5 simple ways to care for your garden during winter

With winter just around the corner, the colder months can make even the most seasoned of green thumbs shake in their (gardening) boots. So how do you manage your garden in winter?

We’ve collated some of our best winter garden tips so you can make sure that your garden is always looking in tip-top shape.

1. Get rid of weeds

Weeds are the number one enemy! One of the first jobs for your winter garden is to remove all weeds and tidy up your garden beds. Weeds fight with your plants for nutrition and soil, leaving them to rot, while they flourish. Look to remove all weeds, dispose of wilted plants and remove fallen leaves and branches from autumn.

2. Add mulch, fertilizer and compost

We recommend spreading around 75-100mm worth of organic mulch deep across your garden beds. Mulch will not only help suppress weed growth, but it also helps to retain warmth and trap in moisture, thereby reducing the need for watering in winter by up to 60%.

Fertiliser and compost is also a good idea right before spring. Water it in well, so it can give your plants a helping hand when everything begins to start growing again. However, make sure you follow the application instructions for fertiliser, as too much will do more harm than good and make the soil too acidic for growth.

3. Choose winter plants and flowers

Just because it’s winter, it doesn’t mean you can’t plant plants! Choose plants that grow or flower in winter like Viburnums, Lavenders, Daphnes, Raphiolepis and Salvias’ that will flower well and keep their vibrancy all winter long.

It’s also a good time of year to plant leafy vegetables in your winter garden like lettuce, rocket and spinach as they’ll be ready to harvest in just a matter of weeks.

4. Pruning is key

Pruning is important, especially in the colder winter months. Pruning can help remove dead or diseased wood, keeping your trees looking healthy and attractive for longer. It also decreases the likeliness of branches falling and creating damage through rain, wind and storms.

5. Mow higher

With the shorter days, your grass will naturally get less sunlight. By raising the blades a little higher on your lawn mower and keeping the grass slightly taller than you would normally, you maximise photosynthesis and grass growth. Don’t forget to also keep an eye out for tree branches that are blocking sunlight and trim these back if there’s too much shade happening for your lawn.

For help on maintaining your winter garden, the Landart team can help. They offer a comprehensive garden maintenance service that will keep your space looking vibrant and healthy.

Story by: Landart