As the seasons change, so does your garden. The transition from autumn to winter can be glorious, with stunning colours as the leaves change from green to red to brown. Then winter happens, with unpredictable weather, damp and frost which can play havoc with our gardens.
So is there anything that we can do to prepare and protect our gardens from the harshness of winter? We have put together 5 easy ways that can help to keep your outdoor space in great condition, getting it ready to thrive again come spring.
One of the first things you should do is to clean and tidy your garden, from patio areas and lawns, to flower beds. Remove any weeds, sweep up any debris that may have collected over the summer and collect up any summer games or outdoor furniture so that they do not get damaged though the rain and frost that we are sure to have.
You can give your soil a helping hand throughout the winter, enabling it to rejuvenate ready for the growing season in the spring. Once you have removed any weeds, spread some fresh compost, rotting manure or bark chips over the top of the surface area. You will not need to dig this in, as worms will do this for you. Adding a soil additive can also help to improve the quality of the ground.
Use a rake to remove any moss that may have grown, as well as any weeds that might have appeared. Give your lawn a final mow before the damp and wet sets in, then sprinkle on lawn feed and moss killer so that it can start working before the grass begins to grow again next season.
If you enjoy having colour in your garden all year round, try to plant evergreens which will remain healthy throughout the colder months. Perfect for both pots and borders, evergreens can flower and grow during the winter, with a tolerance for the colder temperatures.
The start of winter is a great time to use compost around your garden to give it a boost, in turn making space for you to add more waste that can start to decompose over the colder season. If your compost isn’t quite ready to use, give it a good turn over so that it can continue to decompose.
