PruneandTIDY
10 Gardening Tips for Winter - BBC Country File
The short dark days and inclement weather can make the prospect of gardening in winter both unattractive and potentially unproductive. However, a little bit of winter planning can get your garden ready for a great year ahead.
Clean up
Gather all the tools that you have used over the past few months and give them a good cleaning to remove all the dirt and rust. Use a mild detergent to disinfect pots and seed trays.
Check Structures
Check out fences, sheds, gates, and other structures for signs of weakness or rot and get them repaired before the snow and high winds arrive.
Lawn Care
The lawn needs a bit of a breather over the winter months so “keep off the grass” is the best advice. Make an exception to get rid of large weeds, moss and leaves.
Outbuildings
Give sheds and greenhouses a good scrub and organise all those garden tools you cleaned earlier. Spruce up tables and chairs as well.
The Vegetable Garden
Cover root vegetables such as parsnips and carrots with 15cm of leaves or straw and they can be harvested throughout the winter. If snow is forecast cover with an old piece of carpet!
Plants and Shrubs
Dead-head autumn-flowering plants and prune summer-flowering shrubs before the first frosts. Brush any heavy snow from shrubs and trees to prevent broken branches.
Compost
If you don’t already have a compost heap or bin, this is as good a time as any to start one, with all the leaves and cuttings to be disposed of. For those who already have a bin, a good stir will help the composting process along.
Wildlife
Putting out fat blocks and other food will not only help local wildlife to survive the winter but will encourage birds, frogs, hedgehogs etc to stay in the garden and they will repay the favour a hundredfold by eradicating many garden pests in the coming year.
Catalogues
There are few better ways to spend a cold winter’s evening than poring over some of the many mail order seed catalogues dreaming of the growing season to come, and planning your ideal garden.
Clothing
Protecting plants, outbuilding and the local wildlife is very important, but don’t forget the hardy gardener! Dressing appropriately and protecting yourself against the rigours of winter should be one of your first considerations.
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A trustworthy and empathetic service
Trustworthiness is a byword. Many regular clients (of whom there are several) give keys to gates, sheds and sometimes even their house, or allow garden jobs to be done even if they're out or at work.
References could be obtained to support this statement if required.
Prune & Tidy is an empathetic gardening business to have around, who will understand when and how to prune plants and small trees to best effect, how to plant in borders and containers properly, knows the difference between weeds and plants and appreciates the care needed when working where there are dormant bulbs or perennial plants 'hidden' in the soil.
Simple planting designs, small tree pruning and soil improvement undertaken. Green waste removed at extra cost. Prices start at £40 for 2 hours with small discounts on rate for subsequent sessions lasting 3 hours or longer and for regular visits of at least every 4 weeks (first session is charged at basic rate).
Services not offered: Large tree pruning, landscape work, full garden designing, removing unwanted items or moving heavy objects.
What garden maintenance services do you need?
Our comprehensive range includes:
Planting
Lawn mowing
Hedge cutting
Regular garden maintenance
Lawn care
Small turfing jobs
Simple watering systems
Weeding
General tidying
Jet washing