How to Keep Your Garden in Top Condition Over the Winter Period
We might think that gardening is reserved for the spring and summer months, but we're actually mistaken. There are some things you need to do in your garden even over the winter, or before it sets in entirely. I like to take out a weekend right before the weather starts to turn and I'll get loads of jobs done that need to be done around this time of year. I thought I'd share with you how I like to keep my garden in good condition over the colder months, so here are a few tips for keeping your outdoor space tidy over the winter period.
Prune any roses you have
We have climbing roses in the corner of the garden that goes up a tree we have. They're beautiful pink roses and they bloom in the height of summer. Of course, they've all died off now so I dead-headed them and also trimmed some of the stems down slightly as they were getting rather high. I like to keep the plants in our garden manageable and keeping them under control when I can helps with that come growing season. This should be done for many different species of rose.
Trim back the trees, if you have some
We have two trees in our back garden, together with several large, thick bushes. We prune the trees in our garden, especially if they flower or grow fruit. We also get rid of any dead branches or branches that rub on other plants or against other branches, if that makes sense? This allows loads of light in which is great for when it starts to sprout again.
Leave low-lying or ground plants until the spring
This might sound like the opposite of having a tidy garden that's in good condition, but it's important that you leave at least some vegetation around for the insects and pollinators in your garden. It's also good for replenishing the soil as any leaves, stems or flowers that have died will fall off and break down, providing nutrients for your other plants. You won't have to touch these low-lying plants again until spring at the earliest.
Look after outdoor taps
This helps to keep your garden in top condition as you won't have to worry about frozen pipework. We have two outside taps, one on the front and one in the back. The best thing you can do to protect your outdoor taps is to buy an insulation hood that fits snugly over the top of it.
This prevents any frost from getting to it during cold days and nights. If your water pipe freezes up entirely, this could cause a whole host of problems, including burst pipes. You can buy these hoods really cheaply from places like B&Q, Wickes and even Screwfix.
Sweep up any leaves that have fallen throughout the autumn
Of course, autumn is the time when leaves start falling off the trees. We have two trees in our garden, with two others that overhang from neighbouring gardens, so we get a lot of leaves drop off around this time of year. I like to sweep them up using a brush once all of the leaves have fallen and then I'll either compost them myself or I'll put them into our garden bin for the council to sustainably dispose of them for us.
Get rid of the last of the weeds
Weeds will grow everywhere and they're rife during the summer months. Right before the weather turns cold, I'll nip out into the front and back gardens and just pull up the last of the weeds. Those I can't pull up I'll spray with insect-friendly weed killer. Once they've died off I'll come along and either remove the vegetation you can see or I'll brush them out and put in the garden bin.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post? Let me know in the comments what you like to do in and around your garden before the winter hits and I'll see you again very soon with a brand new blog post :)
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