There are so many jobs that can be done in your garden in the winter that can help to prepare for summer. From weeding to gathering leaves, and even taking stock of your gardening equipment, there is still a lot to be done!
You might think that winter is the ideal time to take a step back from the garden (or stop hiring someone else to do it) and take a well-earned break. Now, whilst winter is a time where most of your plants will be lying dormant, and your lawn will not be growing, it is certainly not a time for slacking off!
It is, in fact, the most perfect time for taking stock of your garden planning for the spring and keeping up a routine by doing smaller tasks and upkeep jobs. Ensuring you keep on top of your lawn’s needs will mean that this will make way for an even better garden when the spring rolls back around.
You can think about the winter season in terms of months, splitting up the jobs you need to do into separate months. For example, you may need to do different jobs at the beginning of winter (November) compared to the jobs that you would need to do at the end of winter (February).
With this in mind, figure out what jobs you need to do and what time of year they will be most relevant. For example, raking leaves is specific to the beginning of winter, when there may still be leaves on the ground from the fall season. Rake your garden regularly in November, and keep the leaves aside to use for mulch and compost.
In November, you may also want to decide what you want to do with your perennials. Most gardeners cut them down to around 4 inches. However, you may want to consider leaving them until the spring to add some shelter and food for the birds in your garden.
Don’t forget that you can still plant in November, too! Use the beginning of November to get the last of your spring blooms in the ground such as crocus and daffodils!
In December and January, use your time wisely to organize what you have for the coming spring. Sort through any seeds and bulbs and make a plan of what you want to do when February and March roll around.
You can also use this time to test and check gardening equipment. Don’t forget to regularly check your lawn, watering, and mowing as and when needed. This is also a good time to run any soil tests. Don’t forget to keep an eye on those more sensitive perennial plants, too, and protect them with branch cuttings if needed.
Before you know it, February will be upon you and you will be able to start slowly getting back into your regular garden routine. You may find the lawn needs watering more regularly again, and you will be able to plant vegetables and flowers!
Is it cheaper to get landscaping done in the winter?
It may depend! People assume that the cost of landscaping and gardening is more expensive in the warmer months, as there is more of a demand for it. This may be true, but it is also dependent on the landscaper or gardener themselves as they may all charge different rates.
For some landscapers, it will be less about the time of year they are working in, and more about the job and what it entails. Therefore, you may not find there is any price difference for your job between winter or summer.
On the other hand, because demand is much less for landscapers in the winter months, you may find them a little cheaper and easier to come by. This is because you may be able to shop around a little more, opening up better deals for you, and allowing you to look for a landscaping service in your budget.
With all this in mind, you should not bank on the fact that hiring a landscaper in the winter will be any cheaper than hiring a landscaper in the summer.
You must remember that a landscaper will be doing the same job for you, whatever the season is, and so you cannot expect them to knock some dollars off just because it is colder outside.
You should hire a landscaper based on their skill first, and then price, and always remember that this is their livelihood – they know better than anyone how much a job will cost, and whether they are cheaper in the winter or not is solely their choice. There are no rules to say that landscaping has to be cheaper in the winter.
Does grass need to be watered in the winter?
The answer to whether your grass needs watering in the winter is very confusing (but true) – it depends. In some places, winter means very cold temperatures, not much sun, and damp conditions. Other places may get it dry and freezing
. For others, it may still be relatively mild. All of these conditions can have a direct effect on the growth of your grass and whether it may need to be watered.
The best way to assess whether your grass needs to be mowed is to keep checking it regularly. If you find that you are still having to get the lawnmower out in the winter because the grass is still growing, then this is a sign that it may still need watering.
Clearly, it has been getting water from somewhere since it has grown! So just be mindful of when it rains and more importantly when it doesn’t, so you can intervene and water it yourself if needed.
You should also water it regularly if there is no rainfall at all during your winter season. Of course, it is not likely to be as warm as the other seasons and so you will not need to water the lawn as often as you did in the spring or summer months.
However, you should still do it around once a week or fortnight, depending on the level of growth the grass is going through.
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