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Winter Garden Maintenance

by fse-admin - / 28.11.2016


It is tempting to retreat indoors when the weather turns cold but if you have a garden, it still requires your attention! Your garden is likely to look a little weary during the winter months and without the promise of the sun on your back, it can be difficult to find motivation to carry out any maintenance. However it doesn’t have to be an onerous task, there are a few quick and easy tasks you can undertake to keep your garden in shape, ready for Spring.

Lawn maintenance in Winter

Winter is the ideal time to prepare for a new lawn. When digging in the proposed area, be sure to leave some clumps of soil on the surface, the frost will take care of the deposits by breaking them down.

Your existing lawn is likely to experience some growth during warmer days, but don’t be tempted to undertake any in depth moving. We suggest that if you do want to get the lawnmower out, only remove the top third of growth. Growth can be kept to a minimum by not feeding the grass. If the grass does grow, the risk is that it won’t be able to weather the harsh conditions. Where there is frost, be careful to not walk on the lawn as this will leave foot prints where the brittle grass stalks have been broken.

This is also a good time to determine if the lawn will need aerating in the spring, look for signs of the water puddling after a period of heavy rain.

Be aware of garden weeds, keep them under control to minimise the danger to your lawn. It is also a good idea to root out any large weeds from the lawn and to clear the area of fallen leaves and other debris.

Don’t neglect your plants!

For general protection of your garden apply a layer of bark compost or mulch 5cm (2in) deep around herbaceous perennials but use grit around the plants themselves. This will stop moisture collecting and rotting the stems while the mulch will keep them warm. The mulch will also help by breaking down over the winter months, adding organic matter to the soil and improving drainage. Also, as you prepare your plants, take cuttings as you go. This will be your insurance policy, in case plants don’t survive.

Be careful not to over water plants, ensuring that the soil is slightly damp, almost dry. Wind can cause damage to bushes, shrubs and other trees.

Despite the cold, don’t neglect perennials. When the ground is not frozen/wet, spend some time to lift and divide them.

Remembering to maintain your garden throughout the winter months will certainly make sure you have more time to enjoy it when the weather starts to warm up!

 

Elite Trees provide a full tree and garden maintenance service so if there is a job you’ve been putting off such as trimming trees or hedges, or one that’s too big a project for you to complete – like putting up a new fence, now is the time to give us a call for a no obligation quote on 01473 635193.



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