If you’re feeling a chill in the air, it must mean that Winter has arrived and this means it’s time for you hardy gardeners out there to tidy up, take stock and prepare to protect those plants and make some much needed plans for the months ahead. November can be a rather gloomy month but once December hits and we start seeing hints of Christmas with all its good cheer and twinkling lights it can lift you out of that gloom, for a month or two anyway! If summer is just a distant memory, after all – your garden has likely lost all of its valour, fear not – there’s still lots to do and plenty to be excited about. Spring would not be the cacophony of colour in your garden without a bit of careful planning at this time of the year – so please do keep that in mind.
This is a really good time to get your gardening tools cleaned up and sharpened. This also gives you a good opportunity to get things repaired or replaced so come the busier months you are all set to go. You may wish to stock up on fuel or oil for your machinery and give your shed a sweep and a de-cobweb. There are more important jobs however such as splitting plants and getting those bulbs planted. This always creates a bit of a buzz – seeing the lovely bulbs in full bloom on the packets – giving you a taste of Spring despite the damp and dreary weather.
Getting out into your garden at this time of year can give you a much needed boost. Fresh air and being in the garden is great for our mental health and gives us a nice break from the fast paced world of Christmas prep. And of course not everyone is up for Christmas and all the festivities, so if you’re one of these people, keeping busy in the garden is a good excuse to give it a wide berth! Just remember to wrap up warm and accept that you may need to be ok with working with a bit of rain and wind. You can always reward yourself with a hot toddy afterwards, or a nice big mug of tea. You can even take this opportunity to hose down your wellies and give your gloves a turn in the washing machine. If you’re lucky enough to have a potting shed or a green house this is also a good time to give it a good clear out.
There are usually a few jobs I do during the Winter months, and once again it’s to spend time in the greenhouse, not because I’m growing anything, but to tidy and weed. Snails like to hibernate in cool, damp places — they’re not obvious until you see them!
When you’ve got your garden looking how you want it, why not invest in some bird feeders and/or houses? And a water bath for the colder months ahead when little birds struggle to find food and water. You’ll be giving mother nature a helping hand and it will give you some pleasure to see the birds feeding and bathing. You may have a long list of repair jobs to be getting on with and it’s probably a good idea to get those out of the way before the really cold weather is upon us. If we have a nice sunny but chilly day then why not make the most of it and tidy out the shed? Whatever jobs lie ahead of you, we hope this blog has given you some useful ideas and inspired you to get your garden looking its best!
