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Preparing your garden for winter

Rob Schneider

Autumn is an ideal time for getting outside and preparing your garden for winter. Here’s how to make sure your garden thrives through the cold season.

As winter approaches, you take your warm clothes out of mothballs and prepare for the winter’s wet and chilly weather. Your garden, too, has to get ready for winter, but it needs your help. These are some of the most important things to remember.

Preparing your lawn for winter

Most lawn varieties thrive throughout most of the year, but go dormant during the winter months. Winter can also be a critical time for your lawn’s overall health. If you want to maintain a healthy looking lawn throughout the winter and have it ready to spring back when the weather warms up, give it a little extra TLC in autumn.

• Fertilising your lawn once a month before the cold sets in will help keep it healthy during winter.
• If you experience heavy summer rains in your area, aerating your lawn will loosen compacted soil. You can also spread gypsum to help break up subsoil clay.
• Make sure the pH of the soil is at an optimal level of 6.5.
• As winter approaches, raise your lawnmower height. Longer blades of grass will help protect your lawn from frost. Longer blades of grass will also improve photosynthesis, creating a healthier lawn during the winter months when less sunlight is available.

The hardest job will be aerating the soil. You may be able to hire a lawn aerator or you can use a pitchfork. Another way to aerate the soil is to walk around your lawn in shoes with spikes on the soles. The important thing is to provide oxygen to the soil. Compacted clay beneath the surface can suffocate your lawn.

Preparing your garden for winter

Your garden may be in for a rough time in winter, especially if your plants aren’t indigenous to your location. There are a number of things you can do to protect them:

• If you are growing winter vegetables, a thick layer of mulch will protect them against the cold and help them thrive.
• Thoroughly weed and till the soil. If you have some organic compost, spread some around and till it into the soil.
• If you have plants that must be protected from frost, build light frames around them. In the evening, cover the frames with plastic or cloth to protect the plants from frost. Remove the covering first thing in the morning or the plants may get overheated during the day.
• If you have tropical or subtropical potted plants, move them to a protected area or indoors. Reduce watering of potted plants in winter, when they need less moisture to survive.
• If you live in an area where winter rains are a problem, make sure you provide adequate drainage for your plants.
• Rake fallen leaves and add them to your compost pile.

Don’t forget that winter is a great time to plant some flowers and winter veggies. Ask your local nursery for their advice about what’s best for your area and get ready for fresh veggies and a spectacular flower show.