Has Your Garden Suffered This Winter?
Have the testing conditions recently as we enter March with a lot of the UK and Europe being effected by snow that come with winter wreaked havoc on your garden? If so, you are not alone with numerous gardens up and down the country falling victim to the frost. Spring is a still a little way off but that doesn’t mean that we cannot get a head-start on prepping our gardens for when the sun does finally come out to play.
For those green-fingered among us, we have put together a list of some of the things that you can do to begin the revival of your garden post winter.
Remove Damaged Branches from Trees
In winter, conditions can not only be cold but windy, too. That can cause damage to branches of trees, such as snapping from the seams and general wear and tear. Instead of attempting to persevere with these broken branches, it is far better to completely remove them.
Cut away broken branches just below the damage, allowing for the branch to regrow. Non-urgent repairs can be delayed until the spring is in full swing when flowers are blossoming.
Maintaining the Lawn
If there is any part of the garden that receives more damage than anything else, it’s certainly the lawn. Grass, in the winter, can become yellow with brown patches form on the account of the increase in hydration. Rainfall is good, but too much (which, as we know, is commonplace in the UK) is detrimental.
There are two options that gardeners have to tackle problem lawns. These are:
- Fork the soil to help drain away standing water and, depending on the amount of damage caused, re-seed your lawn to help the grass to grow back. Regular cuts once the winter is out of the way will help to keep your lawn looking green and strong.
- Rip up the lawn and start afresh an artificial lawn. This can be a controversial subject amongst some gardeners, especially traditionalists but, in the modern day, artificial grass is every bit as good as the real thing. Making the transition is a simple one and leaves you with a perfectly green lawn all year round, without having to worry about watering, cutting or re-seeding. It’s not traditional, but it’s certainly easier.
Prudent Planting
If you have winter plants that simply have not kicked into gear then, rather than persevering with dying/dead flowers, cut your losses and get rid. If your winter plants are not blossoming by now, then they never will.
Instead, look ahead to spring and look to replenish your garden’s blossoms now. It may seem a little on the early side to look ahead to warmer weather plants, which is why should look to invest in a greenhouse if you haven’t already got on in your possession. Begin growing spring flowers now and, by the time winter is officially over, they will be looking splendid and ready to add colour to your garden.
Icy/Damaged Patio
Winter not only causes chaos to your garden’s blossoms, but damaged patio can also be as a result of icy conditions. During the winter, the patio is a safety hazard with an accident just waiting to happen. If your garden still sees plenty of traffic in the winter, make sure to grit the patio with salt.
Freeze-thaw causes concrete slabs to weaken and crack becoming unsightly, as well as potentially being unsafe to walk on. Concrete sealer can help to maintain your patio to an extent, although more serious cases of damage will need to be replaced to preserve your garden’s safety.
These are just some of the simple things that you can do to patch up your garden from a long and hard winter, ready to kick it into gear ready for when spring and summer come around.
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