8 Things to do in your Garden this Winter

It’s much harder to get out into the garden when it’s cold outside, but Winter is a good time to take stock of your garden soil, weeds, cut back trees and generally prepare for Spring. The added benefit in Brisbane is that some jobs are better left for Winter, as they can be unpleasant to complete when it’s too hot in Summer, such as redesigning your garden beds or building new retaining walls.

 

Here are some jobs you can contemplate doing now!

  1. Repair or replace Landscaping Structures.

Winter is a good time to repair any paving or retaining walls that have chipped or become discoloured.  You may need to dig out the garden bed to if you’re replacing a full wall, but getting your structure right for Spring planting should be done to allow new soils and mulches to settle before you plant.

  1. Cut back shrubs, perennials and other trees

Many plants and shrubs are dormant during the winter, which makes winter the best time to change their shape. Prune hard at the end of winter before any new growth starts! ... It's also easier to see the shape of deciduous plants in the winter, since their foliage is gone.

  1. Plant Vegetables and Herbs

In any season, most vegetables will grow in sunny locations. They like as much light as you can find for them. The sun is lower during the winter months, so choose a spot that gets as much winter sun as possible.   Just remember to use more compost and water them less.

  1. Transplanting Trees

In Brisbane all trees should be transplanted during their winter dormant time. Transplanting means that roots have to be cut, and the plants benefit by not having that done while they're growing actively.

  1. Replenish your Soil and refreshing Mulch

Depending on the soil in your garden, it can lose nutrients and dry out during winter in Brisbane so it is important to replenish the soil for the next year of gardening. Mix compost in well, water and then mulch the whole garden.

  1. Weeding

Weeding is an all year job, however, an effective way to kill weeds in the winter is to spread a layer of fertiliser. Some formulations can remove weeds and fertilise the lawn at the same time.  Just check what is right for your grass - many houses in Brisbane have buffalo and it uses very different fertilisers to couch and kikuyu.

  1. Plant your bulb plants

Bulb plants are often kept in the freezer until winter, so planting them into a cold ground is normal.  They will then shoot their roots coming into spring to give you a colourful garden.

  1. Clean and Sharpen all your tools

Your tools should have already been cleaned after use otherwise you might spread diseases, fungi, insect eggs or weeds around when you next use them.  But Winter is a good time to sharpen them. 

Pick up a Mill file and an Oil Stone from bunnings for around $10 each. The Mill file will help you sharpen shovel, spades, axes, hoes and maddocks.  While the Oil Stone allows you to sharpen your shaping equipment such as shears, secateurs or pruners.
 

About the Author
CEO, WLS

Scott is the CEO of Western Landscape Supplies since 2012, and under his leadership has grown the business from a small one-yard business to a multi-branch landscaping franchise.

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