As the cold winter weather arrives our gardens start to look very different! Branches become bare, summer pests die away and tree and plant growth becomes few and far between. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing to do!

If you like to stay active outdoors even in cold weather and want a garden to be proud of come spring, here are some gardening jobs to tick off the to-do list this season.

Maintain Your Appliances

If you haven’t already, it’s time to give your appliances a quick once over.

Sharpen lawnmower blades or replace them if necessary. Same goes for chainsaw or hedge trimmer blades. Sharp blades are safer and more efficient, whereas blunt blades make your appliance work harder and give worse results.

Drain petrol from any petrol garden appliances. Petrol can spoil as the combustible parts evaporate. Lawnmowers with stale petrol in them won’t start in the spring.

Clean all appliances to prevent rust or blocked filters. Store garden tools clean of mud, leaves and grass too.

Empty water out of appliances like pressure washers to stop water freezing inside them and causing damage.

Tidy Up

Keeping your garden spic and span has plenty of benefits.

Autumn will have seen floods of leaves falling onto your grass and flowerbeds, which will soon become rotten and waterlogged. Clear these up to help stop your plants from getting diseases or becoming overly damp.

Gather any fallen twigs and branches and if they’re dry enough you can use them as fuel on a winter bonfire or for fires and wood burning stoves.

Where plants have died you may find some rubbish and debris in your flower beds. Go around and pick it all up to keep your garden looking neat and tidy.

Tread Carefully On Soil

Try to avoid compacting the soil in winter as soil without aeration will freeze solid and affect plant and grass health.

Prune Back Plants

Once the leaves have fallen it’s nice and easy to prune your flowers and shrubs. Get rid of dead twigs and branches, but take care around newly forming buds and new growth.

Prepare for the Winter Season

Harsh weather is imminent, but it’s not all bad, Christmas is around the corner too!

Get ready for heavy rainfall by raising shrubs in pots so that excess water can drain out of them.

Patch up any holes, rust or rotten beams in greenhouses and sheds so they can withstand strong winds.

Take cuttings of holly, ivy, mistletoe, spruce and other festive foliage to make wreaths and decorate your home for Christmas.

Protect Birds

Survival is tougher for birds in winter so give them a sanctuary in your garden.

Keep a bird bath topped up with water and make sure it doesn’t freeze over.

Provide food in a bird feeder (rather than a plastic mesh, which birds can get their feet and beaks trapped in).

Even though your garden isn’t a haven of green hues at this time of year, there’s still plenty to enjoy. The tweet of a robin for example, or a vibrant red cluster of holly berries. Just remember, although your garden doesn’t look like much now, under the surface it’s busy conserving its energy to blossom forth into riotous colour come spring!

For all the garden spares and accessories you need to help your winter garden thrive, visit our site.

Tags: Gardening Tasks, Winter Gardening