Recycle your plastic bags with us! More information about our recycle scheme here!

01440 966966 £0.00

Home / Guides & Advice / Winter Gardening Tips

Winter Gardening Tips

Posted on 31 October 2018

It’s getting cold outside now so you’re going to need to keep busy to keep warm.  The RHS recommend the following gardening tips for the winter months ahead.

     

November

  • Clear up fallen leaves – especially from lawns, ponds and beds
  • Raise containers onto pot feet to prevent water-logging
  • Plant tulip bulbs for a spring display next year
  • Prune roses to prevent wind-rock
  • Plant out winter bedding
  • Cover brassicas with netting if pigeons are a problem
  • Insulate outdoor containers from frost – bubblewrap works well
  • Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees using grease bands around the trunks
  • Put out bird food to encourage winter birds into the garden
  • Use a seasonal bonfire – where this is allowed – to dispose of excess debris unfit for composting

December

  • Check that greenhouse heaters are working
  • Insulate outdoor taps and prevent ponds from freezing
  • Prune open-grown apples and pears (but not those trained against walls)
  • Prune acers, birches and vines before Christmas to avoid bleeding
  • Harvest leeks, parsnips, winter cabbage, sprouts and remaining root crops
  • Deciduous trees and shrubs can still be planted and transplanted
  • Take hardwood cuttings
  • Keep mice away from stored produce
  • Reduce watering of houseplants

January

  • Recycle your Christmas tree by shredding it for mulch
  • Clean pots and greenhouses ready for spring
  • Dig over any vacant plots that have not been dug already
  • Disperse worm casts in lawns
  • Inspect stored tubers of Dahlia, Begonia and Canna for rots or drying out
  • Prune apple and pear trees
  • Start forcing rhubarb
  • Plan your vegetable crop rotations for the coming season
  • Keep putting out food and water for hungry birds
  • Make a polythene shelter for outdoor peaches and nectarines, to protect against peach leaf curl

Customer reviews

Join the Compost Club for discounts & tips