Since spring is just around the corner, you will soon be immersed in a frenzy of activities including the planting of seeds, the growth of plants, and the maintenance of your garden as it comes back to life. Utilize the time of relative stillness and calm that winter brings to you to organise your thoughts and get ready for the approaching gardening season.
Have a look at our illuminating guide for some sound recommendations on how to get your garden prepared for the arrival of spring.
Get Seeds And Plants That Will Bloom In The Summer
It's the ideal task for a wet and windy winter day to place an order for summer-flowering bulbs and seeds. Lilies, gladioli, and ranunculi can all be ordered throughout the winter for planting in the early spring.
Organize Your Flower Beds And Borders
Make a general clean-up, clearing flower beds and the borders of any detritus-like leaves. Although it's better to wait until early spring if you want to be wildlife-friendly, you can trim back old dead foliage of deciduous grass and herbaceous perennials now.
Restore the beds' borders and the soil's bareness. After clearing it away, add the decomposing organic materials to your compost pile or bin. Remove any weeds you spot and dispose of them in your brown bin or by burning them. Avoid composting them because the seeds will grow and bring you further trouble.
Dig a layer of organic material 5 cm thick into bare garden borders if your soil is workable, such as compost, well-rotted manure, or recycled green trash.
Clean, Wash And Organise Your Greenhouse
In preparation for the seedlings and cuttings of spring, now is the ideal time to thoroughly clean your greenhouse. To get rid of algae, moss, and general filth, wash the exterior of your greenhouse with a disinfectant or detergent. More light will enter during the growing season as a result of the removal of possible pest and disease habitats. Make sure to clean the inside of the glass as well because overwintering pests and diseases can live in even the tiniest crevices.
Sweep up any plant matter that may have been collected on the floor or benches, then wash with a hot solution of a garden disinfectant. While you're there, clean seed trays and pots to help avoid the spread of diseases like "damping off" to your young plants. Over the coming days, make sure your greenhouse has plenty of airflows to ensure complete drying.
Once your greenhouse is sparkling and clean, spend some time checking the building for any glass or vent damage and replacing any damaged components.
Sow The Seeds That Do Best With A Longer Season
You can start planting the seeds of plants that require a longer growing season in January and February, such as geraniums, begonias, antirrhinums, peppers, and aubergines. In order to guarantee good growth, they must be started in a heated propagator or something similar.
Locate And Eliminate Any Pests
Find and get rid of any unwanted bugs that are hibernating now to save yourself a lot of grief in the spring and summer. Look closely at the crowns of your perennial plants to see if there are any slug, snail, or aphid colonies hiding out for the winter.
Check for white-vine-weevil larvae, which dwell in the compost and eat plant roots, before removing the summer bedding from the pots from last year if you haven't already.
This article on natural ways to eliminate garden pests might be useful for you.
Look At Your Fencing. Trellis, And Wooden Furniture
The winter months are the best for finishing off those pesky small maintenance tasks. For any indication of weather damage or deterioration, inspect the fence panels, gates, and trellis. If you fix any damaged structures now, you'll have more time in the spring and summer to work in the garden. Replace any sections or structures that are broken.
Next, use a power washer to wash dirt, moss, and mildew off of fence panels and gates. To assist get rid of tough filth, use a hard brush. On a dry day, apply two coats of stain, paint, or wood preserver to the wood after allowing it to dry completely.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a lot to accomplish this winter! When spring finally arrives, you'll be ready to go if you work your way through the list.