22 Things to Plant & Do in the Garden This Winter

Most gardeners dread the winter months when there is less work to do in the garden. However, this doesn’t have to be the case! It’s true that there are fewer things you can grow during the wintertime, however, you can still create a beautiful outdoor space with colourful winter plants, winter vegetables and winter flowering plants. It’s just a case of preparing your outdoor space properly and choosing the right plants - and it’s not as hard as you might think! In this guide, we’ve put together our best tips for cultivating a beautiful garden this winter. We’ve included tips on the best gardening tasks to complete in the winter, which plants and vegetables you can grow as well as some tips on protecting wildlife during the colder months. When Should I Start My Winter Garden? The best time to start your winter garden will be sometime in the late summer or autumn-time. The main issue with the winter months for gardening is the frost and lack of sunlight. To overcome this, choose seeds and plants that require little sunlight and plant your seeds between 6-8 weeks before the first date that the ground usually frosts over. This should give your plants plenty of time to grow. Do some planning as to the crops you’re going to try and grow, and try to pick a wider range to increase your chances of success! Gardening Tasks That You Should Do in the Wintertime Rake fallen leaves Rake any fallen leaves from your garden pathways and from your lawn to allow it to breathe. A layer of fallen leaves can cause issues for your lawn, inviting pests and diseases as well as blocking the air-flow and nutrients from getting to the roots of your grass. For these reasons, it’s best to try and keep on top of raking the leaves throughout the winter season. When you have raked the leaves, don’t throw them away! These can be used to create mulch for your soil.