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At the latest, when the lawn is cut for the last time for the year in late summer or early autumn, frost-sensitive plants move into their winter quarters and the garden furniture is stored in a dry place, the gardening season is officially over. But that does not mean that there are no important tasks in the garden over the winter. There is quite a bit of gardening to do in winter and a winter walk is therefore recommended.
Gardening work in winter
Even though gardening season seems to be over in winter, there are some gardening jobs that need to be done. We take a little winter tour of the garden and show you which 22 tasks are necessary in the cold season.
Gardening in winter with B
cut down trees
The winter time is often used by garden owners to create plans for a new garden design. For this, one or the other tree may have to give way. Or maybe a tree is sick and needs felling. In principle, the law permits tree felling only after September 30th, if no exemption is granted.
Felling trees is particularly recommended in winter between November and February because the proportion of plant sap is very low and the wood is ideal for burning. In addition, the leaves have fallen off, making access and felling work easier.
- A frost-free day is ideal (when it is frosty, the whole root is difficult to get out of the ground)
- Some trees require one felling permit, so inform yourself beforehand
- Safety factors for property and personal protection
- If you do not have experience and/or suitable tools, it is better to hire a specialist
tip: The wood from trees felled in winter achieves its optimal calorific value after around two years of storage in a dry place.
tree cuts
For most trees, the ideal time to prune is early spring or fall. However, if there are a few frost-free days between the end of November and February, fruit and ornamental trees can also be pruned during the winter. This is particularly advisable when branches have broken. They have an open wound, which represents an increased potential for frostbite in the event of frost, and which offer ideal conditions for fungal infections when there is high winter humidity. If the branches also protrude over sidewalks or parking lots, for example, there is a risk of property damage and/or personal injury. A cut is then essential. It is important that the cuts are then closed/sealed. Among other things, the following are suitable for this:
- resin
- charcoal ash
- Wax (dribble a candle on it or buy a ready-made product from a specialist shop)
plant flower bulbs
Winter flowering bulbs such as crocuses, Christmas roses or snowdrops are usually planted in spring for the coming winter season. Flowers that bloom in spring are usually set in September, such as tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. However, the bulbs of the spring bloomers thrive best when the temperature is permanently below 12 °C. This means that they can be planted well into December, as long as the temperatures are still above 0 °C.
Gardening with G
garden pond
Anyone who owns a garden pond cannot do without winter work. Here it is important that during regular winter walks it is checked whether a dense layer of ice has formed. As a rule, in late autumn a ice preventer used, which leaves a hole if a layer of ice forms on the pond water in winter. This hole is necessary for oxygen to enter the pond. Ice preventers can shift, tilt or the like. Then pond owners should recognize this quickly in order to be able to act accordingly and ensure an oxygen supply.
pour
If the winter shows up with dry periods, watering evergreen plants is also part of the necessary gardening work in winter. However, care must be taken here to avoid damage. The following should be considered when casting:
- Only water the root areas and leave out leaves and shoots, otherwise there is an increased risk of frostbite (also from splashing water)
- Water only on frost-free days - ideal during the day when the sun is shining
- It is essential to avoid overwatering because the risk of rotting is significantly higher than during the other seasons
- Administer a small amount of water about every two weeks
- Do not water plants with soggy plant parts
- Don't forget potted plants (they usually need to be watered more often)
Gardening by K - P
Cold protection for trees
To protect trees from the freezing temperatures during the winter season, many hobby gardeners and garden owners resort to painting the trunk/bark. If sub-zero temperatures and warmer sunny days alternate, this often leads to Tensions in the tree bark, which then bursts open - this occurs especially with young trees. This creates an ideal "breeding ground" for fungi, bacteria and pests.
To prevent this, the bark can be painted with lime. This reflects the sunlight and there is no voltage. Lime painting is usually done in autumn. If the winter season is very wet, the paint usually does not last until spring. A touch-up should then be part of the winter gardening work. If the lime coat has not been applied at all, it can be made up for in the winter months.
