.
For plants that require protection from frost, you will need to build a light yet solid frame around these. Use either a sheet of plastic or cloth on top of the frame in order to shield the plants from frost. Do remember to remove the cover in the morning.
Potted tropical and subtropical plants will thrive indoors. Just remember to reduce the amount of water you give to the plants.
If you live in an area where winter rains can get heavy, make the necessary preparation by providing enough drainage to the plants.
To give your garden some life and colour, consider adding flowering plants like violas and pansies which thrive even in cold weather.
Equipment maintenance
Set aside ample time to maintain and clean your gardening implements. Winter is the perfect time to complete these tasks. Pack your lawn mower and tools properly. Remember to allow your tools to dry completely after washing these thoroughly.
