If you want to have a garden that will thrive next year, then you need to winterise it in such a way that it has a chance to rest and regain strength and nutrients over the winter. November is the ideal time to winterize your garden, preparing it for the coming winter months when a blanket of snow and ice will cover it. Get started on your preparations before the ground freezes.
The first thing to do is to prepare your lawn for the coming winter. If you are maintaining an English lawn, then dig up the lawn first, then mow the lawn to about 5 inches high. This will keep the lawn green for longer. If you are trying to look after the garden without maintaining an English lawn, then feel free to leave the fallen leaves from the trees lying around. They will have matured by spring and will therefore fertilise your lawn. In spring, you just dig up the remains and then mow the grass. You can also rake the leaves on to some trees, such as yews, to protect their roots from frost.
Another job that is necessary before winter is mainly to dig up the beds and fertilise the soil. If you have your own compost, then just plough it into the beds and by spring you will have a nice, well-fertilised bed. The beds will reward you with a great harvest. If you don\’t have a compost heap, then try looking for horse manure, which is an excellent fertiliser. Once you have ploughed in the manure, leave the beds as they are and don\’t notice them until spring. They need a rest. All you can do is plant garlic, which is best planted before winter. Don\’t plant your garlic until temperatures are above 8°C so that it doesn\’t grow before the frosts start.
The last thing you need to do is clean up things that could be harmed by the frosts. For example, the water keg, the tap and so on. Just have a look around the garden to see what you have to clean up before winter. Garden tools (rakes, shovels, spades) need to be cleaned up. Winterising your garden is sometimes more challenging, but it is worthwhile.