Your winter garden is quite different from the summer one. Because of the extremely low temperatures we can get, it pays off to take special care of some parts of your yard. For example, you can make it safer by storing things away, and attention must be paid to the lawn.
Store Your Equipment Away
You may or may not use certain equipment during the winter. Summer gardening tools can be hazardous, so it helps to store these away when you aren’t using them. However, many winter gardening tools are also hazardous or bulky. If you haven’t got a shed, local self-storage centres are excellent for short and long-term storage. Instead of leaving them around as potential dangers for the kids, things like the lawn mower and leaf blower can be securely stored.
Protect Your Winter Garden Plants
Of course, the plants in your garden also need protection. Most plants will be severely damaged or can die at or just above zero degrees Celsius when water freezes. So your garden needs to be prepared for the winter. Begin by clearing out the weeds, which can become a nightmare over winter. Also, remove any dead plants you see lying around before they become diseased. Make sure you tend the soil so it’s ready for new plants when the spring season comes around.
Clean the Pathways in the Space
Pathways are a beautiful addition to a garden space. However, they can become dangerous over the winter. Ice and other hazards, such as mould and mildew, make them dangerous. These growths can also become very slippery, further adding to any problems that ice can cause. Fortunately, it’s easy to make your paths safer. Grit and salt will make short work of the ice that forms. Mould and mildew spray cleaners will remove these from the paths and decking.
Help Your Herbs Get Through
Nothing can make your garden quite like herbs. They look beautiful and provide pleasant scents all over the place, and you can eat them! But they need a little looking after in the winter:
- Rosemary needs to be potted and brought inside for the winter.
- Thyme is a hardy herb and is dormant in the winter, so you don’t need to worry.
- Parsley is okay in light frost and needs to be covered when it gets colder.
- Bring chives inside and nurture them in a sunny and cool spot with plenty of water.
- Basil is very tender and likes warmth, so bring it inside for the cold season.
Some herbs are very tender and need extra care when they’re cold and cloudy. Yet some, like Thyme, can actually lay dormant and come alive again when the weather perks up.
Remove the Garden Hose
Garden hoses are an essential item during the summer when you need to water the plants or spray the kids. But they are inherently dangerous when you think about it. The fact that they are basically a wire means they are easy to trip over. So, wrapping them up correctly is vital. However, you can go ahead and remove the hose altogether in the winter. This removes the danger. But it also prevents ice from forming inside and damaging or cracking the casing.
Clear Gutters for Your Winter Garden
Proper drainage is a vital part of any home, and the gutters are part of this. Clean gutters help prevent clogs that form from debris, dead leaves and ice in the winter. But they also help prevent diseased and decomposing plants from getting around your garden. Give the gutters a good cleaning during autumn before they get too cold or when it is safe in winter. Give them a quick check for damage, as gutters are recommended to be replaced around every 20 years.
Pay Attention to the Lawn
There’s nothing like an emerald lawn to enjoy in spring and summer. But frost and snow will eventually cover the lawn during winter. But even when it’s freezing, it is essential that you care for the grass. And yes, you may still need to mow the lawn in winter. This will help reduce issues such as lawn litter and fungus from growing. It also means the grass is ready for spring. You can also help the roots come along by aerating the lawn, especially in areas with high traffic.
Summary
Storing equipment away will help your winter garden be a little safer during the winter. Taking care of plants such as herbs can help them get through. And don’t forget to mow the lawn.