January and February give you a great chance to get on with any important gardening jobs, redesign or planning and to do any building jobs that just can’t wait! (However remember that any concreting jobs would be better off waiting until warmer weather if it’s likely to freeze).
It is also a great time to get your self prepared for the coming spring and summer.
Gardening Jobs – Lawn Care
Continue cutting the grass if it is still growing in spells of mild weather – but remember not to cut it too short. Also remember to clean up any mowing debris. It is extremely important not to leave debris, leaves, or toys out on the lawn. These things can smother the grass, create disease conditions, and invite insects, mice and other damaging pests. However, do not cut the grass too short and scalp it thus exposing the crown of the plant to cold conditions. Calgary Direct offer a huge range of petrol and electric lawn mowers to help you get the job done quicker and faster.
Gardening Jobs – Snow and Ice
If you have a covering of snow, then try not to use your grassed areas (can be difficult when the kids want to make snowmen or have a snowball fight!). Dormant grass will tolerate a moderate amount of traffic but a heavily worn path will be slower to green up in the spring and cause compaction.
Do you remember the heavy snow of the winter of 2011? Don’t get caught out this winter; be prepared!
If you are expecting snow, then consider preventing it from settling on your lawns, paths and patios by applying sand or rock salt. This can be done through the use of a salt spreader. These machines come in a variety of forms, from walk-behind models to towed salt spreaders. Which ever salt spreader you choose, you will be glad you did as you will be preventing the snow from settling on your lawn (your grass will be happier!) and protecting your walk-ways making them safer to use. At Just Lawnmowers we offer the complete solution to all your salt spreader needs. We have walk-behind models aswell as a complete range of towed models.
If you have a build up of snow, then a snow removal machine can keep your pavements, driveways and car park areas free from snow. They will make your premises safer and more user-friendly. Using a snow removal machine in public areas also shows that you care about your visitors and reduces the risk of avoidable accidents. Snow removal machines can be used on patios, paving, driveways, car parks and just about any hard-landscaped area; some can even be used on lawns too. We stock a range of snow removal machines including pedestrian (hand-pushed) snow blowers and snow throwers together with some incredible ride-on snow removal machines from Stiga including two different 4-wheel-drive (4WD) models.
Gardening Jobs – Pruning Trees
Winter is the time for pruning fruit trees, figs and grape vines as they are fully dormant. Pruning your trees and shrubs will not only ensure they keep their shape but also promotes new, healthy growth. When pruning it’s essential to keep your secateurs sharp. Blunt tools can cause branches to tear, leading to wounds on the tree that will attract disease. Just Lawnmowers offer a range of secateurs to help you with lighter pruning tasks. You can find them here.
If you have larger branches to saw, then there are a couple of options for you to consider. If the branches are within a safe reach (while standing on the ground), then consider using a small domestic chainsaw. Just Lawnmowers stock a huge range of petrol and electric chainsaws, and our team of experts can advise you on the most suitable chainsaw for you. If the branches are out of safe reach then use a specialist pole pruner or pole saw. You will be able to reach high branches while maintaining a safe footing on the ground. You will also eliminate the use of a ladder.
Gardening Jobs – Recycling Garden Litter
The benefit of shredding leaves and branches (known as chipping) is well known – rich compost can be made quickly, whilst piles of leaves and twigs are reduced to around 1/8th of their original volume, depending on the shredder used. Alternatively the shredded leaves can be used to mulch your garden, adding organic-rich nutrients to the soil and also helping to retain moisture during dry spells. Some garden shredders also have the ability to chip wood, so not only drastically reducing a pile of branches in size, but also producing wood chippings to spread on your borders to help suppress weeds and to retain moisture. Just Lawnmowers offer a huge range of both electric and petrol garden shredders and chippers and our team of garden machinery experts are always on hand to give you any advice you may need.
Gardening Jobs – Digging and Cultivating Soil
As long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged, Winter is a good time to dig over and beds or vegetable plots. Digging aerates the soil and encourages it to break down into smaller particles, allowing roots to grow and spread healthily. Digging over the soil can be done in two ways, either by hand using hand tools, or by using a machine to do the job for you. Just Lawnmowers offers a huge range of hand tools and garden tillers that will help you get this job done quickly and efficiently.
Other Winter Gardening Jobs
- Protect containers planted with winter bedding, or all year round shrubs, from freezing solid. Stand them in a shed, garage or sun room.
- Take the opportunity to treat timber such as sheds and fences with wood preservative.
- Erect trellises, posts or arches.
- Order seeds for seed catalogues ready for spring.
- If the weather is bad, stay indoors and map out a plan for the year ahead and a wish-list of what gardening jobs need to be done and what to grow.
