Taking care of a garden can be an enriching and pleasant outdoor pastime.
Few things can
compare with the feeling of watching a patch of dirt transform into a colourful garden
because of your own efforts.
As most plants tend to thrive in spring and summer, the winter season can be a challenging time for your gardens.
Many people tend to begin gardening in the spring, as the warm climate and season entices
and inspires them to go outdoors.
However, once they start winter garden care, many simply allow their outdoor space to become overgrown and unkempt, as they were not prepared to properly look after a winter garden.
Not to worry. In this article, we will tell you what no one tells you about winter garden care.
This way, you will be prepared and will know what to expect, helping you to look after your garden even in these colder seasons.
Let’s dive in.
Seasonal plants cannot grow all year round.
Some people get attached to the plants they’ve grown in spring and summer without realizing they can’t last all year round.
This is because many plants are seasonal and can usually only survive in the season they thrive in. Therefore, no matter how much you care for and protect them outside, certain seasonal plants will likely not survive the harsher
weather.
In such a case, you may either have to forfeit or bring them inside a greenhouse for the winter, instead of replanting them in your garden once spring starts.
On the other hand, you can consider colorful plants that grow all year round, like pansies and snapdragons.
Geographical location affects winter seasonal plant growth.
Another factor to consider is that just because winter plants grow in another part of the
world, it does not mean they will grow in your climate.
Factors like geographical location can influence things such as the humidity level or soil hardness. As a result, you will need to ensure that the winter plant you have in mind is suitable for your garden space.
So, if you live in the UK, and someone from the US recommends a winter plant they grow, be wary
and confirm that it can actually grow in your location before purchasing.
Watering plants before frosts helps protect plants.
This may seem counterintuitive, as you may think the presence of water may cause your plants to freeze. However, watering plants protects your plants in three ways.
Firstly, it helps regulate the temperature difference between the plant and the soil, spreading out the heat evenly.
This ensures that the plant does not have to handle the brunt of the cold. Secondly, the water acts as a protective insulation, so you should water the plants before freezing periods.
Usually, this is before night occurs. Finally, watering plants helps add moisture to the soil, and wet soil is much better at holding heat than dry soil.
This is why many experienced gardeners tend to deeply water the soil before frosts to ensure their
plants are as well-protected as possible.
Winter is a great time to evaluate and improve your garden.
Winter is when most gardeners will likely not be outside as often as they are during other seasons. After you have put away the plants you want indoors, you may find little to take care of.
However, if you’re still itching to go outside in the cold, it is an excellent opportunity to assess your garden and evaluate where you can make improvements.
For example, you can do a makeover by changing the fences, extending the garden, or making the space more efficient by adding composite decking. Consider adding new plants and preparing the area according to its growing habits.
Therefore, once the spring and summer seasons come along, your garden will thrive more than it did the previous year.
To conclude, gardening can be a rewarding task and hobby, even in the winter, with much
less heat and sunlight available.
Winter garden care is a different experience, but there are various things that new gardeners can learn to make it easier. For example, seasonal plants don’t grow all year round, so you will either have to let them die off or bring them indoors until springtime.
The geographical location of your area will also determine whether winter plants can grow in your area.
Watering plants before frosts in winter is an excellent way to protect them, as this helps with temperature regulation, insulation, and warmth retention.
Winter usually also means a lot of downtime in plant care, so you can take this time to evaluate and improve your garden, preparing your space for the coming seasons.
We hope this article proves informative and helps you prepare for winter garden care.
Thank you for reading!
