Quick ways to prepare for winter
Ruth considers the key tasks for the coming season
EVERY season has its challenges, but winter is the one that really keeps us on our toes. Unpredictable, harsher weather, gloopy mud, dripping branches and an apparent dearth of life in the garden is a less-than-thrilling combination that almost justifies our unwillingness to set foot outside.
But even though the garden is dormant, there is plenty for us to be getting on with and thinking about; this is not the time for us to lock the door, light the fire and forget about our treasured patch.
Winter is the season of pruning and mulching, planning ahead, maximising what we have and preparing the ground – literally and figuratively – for the coming year.
There are birds to feed, trees to shape, plants to protect and weather damage to repair.
If you are lucky enough to have a pond, use the next few weeks to tidy the plants, cutting back dead and dying vegetation, pruning water lilies and removing tender varieties before storing them in the greenhouse. When pruning marginals, don’t cut back stems to below the water level as they will drown.
If your pond is stocked with fish, stop feeding them once daytime temperatures dip below 10ºC as they become sluggish and eat less, so uneaten food will rot and foul the water.
If your pond freezes hard, don’t break the ice by trying to smash it, as this will shock the fish to death.
Instead, hold a pan of hot water on the surface until it melts. A ball left floating in the pond will keep water moving slightly, which can prevent freezing. Make sure tools are sharp and clean, and use dismal wet days to tidy the shed. Hang as many tools as possible off the floor and make sure chemicals are clearly labelled and safely stored.
Your greenhouse will need cleaning before tender plants are stored inside for winter, and it’s always worth adding a few clips to the panes to hold them fast. Finally, and most fun of all, use these days for planning next year, stocking up on essentials, and browsing seed catalogues and garden centres, because before we know it, we will be back to sowing and growing.