Gardening in Winter 

Don’t ignore your dormant garden in winter. It may look like nothing is happening in the garden but lurking among the leaf litter, bark, dead twigs and branches are the spores of diseases and the over-wintering eggs of insect pests. You can ensure your garden explodes with vital health in spring by taking a little time now to protect your trees and shrubs from these pests and diseases.

Clear up leaf litter and dead material on the ground. This can be disposed of in your organics bin, burned or composted, but if composting, make sure the compost is not used for at least 6 months to ensure any disease spores and pest eggs are killed.

In frost-free weather prune and destroy dead, damaged and diseased parts of trees and shrubs. Then protect them from disease and pests using winter protectants PLANThealth Copper Fungicide liquid, Organic Super Spraying Oil and Organic Super Sulphur.

To protect from fungal disease and a range of pests spray your fruit trees, roses and ornamentals with Super Sulphur; first after leaf fall and again in late winter before new growth appears. DO NOT mix sulphur products with other garden sprays.

Winter clean-up sprays are best applied in still, dry, cool, dull weather, in late autumn and through winter.

Tender trees and shrubs should be protected from wind and frost. Move them into sheltered positions or wrap them in wind and frost protecting garden windbreak.

Care for your lawn. Rake up fallen leaves regularly. Do not allow leaves to build up on the lawn where they would prevent light from reaching the grass, rotting and killing it underneath. Finish laying any new turf or re-seeding you may want to do. Mow your lawn only if growth makes it necessary but set the blades at least 2cm higher than normal.

Your indoor plants will benefit from some attention in winter too. Move them away from cold draughts and adjust watering depending on whether they are in heated rooms. Most indoor plants prefer high humidity. In unheated rooms, they will need less water but in heated rooms, they may need more frequent watering and the drying conditions of indoor heating mean the plants should be misted more often.

Winter gardens can be pleasant places to spend time and because you will have fewer pests and diseases to deal with in spring and summer, the work done protecting your plants now will give you more time to enjoy your garden in warmer months.

David Brittain
Kiwicare