Look down
When the soil is cold, or indeed even frozen, there are nevertheless important jobs to be done and ground level.
Respect the lawn: If a frost has set in, avoid walking on your lawn. Walking on frozen grass can crush the brittle leaf blades, leaving black footprints that will take months to recover in the spring. The same goes for any winter mowing you might be planning!
Bare-roots: Winter is the prime season for planting bare-root trees, hedging, and roses. These plants are dormant, making them cheaper and often more robust than their pot-grown counterparts. As long as the ground isn’t frozen solid or waterlogged, now is a great time to plan – especially as our winters become (slightly worryingly) warmer. They will quietly establish their root systems over the remaining winter months, ready to race away when temperatures rise. All of the other joys and benefits of Planting Season can be discovered on our blog here.
Batten down the hatches
Winter brings the fiercest weather, so vigilance is key. A little check-up now can save your prized plants from storm and frost damage.
Check the perimeter: If you wrapped your pots or tender plants in autumn, check them after windy nights. Fleeces can tear and bubble wrap can blow away, leaving plants exposed. Ensure ties are secure but not cutting into stems.
Snow patrol: Heavy snowfall can be beautiful but destructive. The weight of snow can splay hedges and snap the branches of conifers and shrubs. Gently brush heavy snow off your evergreens and greenhouse roofs with a broom to prevent structural damage.
Greenhouse vigilance: On milder sunny days, ventilate your greenhouse or cold frame for a few hours. Damp, stagnant air is the enemy in winter, encouraging mould. A blast of fresh air helps keep fungal diseases at bay.
Time for a tidy
With the leaves gone, the “skeleton” of the garden is visible, making it the perfect time for structural work.
Winter pruning: This is the main season for pruning apple and pear trees. It’s easier to see the shape of the tree without leaves, allowing you to remove crossing, diseased, or damaged branches. It’s also not a bad time to prune Wisteria (cutting back summer side-shoots to 2-3 buds) and dormant bush roses (late winter) to encourage vigorous flowering.
Tool maintenance: Since you aren’t using them daily, give your tools some love. Sharpen secateurs, oil wooden handles, and scrape mud off spades and forks. A well-maintained tool is safer and cleaner for your plants next year.
Water systems
If you have a watering system, or indeed even a hosepipe, ensure your infrastructure is frost-proof.
Insulate/isolate: If you didn’t drain your outdoor taps in autumn, check them immediately. If they must stay on, ensure they are heavily insulated. Check any water butts; if they are full, the expansion of freezing water can split the plastic. It’s often wise to leave the tap open or float a ball on the surface to absorb the pressure of the ice. This advice is especially important in colder, more rural parts of the country. You can probably get away with it in cities, but always worth checking.
Gardening for nature
Winter is the survival season for wildlife. Your garden can be a lifeline when natural food sources are scarce.
High energy help: Switch to high-energy foods for birds. Fat balls, suet cakes, and peanuts provide the calories they need to maintain body heat during freezing nights. Scatter food on the ground for thrushes and blackbirds who may struggle with hanging feeders.
Shelter spots: Resist the urge to be too tidy. piles of logs, undisturbed compost heaps, and dry stems left in borders are vital overwintering spots for insects, frogs, and hedgehogs. Leaving a “messy” corner is one of the best things you can do for winter biodiversity.
Pond care: If your pond freezes over for lengthy periods of time (unlikely in the UK, but better safe than sorry) this can harm fish and wildlife. Melt a hole in the ice by holding a saucepan of hot water against the surface. Avoid smashing the ice, as the shockwaves can harm hibernating aquatic life.
Bird feeder hygiene: Continue the autumn habit of cleaning feeders. Wet winter weather spreads disease quickly among birds. A regular scrub with mild disinfectant ensures your garden remains a sanctuary, not a hazard.
