Gardening in Winter
Winter may be the dormant season, with many gardens losing much of their colour, but there are still jobs to be done to protect and prepare your garden for next season.
A general clean-up is advisable as it's likely to be your last opportunity before the spring. Remove dead leaves and flowers from plants, although any remaining seed heads should be left for the birds to eat. Remove any weeds while they're still small, sweep up leaves and compost them and prune trees.
Make any necessary repairs to fences, posts and greenhouses, before the bad weather sets in, to prevent rotting and wind damage.
If you have a pond, keep it clear of leaves and make sure it doesn't ice over completely by floating something like a tennis ball on the surface to keep a patch clear, or melt some of the ice with a kettle of hot water (be careful of any wildlife!).
Early winter is also an ideal time for planting trees, bushes and spring bulbs, as the soil is moist and warm, which encourages root growth and quick establishment. Take advantage of the dormant season to move any trees or shrubs, as minimal transplanting shock occurs now.
You could even dig a hole ready for an outdoor Christmas tree which you can decorate with strings of fruits, raisins and popcorn which birds can eat. Install nest boxes now so they're ready for spring, and keep your bird table well stocked with fatty scraps and fruit as well as the usual nuts and seeds.
Prepare plants for the snow by tying together multi-stemmed evergreens, like juniper and conifers, to prevent breakages during heavy snow falls and wrap brittle plants with sacking to protect them. Remember not to clear plants covered with ice, they'll just break. Allow the ice to melt naturally and they should be alright.
And finally, enjoy the visual changes that the season brings to your garden!
