We all know the feeling this time of year. Walking out the door of a morning to the realization that yes, it is well and truly winter. Even though your plants aren’t doing much in terms of growth, it does not mean that you as a gardener should hibernate. Many things can be done in Winter, so that you can get the most out of your garden in Spring and Summer. Winter is ideal to prepare you garden, and to catch up on the tasks you have been putting off. Use the time to add new additions to your garden, perhaps some new plants, an installation or a transplant – be creative!
So where to start?
Even though autumn is the best time for planting, winter is nearly just as favorable. The main contributors to successful planting are watering and soil aeration. A plant going from a pot (that gets watered every day and has good soil aeration) into garden soil that may be dry for extended periods of time, and be compacted with low aeration, may cause severe stress to the plant. It is true that plants require less water in winter because they are not actively growing, but the rule is – LESS water, not NO water. To improve soil aeration, tilling is a good way to go. All that is often needed is to dig an oversized hole for the new plants, and the loose soil will aerate the roots.
Winter is also the best time for you to get on top of your weeds. Like other plants, their growth slows and they wait for rain and warmer weather to flower and set seeds. If you can weed your garden on a regular basis in winter then half the battle is won. For example, onion weed is a very difficult weed to control as it has a bulb that is usually quite deep in the ground. In spring this bulb splits and divides. If you start weeding in winter and pull them out (along with the bulb) with the help of a hand weeder, then you stop them in their tracks. Another trick, not organic, but for those of us who like to use chemicals as sparingly as possible, is to use a paint brush to paint the leaf of a weed you would like to get rid of. By using this method you don’t contaminate the soil, or risk spraying any other plant by mistake. Another trick to control weeds and moss in your paver is to spray the pavers with white vinegar.
After weeding the next task is mulching. Mulching is recognized as the best thing you can do in your garden to improve the health of your trees and shrubs, you keep the soil cool in summer and prevent evaporation after rain. For best results, your mulch must be composed of a mix of leaf and small twigs. Imagine what you would find on the floor of a forest – leaves, small branches and beneath it all a dark rich compost. Well that is exactly what you should try and achieve in your garden. Don’t bin your leaves in autumn, just throw them on your garden beds. The leaves of you deciduous trees are the best as they are usually thin and break down rapidly which adds organic matter to your soil. Little critters, worms and fungi bring your soil to life and your plants will thrive. If you need to buy mulch then here are a couple of recommendations: Pea straw, lucern, and sugar cane are great alternatives to standard straw for your vegie garden or for garden beds with flowering plants and ornamentals. These mulches break down quickly and need toping up often but will add a lot more organic matter to your soil than larger mulches. For your other garden beds with trees, shrubs, or large areas get tea tree mulch or leaf mulch. Tea-tree mulch can be bought from most nurseries and leaf mulch delivered from most landscapes suppliers. Avoid pine bark as it usually draws nutrients and can mess with the chemical balance of your soils.
Repotting is also best done this time of year. In winter, the roots of your plants go partially or totally dormant which allows you to work on them without stressing your plant too much. When repotting, prune up to 20% of your roots and replace most of your potting mix, once spring comes around your plant will have root space to develop and grow.
Make sure your irrigation is flushed and working properly for summer as if anything goes wrong with your irrigation in summer it will be less forgiving than in winter.
Give a prune to your deciduous trees and vines. With no leaves it is easier to see their structure and therefore modify it. Remember that only 10% of the total of the plant is the recommended amount for pruning for most trees but some will require or tolerate much more. Once you have pruned your fruit trees and roses it is also a good idea to give them a lime sulfur spray. This gives them a good clean and reduces the chances of them getting pest attacks in summer. When spraying your plants with soap strays of lime sulfur make sure you don’t forget to spray the branches and trunk as it is there that pest insects lay their eggs.
And finally, Take a few hours to clean, sharpen maybe oil and service your tools so that they ready to be used come spring time.
So, as you can see, there are many things that can be done in your garden during winter. And while there seems to be little plant activity at this time, it is actually one of the best times of the year to get your hands dirty. So put your gardening gloves on, grab a coat and get started on the tasks that will see an exceptional garden flourish in the warmer months.
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