Plants in winter quarters
Plants that would not survive the winter season outdoors should be protected from frost, rain and wind by November at the latest. They are often housed in garden houses, garages and in the basement. Here they should not be "forgotten" under any circumstances. in the weekly rhythm is a control recommended, in which the following work / tasks are to be done:
- Check the soil moisture and water if necessary
- Pest control and, if necessary, eradication
- Remove dead and/or damaged plant parts
- In the event of signs of disease, optimize the light and temperature according to the needs of the plant
Gardening in winter from R - S
Check rain barrels
The water level in open rainwater containers should be checked, especially after rainy days. Has water in it over half collected from the height of the barrel, draining the water is one of the winter works. If this work is not done, the excessively high water level leads to cracks in the container when the water freezes. It is best when there is no water in the rain barrel. If you want some to stay in, the water level may not reach more than half the height of the barrel and logs should be placed in it.
snow loads
When it snows and the garden appears in white splendor, it is a special sight. However, if it snows heavily and/or more snow is to be expected in the following days, this can lead to damage to the plants outdoors. This is the case when they threaten to buckle under the snow load or plant parts cannot withstand the snow load.
If it has snowed, a winter tour of the garden should be made to see where plants should be freed from snow/snow load. Especially thin branches and twigs of mostly evergreen trees and shrubs are at risk. But also tall types of grass, such as pampas grass, which were not cut far down, are in danger of breaking away under the snow loads, as are the tender shoots of winter flowering plants, such as Christmas roses or snowdrops.
The following should be done:
- Suitable tools: hand brush, broom or scrubber
- Always remove/sweep off snow cover in one go from top to bottom
- Only pull in strips from top to bottom, do not proceed in tiers, otherwise more snow will land on the plant parts underneath
- Remove fallen snow in the root area (to reduce the risk of cold frost)
- In the case of delicate flowers, carefully remove the snow with your fingers
tip: Shaking off should only be done slightly, otherwise branches, twigs and shoots will break all the more. If the soil is damp, parts of the roots could loosen or break off if the soil is shaken too hard.
Works by V - W
birdseed
In winter, when most food sources are no longer available to birds, they depend on human help. Gardening work should generally include the erection/erection of bird feeders which should be stocked with feed throughout the winter months. A daily look at the food supply ensures that there is always enough for the birds.
Tip: When planning the garden, you should pay attention to bird-friendly trees and shrubs.
Pre-breeding of outdoor plants
If you want to put young plants in the garden in spring, you should start pre-cultivating them in the winter months. The seed is sown in potting soil and grown into young plants indoors at room temperature until the planting date. These include, for example:
- December to February: broccoli, peas, kohlrabi, cress, radish, mustard, sunflower, chives, parsley
- February: tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cucumbers
wind damage
In autumn and winter there are often a few storms blowing through the garden. Where protection against the cold by means of fleece, straw or similar was previously attached, it can come loose or be blown away by strong winds. You should therefore pay special attention to this during the regular winter tour of the garden and consider the following work if necessary:
- Optimize/regulate cold protection or reattach
- Raise up overturned potted plants because they threaten to freeze to death more quickly without soil insulation
- If necessary, move potted plants to a better wind-protected location
- Tie tall grass together
- Give long-stemmed plants more stability with an additional stake in the ground (do this when the weather is frost-free)
Gardening in January/February
The first vegetable plants can go into the cold frame from February. The prerequisite is that you provide protection against the cold, such as a film stretched over it. It should be noted here that ventilation must take place daily in order to enable air exchange and oxygen supply. The following are some examples of plants that are suitable for cold frames in the garden:
- peas
- fennel
- cabbage
- leek
- radish
- spinach
Gardening from March/April
When the first plants in the garden are slowly waking up from their hibernation and spring is not far away, the last bits of work in a wintry atmosphere can serve to prepare for the beginning of the growing season. The following work is recommended:
- Fertilize with compost (alternatively use fertilizer from specialist shops)
- Digging up soil where annual plants stood in the previous season
- Prick over the beds and remove root remains
- Prune fruit trees in March at the latest
- Prepare raised beds
- Cut the lavender by two thirds
- Allow new potatoes to germinate
- At the end of March, in dry, mild weather, scarify the first lawn clippings plus
- Time for pruning roses until April (promotes flowering and vigour)
