As the temperature drops, don’t forget to get your outside area ready for the cold season. Here are some of our top tips to get your garden ready for winter:
- Clear up leaves
Rake up and clear away any fallen leaves as they can become a slip hazard. Make sure your clear pathways and patios, not only are they a slip hazard, they might also leave a stain on your patio. Don’t just throw leaves away though, these can go in your composter. Just be sure to dispose of any weeds separately.
- Spread your compost
Any well-rotted material ready to spread can be put over your borders to help them prepare for spring.
- Wrap up any pots
To avoid your shrubs getting root damage and your pots from cracking in the freeze thaw process, we recommend you wrap your pots with polythene or bubble wrap and if possible cover with a hessian sack to give an extra layer of insulation.
- Trim back shrubs
Prune your roses, cut back any other shrubs and hedges. With rose bushes the National Trust advises to cut rose bushes back by a third in November to avoid wind rock, then in January they should be cut back by half removing any dead damaged or diseased stems.
- Look after your lawns
Go over the lawn with a scarifying rake to remove thatch and moss, giving your lawn space to breath. If you have a lot of moss, you may have a drainage issue which we would be happy to advise on.
- Check the gutters
It is likely we will have more rain at this time of the year, so check your guttering is clear of any blockages to ensure rainwater drains away properly.
- Cover your garden furniture
Either put your garden furniture in a storage box or shed or cover it for the winter. This will increase the life of your garden furniture and protect it from getting damaged or broken during bad weather.
- Clean the BBQ
Most people just leave their BBQ until the spring and tackle it then, however it would be much better to put it away clean. Remove any old coals and clean the grill with a degreasing agent before rinsing it thoroughly with a hose. If you have a gas BBQ, shut off and unscrew the lines safely and sore in a cool dry place or return to the retailer.
- Protect outside taps from the frost
If you have a stop tap isolator for your outside tap, switch the outside tap off and drain it. This will prevent any water getting frozen in the pipes and bursting. If you haven’t got an isolator, you can insulate the outside pipes and cover the tap with a tap cover.
- Look after the wildlife
The cold months can be difficult for nature, so why not add a bird feeder to your garden or perhaps invest in a hedgehog house, or you could build a bug hotel.
If you are thinking of redesigning your garden or updating your outdoor space in 2020, now is the time to get booked in. Get in touch and we would be happy to discuss your plans for your garden, patio or driveway.
