Gardening Tips

As the nights draw in and it gets colder, it’s time to tidy up the garden and protect your plants for the winter.

• Remove any remaining summer bedding plants and give the garden a final weed before winter. This will reduce the number of weed in spring. Cut back hardy perennials to just above ground level to ensure that they grow back healthy in spring.
   
• There’s still time to plant pansies, violas and wallflowers these cheerful winter staples bring a instant pop of colour to the garden, in containers or in the border. Heuchera can add some lovely green, orange and purple shades too. Remember to place your containers where they will get as much light as possible during the winter months.
   
• Take care of any tender perennials by using a mulch of bark chippings or straw around the plants to provide protection against frost. Mulch while the soil surface is moist and before any frost.
   
• November is the perfect time to plant bulbs such as tulips, lilies and alliums. Choose different types of tulips to give an extended flowering season, look for both early and late flowering bulbs. Lilies will start to flower as the tulips finish and are available in a wide variety of colours. Alliums will start to flower in late spring to early summer, as tall flowers they are a good plant to add height at the back of a border.
   
• If severe frost is forecast cover susceptible plants with horticultural fleece. Wrap two layers around plants overnight as a blanket and remove the next morning as the temperature rises. Over winter pelargoniums and fuchsias in a frost-free greenhouse with plenty of light.
   
• You can still sow some hardy plants and vegetables outside or in a greenhouse or cold frame, avoiding tender plants as the frosts will damage these. Sow sweet peas undercover now for early flowers next year. In late spring the plants can then be planted out into the ground. Take advantage of our offer of 10% off Unwins Seeds throughout November and buy your seeds ready for next year!
   
• Sow wildflower seeds into the ground or a raising container now, ready to come to life as spring arrives.
   

Lawn care

• Rake up and clear leaves from the lawn as they block the light getting to the grass and can cause it to deteriorate making it more susceptible to moss, pests and diseases.  
   
• In mild weather the grass will continue to grow, if it’s not too wet give the lawn a last cut but set the blades on a higher setting.
   
• Edging your lawn for the winter months gives a neat and tidy appearance and makes it easier to tidy the borders in spring.

Indoor gardening

• Indoor plants need less water during late autumn, so avoid overwatering your houseplants. Allow the surface of the compost to dry out between watering.
   
• Move houseplants to a south-facing windowsill, if possible, to provide maximum light. Low light levels can cause the yellowing of leaves and poor growth.

Wildlife

• Some species of bees are still active in the winter months and love to feed on winter-flowering plants such as hellebores, heathers and mahonia.

• Garden birds will need food high in fat to keep them warm throughout the winter months. Feed them regularly and they will continue to visit your garden