Some people believe that winter is the perfect excuse to be lazy when it comes to the garden. But contrary to popular belief, gardening is year-round work, and yes, it includes wintertime. While it is true that most plants are in hibernation at this time, there are still plenty of gardening-related activities to be done all around the house during this cold season. These include:
1. Cleaning up of your garden
Clear, wintry days are the perfect time to get rid of unwanted weeds and dead plants since you do not need to endure the heat of the sun. Green waste removal is necessary for any garden and this task should not be left until spring because doing so would be like placing a welcome mat for slugs and other pests to start feasting on your garden.
2. Checking for damage to your garden shed and/or greenhouse
Use this time to make necessary repairs on your garden shed and check to see if your greenhouse is still in perfect condition to house your plants. Since there is less to do in the garden, winter is also the best time to check on the condition of all your gardening tools and other equipment.
3. Preparing your soil for spring
The change of seasons may affect the condition of your soil so it is recommended that you aerate your soil to loosen it up and improve drainage. This prevents overwatering, which is common in winter, poorly draining soil can easily kill your plants. You should also add compost to your soil at this time in preparation for spring.
4. Planting new crops and plants
There are plenty of plants and crops that thrive well during winter so you can take time to plant them. You can start making your own vegetable plot in one section of your garden and you can also grow plants in pots and just transfer them to your garden when spring arrives.
5. Watering and fertilizing your plants
Winter may be cold and wet but your plants would still need to be watered regularly, although not as frequent as you are used to during the other seasons. When watering, make sure to do it in the morning.
This season is also a good time to fertilise your plants to make them thrive even more beautifully in the springtime. A potassium-rich fertiliser is ideal during this season, since it strengthens the cell walls of the plants, making them much more resistant to the cold.
6. Trimming your plants
Plants still need maintenance even at wintertime and you can use this season to start trimming your plants and get rid of unwanted branches. You can also start trimming shrubs and bushes to prevent them from being overgrown. Cutting them later may be more challenging once they have thicker branches.
7. Checking up on the conditions of your plants and getting rid of those that are diseased
Various diseases will also strike plants and you should get rid of these plants as soon as possible to avoid contaminating your other plants. These diseased plants must also be disposed of properly.
It is unavoidable to have plant waste whenever you garden but disposing of it is much more complicated during wintertime. Green waste removal, especially that of diseased plants, should be done properly so check with your local rubbish removal service on how to properly dispose of these.