Being part of the home most explicitly exposed to the elements, our gardens must undergo preparation for the colder season so as to ensure that they do not suffer damage or fall into disrepair. To achieve this, homeowners must think ahead and use both summer and autumn as periods of preparation. As we now move toward the winter season and the temperatures drop from their summer highs, we’re sharing 5 essential tips that will ensure your garden remains safe and secure during the cold weather.
Remove Weeds
Pulling up your weeds and tending to both soil and flower beds prior to winter is important because, as the cold weather sets in, residents are less likely to be inclined to step outside and spend time addressing their garden’s needs. This allows weeds to take further hold, root more deeply, and spread more definitely until it becomes a greater challenge to remove them during the spring.
Without this precaution, unwanted plants can potentially take over a garden, displacing favoured flowers and even infiltrating a home, pushing through concrete and decking.
Prevent Flooding
Depending on the design of your garden, as well as your area’s inclination for rainfall, gardens should be duly prepared for the potential of excessive water. If drainage is not sufficient or at all available, water can collect and very quickly cause damage. External structures, such as log cabins and greenhouses should be tended to, ensuring that their roofs are secure and any drain pipes are free from clutter. This will prevent rainfall from causing them permanent damage.
Tied And Secured
Winter is not only a period of rainfall and cold temperatures but also of harsh winds too. This means residents must consider their garden assets, from plant pots to dining furniture, to ensure that whatever is not already secured is tended to. Any object that could potentially be blown over or be affected by heavy winds, such as outbuilding windows, should be given attention.
Greenhouse Planting
Preparing a garden for winter means thinking a season ahead, readying a greenhouse so that, when spring comes around, there is a harvest to be had. Greenhouses and even salad boxes can keep heat remarkably well, allowing gardens to produce foods and ingredients all throughout the colder season.
Those who grow outside of greenhouses will want to prepare their garden growth by trimming it back, ensuring that the winter period does not encourage plants, trees, and bushes to overgrow.
Clean It Out
The harsh conditions of winter can lead to a significant accumulation of dirt and even decay. To avoid this, time should be made prior to the cold weather to clean a garden and its assets thoroughly. Such efforts will also prevent the development of rust and moss, both of which become much more difficult to mask or remove at later dates. Cleaning garden drainage paths and pipes will also prevent flooding, which can occur quickly if even a handful of leaves are neglected.
