Its November already – Christmas carols have been playing since mid-august, you have had enough toffee apples and left-over sweets to run a confectionary store with, penny for the Guy, now becomes pound for the guy as the price of sparkles increase with ever uncertainties of Brexit looming. It’s the time of year where we want to be at home, cosy, in our snuggly cardigans, central heating lovingly hugging every inch of the coldness out of our bodies. Is there no better feeling than being wrapped up in our favourite winter woollies and being out in the cold crisp air of the winter months? Just as we wrap and protect ourselves in the winter months we must brace and prepare out gardens in the same manner. As the Autumn months turn in to Winter then the main jobs in the garden are about protecting plans and structures from the wilder, wetter, colder weather to come.
Welch Fencing have given you some helpful and handy tips, for you to enjoy the last few weeks of being out and about in the garden.
Winter Warmers:
Insulating outdoor containers from frost, by wrapping in bubble wrap, sheets of tin foil or hessian.
Lifting outdoor pots on to bricks or even buying pot feet, will stop the pots from being waterlogged and help with the colder temperatures and frost freeze in the colder months.
Ensuring that bird tables are sufficiently stocked, using a variety of seeds and fat balls. Not only will they assist in keeping pest numbers down, seeing our feathery friends in the garden is something of a delight in the colder winter months.
Snuggly Shrubs:
Cutting roses and climbing shrubs back to about one third of their height, this will stop them rocking about in high winds and preventing the soil from coming loose and damaging the plants.
Now is the best time to aerate your lawn, there is still time before the ground becomes too hard with frost, simply use your garden fork at regular intervals and lean it back slightly to let the air in to the lawn.
Clear fallen leaves, this keeps your lawn healthy, also preparing a small bonfire will ensure that twigs, branches and leaves can be burned safely in the drier months. Always remember to check for hedgehogs before lightning any bonfires.
Edge your borders, this is by far the easiest of jobs to do in the winter as the borders are normally clear. Lawn edging creates a neat and tidy appearance and makes the rest of the maintenance of the garden so much easier throughout the year.
Gorgeous Greenhouses:
Give the green house a good overhaul, replace any damaged glass, scrubbing the greenhouse with a horticultural disinfectant will kill any winter pests and diseases, also protecting the glass panels with shade paint in the winter months will give the inside of the green house an extra insulation layer.
You could also install solar lights in tot the green house so that you are still able to are able to make use of the greenhouse as the nights start to come to a close earlier, remember that plants need little and often with water during the winter months, don’t be tempted to meddle to much, nurture is the key for potted plants over the cold spell.
Fantastic Foliage:
Collecting fallen leaves, dead plants to create a fresh compost bin, using resent compost on the ground as mulch
Give the water buts a good spring clean and jet wash, getting rid of unwitting fungal spores
Be brave use the last of any dry weather to give shed and fencing panels the once over with protective coatings and paints. Preservation is fundamental during then water, winter months.
Net ponds to stop falling leaves in to them, if you have taken pond weed from out of the pond then leave it by the side of the pond a day to dry, this gives wildlife a good chance off escaping back in to the pond before it goes as waste.
Just enjoying the garden in all its bareness, appreciating that life still flourishes, there is still a dependency despite the lack of green space. Wishing you all a wonderful November, from all the team at Welch Fencing.
