If you’re anything like us, your thoughts have turned to cosy nights in, mince pies, and rewatching Love Actually while you work through your Christmas card list.
But before you get too comfy, this is the ideal time to prep your garden for Winter so future you will have a breeze come springtime.
We asked County Council colleagues for their ultimate gardening tips, and oh boy did they deliver.
Psst, it’s relatively straight forward too! So, zip up, wrap up, and grab that trowel!
Prune your heart out
Cut back those bushes, trees, and flowers, they’ll still grow over the winter months, but it just means they’ll flourish come spring. Did you know you can still plant bare-root trees between November and March? Just remember not to plant in frozen soil and they’ll be good to go.
Leave those leaves
It’s tempting to be uber-tidy and sweep away those leaves, but by leaving them to do their thing, you can help provide a home for many insects over the colder months.
Dried leaves can also be good food for birds and small animals, so keep that broom at bay and encourage wildlife to thrive!
Clear gutters
Before it gets dark at 3 pm (boo!) make use of the available light and clear any debris from gutters to allow rainfall to free flow.
Potted plants? Bring ‘em inside
You can brighten up your space AND ensure plants are safe from frost! Potted plants tend to be more vulnerable to colder temperatures and damage.
Flower bed love
Give those flower beds a good digging through and break up/aerate the soil. By doing this, it’ll allow the rain to soak into the soil rather than sit on the top layer.
Once you’ve given it some digging, pop a thick layer of mulch (loose coverings or sheets of material placed on the surface of soil) on the flower beds and around the bases of any delicate plants. This will help protect roots and bulbs from frost.
Lean into the untidiness
Resist the temptation to hack everything back and tidy it up too much. Learn to love the ‘untidy’ look and to see the beauty in seed heads, spent stalks, spider webs and leaves breaking down.
Teeny things (and the less teeny) that do the garden good will love you for leaving them somewhere to spend the winter (rotting leaves, stems of plants that have gone over, a pile of twigs).
For eco-friendly gardening tips, why not check out this previous article. If you are hungry for even more winter gardening jobs, visit the Countryfile website for more information.
