Winter Gardening To-Do List

Show some love to the garden this winter by digging it over, giving it some compost and anything else that inspires you like horse manure or sheep pellets to improve its overall soil quality in time for spring planting.

The slow winter growth gives you time to plan and think about what you want to grow in the garden come spring.

Fine, sunny wintry days are also a great time to do all those general maintenance jobs that you never get to like sorting out the garden shed, checking your implements for repair and sharpening and oiling them. Pack any fertiliser, sprays and bug powders that have been brought down for use back up high so they are safely away from children and pets and just generally organise everything just the way you want it ready for use in spring.

There's still plenty to do in the garden in winter and for those, who like nothing more than getting out of the house to work with Mother Nature, here is a list of things you may want to attend to:

Mulch

Mulching protects your plants from the worst of the wintry chill and gives the soil a bit of a nitrogen boost, as well as improving its texture long term.

Roses

If you haven't already got to them yet, giving your roses a bit of TLC at this time of year will reap bounteous rewards come spring time. Prune them well and spray to protect them. Also if you are considering moving them from one part of the garden to the other, now is the time to start prepping them for the move.

Fruit trees

This is the ideal time to plant new fruit trees and prune some of the established deciduous ones back. Leave peaches, plums, and nectarines alone, they don't like to be pruned, but if there are diseases and infections, then now is the time to get on to these and sort them out.

The vege garden

Dig it over regularly as if there are lumps in it, your carrots won't grow. Drainage can also be an issue for vege gardens so now's the time to sort out any issues in this regard. Raised beds work best as they drain well.

Planting in the vege garden

Garlic

Traditionally the shortest day of the year is the time to plant garlic, but in some areas you can plant through to early spring. Dig the soil over well, add compost and dig that in well, then plant garlic gloves 5 cm deep base-first with the point of each clove to the sky. Garlic can be harvested mid to late summer.

Late winter

Early crop potatoes like Agria can be planted in late winter. In warmer parts of New Zealand broccoli, broad beans, cabbage, cauliflower, and peas can be planted in sheltered parts of the garden. Hardy winter varieties of lettuce seeds can be sown as well but don't forget your slug and snail pellets or they won't last long.

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