Winter Gardening – Now Comes the Fun Part!
Winter Gardening – Now Comes the Fun Part!
Unlike many gardeners, I actually love the beginning of winter. Yes, there are some jobs that need to be done in the garden – we can get to those later. But it’s also an opportunity to curl up in front of a warm fire with a perfect excuse to stay indoors (if you happen to live in a part of the world where it’s cold, dark and raining!), consider what worked and what didn’t over the past gardening year, and begin to plan what you’ll try next year.
At the end of autumn my husband usually finds me surrounded by gardening books, seed catalogues and sheets of paper, sketching out my vege garden for the coming year and looking for new varieties to plant which will survive in our very humid summer. This is also when I canvas the kids to see what they’d like to try growing – I find they tend to help out in the garden more when they have some input!
This is the part of the gardening year when you can take your time to work out what to plant, when, and where. You can take your time to work through what companion plants go together, what size your plants will grow to, and how to ensure they have enough, or not too much shade, depending on their requirements. You have the luxury of choosing what you actually want to plant, rather than grabbing whatever is left at the garden centre along with every other spring gardener! Whenever I tend to jump straight into planting my garden without this planning stage I end up with crowded areas and gaps, and am invariably late getting my seeds into the ground as I get caught up in all the other jobs that need doing.
This is also a good time to have a look at your soil. If you’ve grown a couple of crops over summer then it’s likely your soil will be depleted and need a bit of a nutrient top-up. Whip out the remains of your summer plants, which are probably looking fairly yellow and sorry for themselves at this stage. It’s also worth testing your soil’s acidity – this is easily done with a soil testing kit from your garden centre – so see if your soil needs some particular attention. There are some great ways to add organic matter back into your soil without resorting to chemicals. Sowing a green manure crop is one option, but to be honest I tend to find this a bit too much work. You can also dig in well-rotted animal manure – just make sure you leave your soil for 2-3 months before planting. I tend to dig in a good pile of compost from my compost heap and worm farm to feed the soil, making sure you dig deep to integrate the compost and aerate the soil as you go. I then only have to wait 2-3 weeks before I can begin planting my winter crops.
Finally, spend a weekend having a look at your supplies. I tend to give my tools a good clean, empty out and wash my pots and spray bottles, and see what needs replacing. I find winter is a good time to visit the garden centre to replace any of those tools that are past their best – there can be some good sales on and you can find the odd bargain.
And once that’s all done, it’s back in front of the fire with the gardening books, enjoying a well-earned glass of wine.…
Gardening is a great hobby, and there are plenty of ways for homeowners to turn their landscape into an inviting oasis. Using fencing to create separate areas is one approach that is often used. This can be used to build private areas that are screened from neighbours and nearby traffic. The materials that can be used in the fences will also lend a hand to the home’s appearance. Cedar and redwood are two common materials that are renowned for their durability and appearance. Metal and chain links are other options, and these can also be used in the landscape with great success.
There is no doubt that kitset garden sheds are popular choices among homeowners primarily for their affordable prices. Furthermore, you can select from a wide range of sizes, designs and materials. Before purchasing a set ready for assembly, however, you should get an idea of what you are getting into. Being prepared will help you complete the DIY project easily in no time.
Sometimes we get carried away in life with so much things to do and things to see. But there are some things that we must not overlook are things inside and outside of our homes. Our home is very important to us, it is where we live, meet others, sleep, eat, raise children and pass our time. That is why it is so important that this home of ours is kept in good shape. Throughout my experience and also talking to home inspectors I have came up with a list of items around our homes that need regular maintenance. These maintenance items can be checked either by the owners themselves or by hiring a home inspector. These inspections around our home can even save us from future problems and costs to repair the damages.
If you want to take on the task of growing bamboo, it is important that you learn a few simple rules first. While a bamboo garden can be a beautiful thing when done correctly, it can conversely turn into a nightmare if it is done improperly. Also, bamboo is such a strong and sturdy plant, that it is very difficult to get rid of once it has been planted. So tread carefully.
Now that we have all experienced a glint of summer and the enjoyment of spending time in the great outdoors I am sure you are all starting to think about getting your garden prepared for all those yummy BBQs. A pristine green lawn does not just happen and unfortunately for many of us we cannot afford to hire someone to give us a hand therefore it’s up to our own fair hands to do get the job done. Your garden should be a space that is enjoyed by you, your family, and friends and reflect your style or taste.