If you’ve been carefully tending to your garden all year, it would be a shame to see all your hard work go to waste when winter arrives, wouldn’t it? But, without knowing how to care for your plants over winter, that’s almost guaranteed. Read up on the tips below to ensure you know exactly how to keep your plants happy until spring comes.
Bring some of your plants indoors
Believe it or not, some of your garden plants will be happy to be brought inside over the winter months. Of course they won’t get as much sunlight and moisture as they’re used to (so it’s important to remember to keep watering them, and moving them around your house to find the sunniest corners), but they’ll fare better indoors than they would if you were to leave them in the garden. Plants that you should bring indoors include fuchsias, geraniums, hibiscus and herbs such as parsley and chives – and it’s perfectly fine to leave them in your living room or entryway (or anywhere else you have space) if you don’t have a greenhouse or porch.
Make sure your pots have drainage holes in the base
When it comes to looking after the plants you’re leaving outdoors, it’s worth checking the state of your potted plants. Take a quick look at the base of the pots and ensure that the drainage holes are adequate; the winter weather will bring plenty of rain, and it’s important your plants don’t become waterlogged and starved of oxygen by ‘drowning’ in their containers. Make sure the compost is suitable, too: most plants will do best in well-drained loam based compost over winter.
Buy horticultural fleece and other insulation
Horticultural fleece is often used to insulate plants against the cold conditions of winter. It will serve as a protective barrier against wind and hail, and it’s particularly effective if you combine the fleece with extra materials such as straw. So, stock up and make sure you add some to your garden ahead of the first frosts.
Prune, trim and tidy
Some of your plants – especially the annual flowers growing up your pergolas – as well as your fruit and vegetables may need to be pruned ahead of winter. Remove blackened stems and foliage completely to remove any disease, as the cold weather will only exacerbate the problem.
Spread mulch
There’s no denying that your lawn is going to suffer a little over winter – or perhaps even a lot, if you live in a particularly cold location. So, spread a layer of mulch all over your bulb beds and the lawn. Now’s the time of year for the leaves to be falling, so rather than raking them away, simply run over them with the mower. This will grind them into mulch, helping to protect your lawn from strong winter winds and rain. The leaves will decompose adding vital nutrients to your soil, too.
Now that you know how to keep your plants happy this winter, how about learning how to save the vegetables you might have been growing in your garden? Here’s how to protect your produce over the winter months (without canning).
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