Winter Gardening: Maintenance and Preparation

Winter gardening is a time to clean, maintain, and prepare. You’ll need to take care of your plants through the colder months while preparing yourself for the work of the year to come. In this guide from Sims Garden Machinery, we’ll explain the key tasks for any winter gardener, look at what you’ll need to plant during these months, and give some basic tips for beginner gardeners.

What Jobs Do Gardeners Do in the Winter?

While some might imagine that the winter months pause garden activity, they are in fact the ideal time of year for a variety of crucial tasks, getting your garden in perfect shape for spring and summer.

Winter Lawn Care

As covered in our guide to year-round lawn care, winter is a crucial time for grass and it should be treated very carefully. You should let it grow longer than you would at other times, and avoid cutting it when it is wet or frosty. You should also avoid walking on your lawn whenever possible to preserve it.

Pruning and Trimming Tasks

During winter many plants will be dormant, making this the ideal time to prune them. This keeps them within their space and encourages stronger growth. You should wait until late winter, preferably January, to undertake this. You should prune:

• Wisteria
• Fruit Bushes
• Roses
• Pear or Apple Trees
• Deciduous Trees and Shrubs
• Grapevines
• Type 2 and 3 Clematis
• Raspberries (Autumn Flowering)

The winter is also a good time to cut back border plants, removing any damaged exterior elements.

Tidying Up Leaves

Many will look to rake their garden free of leaves in the early winter. You can opt to rake leaves as regularly as you like, or can wait to try and collect all fallen leaves in one go. The leaves you collect will make a great addition to compost. For those comfortable with a more natural look in their outdoor spaces, leaves can also be left. This can give nutrients to the soil as they decay and can bring more wildlife to a home garden.

Weeding

Winter is a great time to ensure that your garden is completely free of weeds. To do this, you’ll need to make sure you’re removing the roots of the weed as well. Weeding can be accomplished by hand or with a weed removal tool. This will also help to ensure the strength of your lawn.

Watering

Depending on the levels of rainfall, watering can still be crucial within your garden over the winter months.

Protecting Tender Plants

While many plants are hardy enough for the winter months, tender plants like dahlias and geraniums will need protection. This can involve carefully lifting and storing them in a greenhouse or conservatory, or covering them in a layer of protective mulch.

Cleaning Equipment and Repairing Structures

Winter is the time to ensure that your equipment is in great condition and is cleaned. Dirty equipment can transport weeds and plant diseases across a garden, so it’s vital to properly clean them. Our guide to cleaning dirt and rust from garden tools will tell you everything you need to know. With plants dormant in your garden, winter is also the perfect time for any necessary repairs or maintenance work. This could mean repairing fences or trellises, clearing up mess, or repainting surfaces.

Planning for the Year Ahead

Winter is the time to plan for the gardening year to come. This means planning any garden design changes or projects you want to complete in your garden, and thinking about the plants and vegetables you want to grow. You can order seeds and bulbs in advance to make sure you’re prepared, and you can also make a physical or digital plan to ensure you do the right tasks at the right time throughout the year.

What to Plant in a Winter Garden

There are a variety of vegetables and plants that should be planted during the winter months.

Vegetables

There are many vegetables that should be planted in the winter growing season, though most of them will need to be planted either indoors or in a greenhouse. You can opt for a cold frame if you don’t have the space for a full greenhouse. Here are some of the key vegetables you can grow in winter and the best times to plant them:

Fast-Growing Winter Vegetables

If you’re looking to grow food in your garden, you’ll need to carefully plan around care and harvesting. Of the vegetables shown above, options like carrots, radishes, and lettuce will be the fastest growing.  Carrots should be ready within around 50 days, radishes will take around 35, and lettuce can take as little as 21. Other winter vegetables will not be ready to eat until later dates.

Other Plants

Planting bulbs that flower in the spring, such as daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips can be accomplished during the winter as long as the ground has not frozen. You can test this by simply digging a hole in your soil. If it is difficult to shift then your ground may be already frozen and it will be too late. 

Winter is also a great time to plant trees, such as fruit trees, though you should also check that your soil isn’t frozen. Planting a tree in late winter will mean that it can already have solid roots by the time spring starts. You can also plant bare-rooted trees in winter.

Ideas for Gardening in Winter

Here are some additional ideas to make the most of your gardening time in winter:

• Add Compost to Flower Beds: Keeping a home compost bin is a great way to benefit both the environment and your garden. Spreading compost amongst your plants during the winter months can keep them healthy and strong heading into spring.
• Attracting Birds: Installing a birdfeeder within your garden can attract a range of winter visitors, including goldfinches, blue tits, and robins. A hanging birdfeeder will be the best squirrel-proof option, filled with a birdseed mixture intended for smaller birds.
• Evergreen Plant Pots: Evergreen plants can be enjoyed during the winter months, either planted or installed within pots. This can help you to enjoy your garden throughout the year, and get a respite from the winter blues.

Tips for Beginner Gardeners This Winter

For those without the time or inclination to commit to the perfect garden, there are still a few key gardening tips that can be used to get the best possible results.

• Protect Your Grass: Let your lawn grow longer than you would throughout the rest of the year, and take care to avoid walking on it as much as possible.
• Keep Watering: Just because the weather has turned, doesn’t mean your plants don’t need the same amount of water. Unless there is consistent rain you should regularly water your plants.
• Prune the essentials: Pruning is vital for attractive and healthy plants. You should look to prune the plants mentioned above to allow them to grow more fully for the rest of the year.

Quality Gardening Equipment and Tools Delivered to You

Sims Garden Machinery have been in the gardening world for over 100 years, working with professionals and passionate home gardeners across the country. Through our website you’ll find an exhaustive range of quality gardening equipment like lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and irrigation systems alongside our full range of hand tools, helping you to keep your garden in amazing condition through the winter, and to prepare it for the year to come. All of our products can be delivered to you across the UK.
If you found this article useful we have a range of gardening guides on our blog, covering everything from Autumn gardening to the different types of lawn mowers.