As winter approaches, you’ll need to safeguard tender plants from frost damage by covering them. Most pests, as you may know, are dormant in cold weather. Meaning, it’s a good time to look for snails in sheltered areas, such as empty pots in the cold frame or your greenhouse. This is because they may harm your precious plants.
For your Lawn
- Firstly, clear the lawn of debris. Autumn is likely to see leaf fall, though of course that will depend on where your lawn is. Leaves, as they decay provide a little too much food for our worm friends which can lead to an over population problem in the following year. Also leaf coverage prevents moisture from leaving after a morning dew fall. In turn this can lead to fungus issues.
- Remove matter waste. As well as leaves there may be other matter. Word casts and animal matter are perhaps the two most common. Both can cause issues with dead grass and an uneven surface in the following Spring.
- Don’t be afraid to give the lawn a small high bladed cut if you think it needs it. While it is common not to mow the lawn at all during the Winter months, if it does grow to a level that might cause issues in the Spring, wait for a dry afternoon and cut the minimum amount off. Sharp, high set mower blades will work best for this task.
- Autumn is the best time to aerate. This promotes growth and improves drainage. Compaction on a busy lawn during the Summer months means aeration is an essential activity that is often overlooked.
- Iron Sulphate? Yes. As an option. If your lawn looks like it might benefit from more nourishment. If the grass looked a little yellowish and wan even during the damper months of the previous Spring and Summer, then a sprinkling of Iron Sulphate will help. It boosts lawn health, provides some frost protection and reduces spreading moss.
For the Soil
1. Cover the Bare Soil with a Layer of Mulch.
During the winter, take advantage of the autumn’s fallen leaves as a means of mulch or cover in your plant. This will help them over time to reduce the cold of winter. You can also encompass it with fleece if necessary to keep the harsh wind from blowing it all away.
2. Continue Weeding.
Even if it’s not winter, you should continue the practice of removing unnecessary grasses. Hoe out whatever yearly weeds that have emerged the same as excavating long-standing grass that has surfaced. At least, green foliage can be composted, but not the perennial weed roots or seed heads.
Moreover, keep soil moisture off the ground in all areas of the yard to prevent tamping it and causing damage in the arrangement. If you must step on it in the downpours, stand on a piece of wood to distribute your weight evenly.
For Waste Composting
Incorporate sufficient dry waste to complement the enormous quantities of wastes generated currently coming out from the sink. Scrunched-up Holiday card wrappers and scraps of paperboard are excellent sources of the required carbon element. Worm bin bags held outdoors have to be well in order for the larvae to survive the winter. Feed intake should be reduced in cooler temperatures because the worms will not ingest as much.
Please also note that turning your compost heap will help to aerate it.
For the Vegetables – Planting Until March is Possible.
First off, you need to prepare the area. Once cropping is finished, create a ‘fermentation trench’ with the aged stems from Brussels sprouts, kale, and other tough brassicas. The excavation will be about a spade’s level of depth and placed in which runner beans or any other peas and beans will sprout the following year. Put the stalks along the trench’s base, then roughly cut them up with a substantial shovel.
Take Advantage of Uncooked Vegetable Trimmings
Many raw or undercooked vegetable crumbs can be added to the compost pit to add nutritional value. Create your comfrey leaf mould by filling a container like a dustbin. Then, with the chopped comfrey leaves and alternating layers of leaf mould, you can level up your compost. Though, remember to protect the leafy greens waste with compost as it hits the peak of the excavation.
Plan Out Early
This method can spend months or years to decompose, but it is an outstanding sowing medium. Start to plan your sustainable farming for the following season’s vegetable graph. Unless you already have a rotation strategy, keep a checklist of where your plants will be planted next year. Whether this is your first year or not, always make a list of most of the leafy greens you want to grow, but only after reading our guide to the plantation.
Additional Note
Germination in the average temperatures of about 13 is needed for plants to be healthy. So vibrant, chilly ventilation is required. Try seasonal cabbage, lettuce, and cauliflowers. You can also try carrots, turnips, salad onions, and spinach in rounder varieties.
Moreover, you can also cultivate greenhouse vegetables like tomatoes as early as the first month of the year if you have a warmed garden or greenhouse.
For Flowers
Depending on the flowers, you need to provide a distinctive layer of protection for the upcoming winter. Many specialists recommend keeping them in a cosy area during winter, such as a greenhouse. However, since some flowers need regular light, you need to put them in areas with it.
Provide them with a bit of water regularly to keep them fresh. However, you need to watch out for pests that may arise.
