The Winter Prepping Checklist
If you are like most people in the world, your garden will become an instant priority as soon as the sun starts to shine.
Unfortunately, when the opposite happens, it tends to drop a bit in your priority levels. In other words, when winter comes it’s at rock bottom on your list – after all, you probably aren’t going to use it much for the next few months.
Unsurprisingly, this approach is asking for trouble. All sorts of things can go wrong in these months, and by the time summer comes around again, you are again looking for a Los Angeles lawn mowing and general gardening service.
There are things you can do to make your job easier though. Before you start to worry, this isn’t going to cost you days of time either. By following the tips we outline below, you can ensure that your garden stays in tip-top condition all-year round.
Beware of damage to shrubs
Particularly if you have shrubs growing in containers in your garden, you are asking for trouble in winter. The problem with this is that the roots are completely exposed to the elements and during winter, this is just asking for them to die off.
The solution? It might not sound particularly high-tech, but wrapping the pots in bubble wrap can work a treat. This effectively insulates the roots and by the time summer comes, the shrubs are good to go again.
Your lawn might be your biggest project
Out of everything we discuss today, there’s a high probability that your lawn could be your biggest project. Firstly, you need to make sure that any thatch and moss is removed and the best way to do this is to turn to a scarify machine. This will aerate the lawn, before you then add a sandy top dressing to boost the soil structure. All of this means that by the time winter has concluded, you won’t be left with that patchy warm which wreaks havoc with your curb appeal.
It’s not just about the plants
Much of today’s article will talk about your plants and lawn, but there can be more to your garden. Your furniture is something else that can suffer in winter, with the cold weather tending to damage anything that is made from wood.
The solution this time? Try and turn to a good wood preservative. This will ensure that the furniture doesn’t start to disintegrate as the temperature starts to fall. Even better, try and store them under a cover or structure to protect them from the elements some more.
And this continues to your taps…
Something else that a lot of people forget (and live to regret, we should add) is your garden taps. Again, during winter these are not often used, but come summer they need to be in complete, working order.
The best thing you can do is drain the tap and turn off its stop valve. This means that no water build-up will occur, and the chances of the tap being damaged by frost in winter suddenly diminish.
