You may have heard gardeners talk about putting their gardens to bed, the practice of preparing a garden for winter when plants typically grow more slowly or not at all. It’s the outdoor equivalent of spring cleaning, staged at the end of one gardening year, before the next begins.
Thoughts on putting a garden to bed, also known as ‘winterising’, have evolved considerably since we’ve become more environmentally aware. We understand the benefits of gardening for wildlife, the downside of bonfires and the cost of making multiple journeys to the tip. Instead of consigning every leaf, stem, and seed head to the compost heap or recycling bin, a lighter touch is now favoured.
Generally speaking, this is good news for time-poor gardeners as it creates less work during autumn when the weather is variable and days are shorter. For those more concerned with aesthetics, as much beauty can be found in a clump of dried stems festooned with dew-covered cobwebs as in a perfectly tilled vegetable bed. And what might look untidy to you may be highly attractive to a harvest mouse, ladybird, frog, hedgehog or bumblebee.
As with all gardening practices, there’s a balance to be struck. Algae-covered paths can become dangerously slippery when wet, and overhanging branches may come down in a storm, causing damage to fences and buildings. Diseased foliage will fall to the ground, depositing spores in the soil that may reinfect your plants for years to come.
Before retiring to your armchair and dreaming of next year's glories, here are my top tips for keeping your garden in great health over winter, while avoiding the worst hazards.
Let’s start with the dos:
- Mulch around plants and over empty beds and borders. Over winter, worms will busily pull the organic matter into the soil, improving its structure. A thick mulch of well-rotted farmyard manure, bark chippings or homemade compost will also prevent weed seeds from germinating during mild spells.
- Collect leaves and add them to your compost heap, or pack them into jute sacks. They’ll slowly decompose to make leaf mould—one of the most precious ingredients in good compost. You can also shovel leaves directly onto borders,taking care not to swamp or suffocate small plants.
- Brush paths with coarse sand or use a jet washer to remove moss and algae, which can become slippery when wet or icy.
- In exposed gardens, reduce the height of tall shrubs such as roses, buddleia, and lavatera to prevent them from rocking in high winds. When they move, the soil at their base loosens, resulting in water gathering around their roots, potentially causing them to rot. For the same reason, newly planted trees should be staked low down.
- Turn off the water supply to outdoor taps and drain hosepipes before storing them. Install a water butt if you need a ready supply of water over winter.
- Remove and destroy any infected plant matter if you’ve experienced blight, black spot, rust, or mildew this season. Cutting off this year’s hellebore leaves is a good idea, allowing an uncluttered view of the nodding blooms in spring.
- Take a walk around the garden and inspect large shrubs and trees, making a note of any branches that appear as if they might fall. Remove them yourself using loppers or a pruning saw if you feel able. If in doubt, call an arborist for a second opinion and to carry out the work. Do the same exercise for fences, garden buildings and ornamental structures, such as pergolas. Make repairs before foul weather sets in. Find out more about winter pruning.
- Protect frost-tender plants by mulching or fleecing in situ. Alternatively, you can take cuttings as insurance or before consigning the parent plant to the compost heap. Small tender plants can be lifted and brought indoors or stored in a shed, greenhouse or garage. Find out more about protecting tender plants over winter.
- Give the lawn one last cut, avoiding emerging bulbs - some early-flowering varieties can appear above ground well before Christmas.
- Clean tools thoroughly before putting them away. The air is full of moisture, and a coating of Camellia oil will protect them from rust and other blemishes. Sharpen blades now or in early spring before you use them again. Find out more about how to maintain garden tools.
- Clean out previously used nesting boxes and bird feeders so that they are free of diseases before their next visitors arrive.
- Order and plant bare-rooted plants. This is one of the cheapest and most environmentally friendly ways to create a hedge, rose garden, orchard or woodland area. Find out more about why bare-rooted plants are the way forward for enlightened gardeners.
- Plant bulbs in readiness for spring. We think of winter as a bleak period when nothing happens in the garden, but it’s a rare season when there’s not a single flower in bloom or pollinator abroad to attend to it. If you don’t enjoy spending time in your garden during winter, plant a container with bulbs, winter box and winter-flowering pansies, place it on your doorstep, and you'll enjoy scent and colour until you’re ready to venture deeper into your garden again. Find out more about when and how to plant spring-flowering bulbs.
Chop and Drop
Consider the Chop and Drop method of composting as part of your winter preparations, especially if you grow lots of annuals, perennials and grasses. Instead of cutting the old stems down and moving them to a faraway compost heap, chop them finely using shears and leave them where they fall. During the winter months, the clippings will act as a mulch before decomposing in spring. The Chop and Drop method offers a host of benefits to gardeners:
- Fewer trips to the compost heap - time and energy are saved by leaving last year's growth in situ, and nothing is wasted.
- A covering at least 5cm deep will protect the crowns of tender plants while providing shelter for overwintering insects.
- A deeper layer could provide cover for small mammals and amphibians and food for fungi.
- Fine soils such as chalk are protected, and the dry material is easier to walk on when the ground is soggy.
- When the cuttings break down in spring, they'll return humus and nutrients to the soil. A humus-rich soil is better at retaining moisture during dry summers.
- A layer of fine clippings may take a little getting used to, but how much attention do our gardens get between now and March anyway? If you're feeling adventurous, create a ground-level tapestry by making patterns with clippings of different colours and textures.
You can Chop and Drop any time between October and March, depending on your workload and how the garden is looking. The best approach for wildlife is probably to Chop and Drop a small area at a time, leaving a mixture of standing and cut stems. Fleshy plants with large leaves don't lend themselves to this technique and will compost better in a conventional bin. Those plants with a tendency to prolifically self-seed may also be best removed from the scene or have their seeds collected before the rest of the plant is chopped.
Now let’s consider the don’ts:
- Avoid clearing away too much too soon - piles of leaves, fallen fruits, hollow stems, and ripening seed heads can provide food and shelter for many creatures. If you can bear it, leave the drying stems of annuals, perennials and grasses in situ until late winter. Finding space for a compost heap or bin is a much better way to recycle your garden waste than taking it to a commercial facility.
- Make and light a bonfire only if necessary, choosing a calm day. Do the whole process on the same day so that hibernating creatures don’t make a home in your inviting pile of warm debris.
- Avoid leaving beds and borders bare and empty. If it is too late to sow green manure, apply thick mulch and let the worms work their magic while you rest.
Less is more when it comes to preparing your garden for winter. If you can bear to wait, you’ll find the volume of material that needs to be removed or relocated within your garden diminishes rapidly as it dries and then decays. My advice is to take things slowly and do a little at a time on fine days when the soil is firm underfoot. You'll enjoy it more, and the wildlife in your garden will thank you for providing a source of shelter and nourishment.