How to Prep and Protect Your Garden This Winter
The freezing cold weather and snow has just arrived in the UK, blanketing parts of northhern England in 8 inches of the white stuff. Weather forecasters are predicting a long, cold winter for 2016/17, so it’s time to start protecting your garden this winter. After all, a little preparation goes a long way!
Artificial grass winter care
If you have an artificial lawn, you should start prepping and planning for the cold months ahead. An artificial lawn is made up of hundreds and thousands of fibres and when frozen, can snap and break, causing damage to the lawn. To prevent this, be careful when you are walking on it and if it snows, make sure to remove it carefully, or wait for the snow to melt. Find your local artificial grass installers in essex today to find out more tips and tricks to protect your lawn this winter.
Clean your green house
If you have a greenhouse, it would be a good idea to give it a good scrub to ensure the (little) sunlight that we have reaches through to your plants. Be sure to clear any gutters of leaves so that rain water can filter away. Sweep any debris inside and replace any broken glass panes.
Tidy the flower beds
Dig up the Spring/Summer flowers and put them onto the compost heap. You could plant some pansies or wallflowers for the winter bedding, ready for a colourful display in the Spring! Once your beds are tidied, add a thick layer of compost of bark chippings.
Looking after the lawn
Autumn is the best time to revitalise your lawn. Remove any old grass cuttings and moss using a rake and add it to the compost heap. Autumn is a great time to lay new turf as well, giving it plenty of time to nourish and grow before next summer.
Start a leaf mould
It’s an easy thing to set up but you won’t see any results for a couple of years – but it will be good for your garden! Gather up all of your leaves and pop them in either a wire mesh bin or a plastic bin liner, (punch holes into it to let in the air) sprinkle some water on top and leave them to wilt down. Once they turn into a crumbly texture, they can be used as compost for your flower beds.
Clear out compost bins
It’s a good idea to clear these out during the Autumn/Winter to make room for next season’s garden waste.
Cover ponds
Decomposing leaves in a pond can turn the water stagnant and can block the pipes and filters. To prevent any leaves falling into the pond during Autumn or Winter, spread a fine meshed net across the pond and pin it down with bricks. That way, you can easily pick up any fallen leaves and add them to your leaf mould!
Look after your garden equipment
Don’t just chuck your tools and equipment to the back of the shed for next year’s gardening season, prep and protect them so they’re ready when you next need them! Sharpen any shears and secateurs and wash any spades, forks and tools that could benefit from a good wash. When drying metal tools, make sure to dry them thoroughly and oil the metal parts to prevent rust. Clean wooden handles and then protect them with a coat of linseed oil.