The weather has dropped, winter is about to come, we are all
muffled up, and most of us have already begun to turn on the heat in our
places.
While we settle ourselves down with this feeling of contentment,
it is also high time for gardeners to prepare themselves for the upcoming cold
weather. Gardening is an art; gardeners are considered artists who grow plants,
nurture them, and carry out essential activities to prepare their gardens for
the upcoming seasons. There are several tasks to complete, such as caring for
wildlife, collecting crops, trimming rose bushes, or preparing for warmer
weather.
However, some beginner gardeners often find it hard to decide
where to begin. In this article, we will talk about some gardening essentials
for the winter season. We will discuss what you should and shouldn't do to
maintain a healthy outdoor space throughout the winter.
Annual
Plants should be removed
Annual plants such as lettuce, mushrooms, watermelons, or
snapdragons are famous for adding bright colors to our outdoor spaces. Removing
them could be entirely worthless for some people, as they complement our places
with their bright and colorful ambiance. However, most people don't know that
annual plants cannot survive in winter. They are prone to freeze and die in
winter. So, no matter how beautiful they make your gardens, do not grow them in
winter. Or, in any case, if you have them already, it's time to dig them out
and drop them in the compost pile.
Stay off
the grass
Indeed! No matter what the season is, grasses are always
evergreen. But what you don't know is that grasses hibernate in winter, and
stepping on them can severely affect the growth of your grass. So, avoid
stepping on them, or you will ruin them. However, if you have to walk on it,
you should place a plank down momentarily to distribute the weight more evenly.
Clean and
Organize Your Outside Spaces
Observe trees for evidence of dead or decaying branches that might
pose a threat during severe winds. Remove these branches before the winter
arrives to save yourself from unwanted uncertainties. You can use those dead or
decaying branches for many things around plants or for creating and resurfacing
your garden path. On the other hand, you can turn your stumps and trunks into
gardening elements, including benches, stepping stones, or stumperies. You can
leave a few in the hidden corners of the plants, which would make space for
healthy insects.
Use
Effective Lawn Fertilizers
The moist weather of summer, paddling pools, and different lawn
activities can make our gardens need a little essential TLC. Fertilizers
provide healthy nutrients to the plants that help them grow effectively and
have a healthier surface. So, to restore the strength and growth of your plants,
it's crucial to provide them with beneficial fertilizers. It also means that
around the following summer, you will see a luscious lawn outside your gardens.
However, it would help if you were careful during fertilizing. Begin by
gathering the grass to remove thatch buildup before aerating with a garden
fork; doing so will allow for a better flow of oxygen and water in your
garden's root structure.
Start
Protecting Your Plants from the Cold
Cover winter salads with cloches to protect them from the weather
and pests, and cover half-hardy plant pots in bubble wrap or fleece. Bring
sensitive plants, such as Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Bergenia
(Bergenia cordifolia), Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), Berry Bushes,
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), Winter Vegetables, and Evergreen Holly (Ilex)
indoors or into a greenhouse.
Create
Garden Beds
If you have clay soil, consider this the best time to dig garden
beds for your yard. However, before starting the process, check if the ground
is wet or if there has been a frost. If you began digging it now, it would
allow the glaze to disperse the soil during the winter, enhancing its
framework. Mulches are considered one of the best composts for your plants.
They provide essential nutrients to the plants, which help them to have
healthier growth. There's no need to start digging if your beds are not
entirely compressed. Due to their free-draining nature, your beds would be more
exposed to moisture. Thus, if your soil is sandy, you'd better wait till spring.
Make a
Compost Heap
Fill your beds with compost or
well-rotted manure now for better growth of your plants next year. Fork it in
or scatter it on raised beds if you have them. This time of the month is
considered the best for producing leaf mold, so you can also make a box of
checklists for them. Make a wire cage to stop the leaves from blowing away, or
put them in black plastic bags with some soil to help them decompose and a few
punctures in the bag.
Bring Some
Winter Colors to Your Garden
When the golden tones of fall give way to the 50 hues of winter
drab, there are chances that your garden might seem pretty dull. You can still
plant various flowers that can provide numerous colors to your boring gardens.
Flowers such as heather, snowdrops, cyclamen, crocus, hellebores, winter
aconites, and the glory of the snow are some of the most beautiful flowers you
can cultivate in winter. You can also use pots or hanging baskets to add bursts
of color to your gardens.
Protect
Your Ponds
Overall, this is a time-saving activity. The winter brings rain,
snow, winds, and gales, forcing garden ponds and water features to fill up with
garden matter, generating obstructions and unpleasant views (and smells!) as
they decompose.
When spring would return, you will be obligated to clean your
ponds, which would include excessive laborious tasks and immense struggle. On
the other hand, doing it now can save you loads of hard work and effort!
So why not save yourself some time and hard work and move forward
with the smart work?
Weeding
Let's face it, weeds are a gardener's worst nightmare. You may
avoid having another enormous task on your hands when the weather warms up
again by devoting some time to a thorough garden wedding.
Use a combination of good old "fashioned elbow grease and
weed killer to get rid of any pesky weeds, whether in the flower bed, the
grass, or the gaps in your patio or decking. Also, conduct your homework to
ensure that your chosen remedy won't harm other plants.
Final
Words
This article Winter Gardening Essentials for Winterfirst appeared on homify.co.uk
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