It is no surprise that gardening is one of our favourties hobbies, with a renewed focus over the last year due to multiple lockdowns and travel restrictions.
Magazine app Readly has partnered with Tammy Huynh, founder of Leaf An Impression to provide her top gardening tips for the cooler months.
1. Protect From Frost
In temperate and cool climates, you may need to protect your plants from frost. A frost event or repeated frost conditions can cause your plants to die back partially or completely.
If frost is expected – typically when the night sky is clear and the temperature is lower than 5°C – cover plants with horticultural fleece, an old blanket or similar. Remove the cover in the morning, otherwise you risk burning or suffocating your plants.
2. Take Care of Gardening Tools
There may not be a lot to do in the garden right now, so this is the best time to service your tools and prepare them for the season ahead.
Clean and sharpen secateurs, loppers, shears, and spades. If you have a lawn mower, give it a good clean and change the spark plugs, air filter and blades, if necessary.
3. Plant Winter Herbs and Vegetables
There are still plenty of veggies and herbs you can grow now, sow: snow peas, carrots, spinach, parsley, coriander, winter savory, spinach, bok choy, and rocket. You can also plant asparagus and rhubarb crowns.
4. Prune Roses
Prune back roses to one-third of their original height, leaving only three-to-four main stems. Spray with lime sulfur to clean up any overwintering pests and diseases.
5. Get Bare-Rooted Plants in the Ground
Get deciduous trees, shrubs, and bare-rooted roses in now. Always improve the soil with generous handfuls of organic matter, like compost and aged manures prior to planting.
6. Compost
Collect fallen leaves and add any plant clippings to the compost heap. If you can, run the mower over the leaves and/or mulch branches and twigs to help them break down faster.
Image by Greta Hoffman
7. Mind Your Lawn
Keep on top of weeds in the lawn by spraying with a selective herbicide. Always read the label to see if it’s suitable for your grass type. If in doubt, check with the manufacturer. Control weeds and moss on pavers or hard surfaces with an organic weedkiller, like Slasher.
It is no surprise that gardening is one of our favourties hobbies, with a renewed focus over the last year due to multiple lockdowns and travel restrictions.
Magazine app Readly has partnered with Tammy Huynh, founder of Leaf An Impression to provide her top gardening tips for the cooler months.
1. Protect From Frost
In temperate and cool climates, you may need to protect your plants from frost. A frost event or repeated frost conditions can cause your plants to die back partially or completely.
If frost is expected – typically when the night sky is clear and the temperature is lower than 5°C – cover plants with horticultural fleece, an old blanket or similar. Remove the cover in the morning, otherwise you risk burning or suffocating your plants.
2. Take Care of Gardening Tools
There may not be a lot to do in the garden right now, so this is the best time to service your tools and prepare them for the season ahead.
Clean and sharpen secateurs, loppers, shears, and spades. If you have a lawn mower, give it a good clean and change the spark plugs, air filter and blades, if necessary.
3. Plant Winter Herbs and Vegetables
There are still plenty of veggies and herbs you can grow now, sow: snow peas, carrots, spinach, parsley, coriander, winter savory, spinach, bok choy, and rocket. You can also plant asparagus and rhubarb crowns.
4. Prune Roses
Prune back roses to one-third of their original height, leaving only three-to-four main stems. Spray with lime sulfur to clean up any overwintering pests and diseases.
5. Get Bare-Rooted Plants in the Ground
Get deciduous trees, shrubs, and bare-rooted roses in now. Always improve the soil with generous handfuls of organic matter, like compost and aged manures prior to planting.
6. Compost
Collect fallen leaves and add any plant clippings to the compost heap. If you can, run the mower over the leaves and/or mulch branches and twigs to help them break down faster.
7. Mind Your Lawn
Keep on top of weeds in the lawn by spraying with a selective herbicide. Always read the label to see if it’s suitable for your grass type. If in doubt, check with the manufacturer. Control weeds and moss on pavers or hard surfaces with an organic weedkiller, like Slasher.
Want more? Click here for Why Gardening is the Ultimate Stress Buster and here for How To Create An Italian Kitchen Garden.
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