Fun Ways to Make More Use of Your Garden During the Fall and Winter

A garden with frost covered shrubs and trees during the fall.

Autumn is a time of year when the garden might seem unkempt and in dire need of a good clean. The growing season is drawing to a close, and borders may appear faded and worn. But now is the moment to plan and realize the full potential of your outdoor oasis. With a little work now, you won’t have to play catch-up in the spring.

Even if the winter weather has dampened your enthusiasm for being outside, there is still enough enjoyment to be had from a garden, even if your favorite plants have gone dormant. Check out our favorite winter garden activities.

Planting, Planting, Planting

A woman kneeling down in front of a greenhouse during the fall.

Autumn is an excellent season to plant – particularly trees, shrubs, and perennials – since air temperatures have decreased, soil temperatures remain moderate, and you’ve hopefully had some rain to improve soil moisture. Before planting, examine the status of your soil and make any necessary soil modifications, such as mixing in soil conditioners.

New plants will generate strong root growth when the soil is warm and wet before slowing down in the winter. You’ll get the advantages again in early spring when the plants you planted in October have had time to establish and sprout beautiful new growth in preparation for the next summer’s heat.

Autumn is the optimum season to start transplanting shrubs or trees, as well as propagating new plants from cuttings. Take 10-centimeter cuttings of hardwood herbs like rosemary and bay, as well as indigenous like banksias, grevillea, and coastal rosemary.

Remove the lowest leaves, then dip the cuttings in the appropriate hardwood hormone powder and place them in tiny pots of free-draining potting mix. 

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Keep the cuttings moist but not wet, and keep them out of direct sunlight and wind – a plastic bag supported by wire works well. You should have roots cuttings ready to plant up by spring.

Plan Your Vegetable Garden.

A vegetable garden in a greenhouse during the fall season.

Start planning and planting for your winter crops early to ensure a bountiful harvest.

Several veggies may be grown in the fall. By the beginning of April, try to get all brassicas in, such as cabbage, kale, Asian greens, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Take a page from the Botanic Gardens’ winter crop of beetroot, broad bean, broccoli, coriander, cabbage, celery, fennel, kohlrabi, lettuce, parsnip, snow and sugar snap peas, silverbeet, swede, spring onion, and turnip.

Take Care Of Your Grass.

A fall garden with trees and a stone path.

Autumn is great for assisting your lawn’s recovery from the hot and dry summer, as well as preparing it for the wetter and colder months ahead.

It’s an excellent time to fertilize your lawn, but use a lower nitrogen content fertilizer than you would in the spring and summer.

Better-balanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer will aid in the restoration of damaged regions by encouraging new growth. It will also encourage new root growth before soil temperatures drop, giving your grass a jump start for the next spring.

Remove fallen leaves from your lawn regularly since they restrict the grass of light, causing it to die and form brown patches.

Do Some Maintainance

A woman garden weeding during the fall.

It’s difficult to stop and arrange your garden shed or sharpen your mower blades while you’re in the heat of the growing season. Use the downtime provided by winter to do some of the maintenance jobs that you can’t manage to squeeze in when the weather is good. Take the time and order from a reliable China Valve factory for new valves for your sprinklers. It’s incredibly nice to be ready for spring!

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Switch Up lighting.

A modern backyard with artificial grass and lights, perfect for a garden during the fall.

Lighting is a terrific way to add flair and individuality to your garden; just make sure it is waterproof and IP certified. Add an uplighter to illuminate a wall or tall plants like bamboo to create a low-key atmosphere.

Wall lights that have a low power filament LED bulb are both elegant and long-lasting. To give a romantic touch, use some warm white outdoor LED lights with motionless or softly sparkling lights.

The right illumination may completely convert a garden into a cozy fall haven. Solar-powered variations, like fireflies amid your plants as darkness falls, also work wonderfully. Gather strands of Christmas fairy lights and trail them over the yard or balcony to provide a festive touch.

Feed The Animals

A wooden bird feeder with two birds on it in a garden during the fall.

Consider our garden birds as well; they will soon want assistance to get through the winter months. This is an excellent time to begin hanging bird feeders in the trees. Making gorgeous hanging bird feeders with macramé is a terrific way to express yourself.

For the yarn, use thread, jute twine, ribbon, or fabric scraps, and if you don’t have any plant pots on hand, a variety of ordinary things would suffice. If possible, choose something with a flat base to make knot tying easier. Teacups and saucers add a lovely antique touch to a birdseed feeder.

Conclusion

Even in the dead of winter, there are several ways to enjoy your garden. We hope these recommendations help your garden survive the winter and bloom in the spring! Please share your tips or queries in the comments section!

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