You’ve had a busy and productive year in the garden, but what happens when temperatures drop? You might be tempted to down tools, believing there’s nothing to do in the garden during winter.
In fact, there are lots of tasks you can be getting on with in the garden during the colder months. It’s all about preparing your garden for spring so you don’t miss a moment of growing time. You might also want to be tidying up dead or shedding plants, to keep your garden looking its best all year round.
Take a look at our recommendations for ways to continue gardening in winter and keep on top of your outside space in those chillier months.
What do gardeners do in the winter?
Contrary to popular belief, garden care and maintenance don’t just stop in December. There’s actually a long list of jobs you can do to keep active and busy in the garden throughout winter. It’s a great feeling to be getting ahead ready for the spring season.
So, what needs doing? It all starts with cleaning up the remains of the growing season, along with some maintenance of key structures like fences and outbuildings. It’s important not to neglect your plants for the garden in winter, but you can also turn your attention to garden tools and equipment, plan next year’s sowing schedule, and much more. And, of course, there are your overwintering plants to look after.
Clean up your garden
When spring arrives, you’ll want a clear space ready for sowing seeds and plants. You’ll also want a neat and tidy garden to look at from your kitchen window during winter.
This means it’s time to tidy up. Here’s a checklist of gardening jobs in winter:
- Remove dead leaves and fallen branches
- Sweep pathways and keep them clear
- Dig out dead plants that are no longer of use. These are not only unsightly but can potentially harbour diseases which can affect other plants.
- Rake out any dead thatch and moss from the lawn. You might want to tackle other problems, too, such as adding drainage to waterlogged lawns.
- Clean up any ponds or other water features.
Remove perennial weeds
It’s so much easier to tackle those persistent perennial weeds when the garden is stripped right back. When plants have shed their leaves or been cut back, there will be less vegetation crowding your cut flower garden. This means you’ll have more room to work on getting rid of those weeds.
Take care of plants for the garden in winter
At the same time as clearing up the garden and removing dead or unwanted vegetation, it’s important to take care of plants for the garden in winter. These will need protection from the cold temperatures, frost, snow and ice.
Anything tender should be brought indoors, or placed in your greenhouse. For plants that remain outdoors, consider wrapping their pots in bubble wrap, hessian, straw or garden fleece and netting, or using garden cloches. Make sure you move your overwintering plants to a sheltered place (close to the house if possible).
Maintain fences and sheds
The greenery in your garden is taken care of, but don’t forget about your furniture, fences, sheds and outbuildings. Winter is the perfect time for a little TLC, as there’s less foliage around to obscure your view or get in the way.
Start by assessing the condition of any timber furniture or structures, and replace anything that has rotted or deteriorated. Then, you can oil, paint or otherwise treat the wood to protect it from the harsh winter conditions. Put the work in now and your garden furniture will not only survive the cold months - but it’ll also look fabulous come spring!
Clean up your tools and equipment
It doesn’t take much time at all to clean your essential gardening tools, removing any soil, debris or dirt. You may even want to replace the handle on your favourite spade or treat yourself to a new trowel.
Indoor gardening in winter
If you can’t wait til springtime for sowing and growing, there are plenty of plants that you can grow indoors during the frosty season. Explore microgreens and grow your very own container garden from your kitchen windowsill! Or take a look at our variety of herb seeds, like basil seeds, thyme seeds, and more, at Fothergill’s!
Shop essentials for gardening in Winter at Fothergill’s
Take Fothergill’s on your growing journey, and let us help keep your garden thriving during the wintertime. We stock a selection of high-quality equipment and Darlac tools to keep your garden in shape, as well as a selection of essentials for your family garden.
If you have any further questions about how to grow garlic or have curiosities about any of our other products, don’t hesitate to contact us or take a deeper dive into our gardening blog!
