While winter might be a seemingly dormant time when it comes to looking after your garden, there are plenty of jobs that you can be doing in preparation for the coming warmer months.
The more you get these things done during the winter, the easier the spring jobs will be. So pull on your winter coat and a beanie, and get stuck in. The work will soon get you warmed up.
Have A Big Tidy Up
It’s amazing how much rubbish ends up in your garden over the winter months. Fallen leaves, tree debris from windy wintery days, dog poo that hasn’t been picked up – while we hibernate inside we allow the mess to build up safe in the knowledge that it will get sorted out sooner or later.
But on a bright blustery winters day, there’s nothing more therapeutic than wrapping up warm and getting outside to crack on with clearing up some of that debris. Invest in a good quality rake and wheelbarrow, and work through any winter blues by raking up all the soggy dead leaves that have lain mulching away on your lawn since the autumn.
Gather up any deadwood and branches that have been snapped from the overhanging trees during windy days. If you have a wood burning stove then gather these together and use them for kindling or stack them up for the fire pit that you light for summer evenings.
Check Your Lawns – Do They Need Overhauling
Check over your lawn for any damage it may have occurred during the winter. Although it may be too early yet to get out the lawnmower, it is the perfect time to check for any damage and plan for any re-seeding that may be necessary.
If the thought of facing another summer of constantly mowing your lawn fills you with dread, then you may want to consider alternative ground covering for your garden – decking, for example, hard paving, or even artificial lawn. The winter is a good time to get the professionals in for a quote.
Fill Up All The Bird Feeders
As spring starts to unfurl its fresh new wings, the skies will soon start to fill up again with the sound of birdsong. Your birdfeeders may have been decimated by squirrels over the summer – now is the time to start attracting birdlife back into your garden.
Give your birdfeeders an overhaul – clean them up and repair any damage done by neighbouring squirrels. Then head over to your nearest pet store and stock up on nuts, seeds, and fat balls which are all enticing temptations for a feathered friends. You may need to put in place some deterrents for the squirrels, they are notorious for pinching bird food, and can prove extremely athletic when it comes to getting to some of the most obscure and hard to reach parts!
Tidy Up The Shed/Garage etc
On rainy days there is no excuse not to at least get some jobs done. There is nothing more satisfying than walking into the garage or garden shed and being faced with complete order – but achieving that order takes some work!
On a rainy weekend, afternoon lose yourself in the delights of sorting through often years of paraphernalia that have gathered as a final dumping ground when sorting through cupboards inside the house (too often the final act of throwing something away is put off by storing it in the shed – out of sight, out of mind).
Completing this job during the darker winter months will mean that as you enter into the longer, warmer spring months, you will do so with a clearer head.
