With long, dark nights and short, cold days, winter takes its toll on our mental health. The bright sunny days of summer seem to be behind us and the garden does not awaken from its seasonal torpor.
However, it's a good time to dust off the cobwebs and engage in fun winter gardening activities that will restore your optimism.
Working in the garden this time of year will not only rejuvenate your body and mind, but it will also help prepare you for the growing year ahead and give you a head start on achieving your goals.
So, during the colder months of the year, warm up and put together a selection of projects that will make the most of your garden.
1. Plant colorful objects
Winter container gardening is a great activity to beat seasonal depression. Place a couple of pots on either side of a door, plant a pretty window planter, display a hanging basket in a faded corner – there are many ways to add color and interest.
Pansies, snowdrops, cyclamen, heather and hellebore are excellent floral choices. Add texture with evergreens such as boxwood or arborvitae.
When planting in containers, follow the "fill and pour" guideline. This means that a container should include a "hanging" plant that forms the main focal point of the display; “filler” plants, to add texture and fill gaps; And plants that come out, that pass through them: ivy is a well-known example.
Planting this way will give your pot a complete, professional quality.
2. Create a place for birds.
There are few things better than watching colorful birds flitting around your yard on a dark winter day.
You can attract birds to your yard by creating a bird feeder. Remember that different types of birds like different types of food and feeders, so offering a variety of options: hopper feeders, tabletop feeders and clothes feeders is a good start.
Invest in a water feature so your feathered friends have a place to drink and bathe, ideally a birdbath with warm water. Consider placing nest boxes to attract more birds and create a home in your yard.
It is important to plant plants to feed animals during the coming winter, thus creating a place for guests. Plant trees and shrubs with winter berries to provide a natural food source for birds.
3. Create a comfortable garden corner
There's nothing like staying warm in cold weather. This is why the Scandi Hygge lifestyle is so attractive.
If you have a patio or outdoor garden, this is the ideal place to set up a heated living room. Alternatively, add a fire pit table in a wind-protected garden or patio.
An external heating source, such as a patio heater, can be very useful in creating an outdoor space suitable for entertaining even on the darkest days of winter.
Pull out chairs and add faux fur blankets and pillows, then display chandeliers and fairy lights to add ambience.
4. Make a winter wreath
Wreaths aren't just for Christmas. When the holiday season is over, a DIY winter wreath made from natural materials from the garden will add a beautiful touch to your front door every time you come home.
To make a bouquet, you need to collect leaves, flowers, berries, fruits and other items from your garden. Alternatively, you can do seasonal walks for them.
You will need a wreath base to add a plant treasure. For a quick project, purchase a ready-made branch base; Alternatively, use a wire wreath frame and wrap it in moss, which will help the wreath retain moisture. Apply banana powder to the floral wire frame.
Once the base is ready, cut the leaves to shape them and arrange them in a circle around the garland. If tucking the stems into the moss doesn't protect them enough, use floral wire.
Then add flowers and berries to complete the wreath, before finishing with other decorative elements such as pine cones or acorn heads if desired.
5. Plant a tree
There are many things you can do for the environment besides planting trees. They clean the air, help improve biodiversity and add value to your home.
Winter is the ideal time to plant trees, especially bare-root trees, which will eventually produce strong, healthy specimens. Unlike plants presented in containers or wrapped in burlap, bare plants have no soil around the roots.
To plant the plant, dig a hole that is two to three times wider and slightly deeper than the root ball. If the soil is difficult to work, you can dig up some compost or well-rotted manure , which will help the plants develop. Remove any stones that could damage the root system.
Place the tree in the hole and fill it with soil, making sure the trunk is straight. You should fill the entire perimeter of the tree only up to the top of the roots, but not until the roots are exposed. Clean the soil and water the plants well; do this regularly until the plants are established.
6. Set up a shed or greenhouse
Cleaning and dusting your shed or greenhouse will get you excited for next year and help you plan for spring.
Start by unpacking: remove all dirt, broken pots, old soil and expired seeds. You can test the effectiveness of the seeds before throwing away the package.
Next, clean the entire area thoroughly before washing windows and wiping down work surfaces. Wash dirty pans and clean and paint equipment. Organize things according to your wishes.
Once the area is clean and tidy, it will be easier to spot any gaps in your equipment so it will be ready for spring. Although we have already talked about the desire to plant before.
7. Start planting
The garden may still be dormant, but the pottery can be a hive of activity in the winter. This is true if you can use a greenhouse early in the growing year. Alternatively, you can use Windows on it.
There are many crops that can be started in winter: starting to harvest potatoes, sowing onion seeds, planting window vegetables and even strawberries.
For a flower garden, you can start with sweet peas, cosmos, snapdragons, lobelia and others.
When those seeds begin to sprout from the ground, we promise you will be filled with pride and optimism for the next growing season.
