Gardening Tips: Winter Storage, Planting And Maintenance

It’s winter, the weather is becoming rather unpredictable, days are shorter and so there’s less time spent in the great outdoors. But what should you be doing in readiness for the return of the warmer Spring sunshine?

From general tidying up, seasonal pruning and planting to taking care of tools and implements, let’s take a look at some of the garden tasks you should carry out in the winter.

Rake up Leaves

A blanket of autumnal leaves covering your garden area may look attractive, but they do actually block light from reaching the grass and can be a real slip hazard on paths. Take time to rake them up, putting them in a safe place to decompose.

Seasonal Pruning

Now that all the leaves have fallen, it’s an ideal time to remove unwanted plants or have a garden makeover. There’s less to dispose of and it’s easier to see exactly what needs cutting. Pruning old stems and branches encourages Spring growth, and protects plants from wind and frost damage.

Winter Planting  

As long as your soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen, you can safely move dormant plants to more suitable areas, plant new lawn seed or bedding plants such as forget-me-nots, poppies and cornflowers. For vegetable lovers this is the ideal time to plant a whole host of seasonal goodies – think cabbage, carrots, celery, kale, leeks onions, shallots, spinach and Brussels sprouts.

Maintenance and Repairs

Now that you’re able to see the stripped back, bare bones of your garden, any maintenance or repair tasks should be more obvious.  Which plants will need support as they grow? Does your fence or shed need any repairs?  Are any paving slabs loose? Now is the time to carry out these tasks, you may not have time during the busier, growing months.

Don’t forget to cast an eye over your tools and garden equipment too. You probably won’t be using them until Spring, so it’s important to make sure they’re clean, oiled to prevent rust forming and everything’s in full working order.

Artificial Grass and Synthetic Turf

If your garden includes any areas of artificial grass or synthetic turf, you’ll probably be delighted to know that it won’t suffer from frostbite or become so waterlogged that it turns into the damp, muddy mess which traditional grass areas tend to transform into during the winter.

In fact, it’s only in severe weather conditions that you’ll need to give your artificial grass that extra bit of tender loving care. Snow and ice are its only real foes, so be careful not to let these accumulate as they can impact drainage and damage fibres.

However, prevention is always far better than a cure. Using a waterproof tarpaulin ground sheet during harsh winters will protect your artificial lawn surface and save you considerable time and effort in trying to manually remove snow or ice.  If you do need to do this, remember to use a plastic shovel or spade rather than a metal equivalent, which could cause damage to frozen lawn fibres.

Of course, one of the major benefits to installing artificial grass is that it’s specifically designed to withstand the weather without discolouring or losing its attractive appearance. With just minimal effort your pristine lawn immediately becomes the envy of your neighbours as they look out onto their own waterlogged, muddy swamps.  Isn’t that a comforting thought !

 

If you require any further advice or information on caring for your artificial lawn, or have decided that you’d like to save the time and effort spent looking after a traditional lawn, the AsGoodasGrass team would be delighted to help you.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0161 207 3007 or email info@asgoodasgrass.co.uk