Do you ever find that you struggle to keep your plants alive during winter? Get your backyard flourishing this winter with a few simple tips and tricks from The Green Thumbs: Winter edition.
Let’s be honest, winter isn’t anybody’s favourite season. In fact it’s usually the season of the year that everybody dreads. It’s a constant battle of fighting the miserable cold and wet weather and doing whatever you can to stay warm.
For most, winter is all about putting your feet up in front of the warm open fireplace and doing whatever it takes to avoid being outside.
Needless to say one of the major struggles during the cold winter months is keeping your beloved backyard thriving. The lack of blue skies and rainbows makes keeping your flowers and plants alive a very tricky and often frustrating task.
Nevertheless, help is on its way. Green Thumbs: The Winter Edition provides the best tips and tricks on keeping your plants alive during the dreaded winter months.
What Plants To Buy?
One of the most important aspects to consider when trying to get the perfect winter’s garden is to know what plants to actually purchase. Certain plants are more suited to the winter climate and will have a much greater chance of surviving during the cold.
Some plants require a lot more sun exposure as opposed to others and therefore makes it increasingly difficult to even grow, let alone keep alive. Having the know how on what plants suit what months of the year can save you a lot of time and money.
Plants are generally separated into two categories, these being perennials and annuals. Annual plants are typically planted during spring and summer months, bloom for the season and then die. Perennials however are those that continue to grow and grow year after year, after remaining dormant throughout winter. Annual plants are typically seen as the best plants to ensure your backyard is thriving during summer.
Dahlia’s, alyssums, chrysanthemums, marigolds and celosias are often regarded as some of the best winter plants and can be purchased at your local nursery. All these plants are known to be able to withstand the winter blitz and will provide your backyard with an abundance of colour, giving you a reason to smile when you look outside during winter.
The How To Guide
The When
Now that you know what to plant it’s important to know when to plant it. If you’re after that aesthetically pleasing backyard during winter it’s often smartest to start planting at the end of winter or during spring. Planting at these times will mean they will be ready and blossoming come winter. Some annual plants can thrive in hotter climates and can be planted during summer, you just need to ensure they are blossoming during autumn.
The How
It’s often asked whether it’s best to start with seeds or seedlings. This generally depends on the type of plant you intend on planting. Some annuals are easy to grow and can you can start out using seeds, others require more attention and you will fare better by using seedlings.
Whatever your choice may be there are a few essentials that need to be taken into consideration. It’s best to make sure that your plants have plenty of soil, organic matter and require slightly acidic soils. Ideally it’s important to make sure your plants are exposed to some sunlight so planting them in a spot that will receive some sun exposure throughout the day is important. Water is also very important. Whilst it is winter so it’s likely to be wet, rainy and downright miserable it’s still important to water these plants during the weeks where there isn’t any rain.
The Alternative Options
If you’ve tried everything and you simply cannot keep your garden flourishing during winter, or you want some vibrancy in your backyard without having to wait months then there are some alternatives.
Succulents are great plants that last all year long and require very minimal attention, making them a great alternative option. They make not appear as bright and colourful as other plants they are easy to keep alive and will give your garden some life.
Indoor plants are another viable option. Whether it be that your backyard doesn’t permit any sort of plant life or you want to bring some life inside then indoor plants are another great alternative. Like succulents indoor plants don’t need too much attention and can come in all shapes and sizes. Provided they are positioned somewhere that has some sun exposure and watered a couple of times a week then you shouldn’t have any problems.
Both succulents and indoor plants can also be purchased from any nearby nurseries or plant specialists.
Winter can be the perfect season for snuggling up on the couch and binge watching your favourite Netflix series, but it can also be the perfect season for turning your backyard into your very own garden of eden.
By following a few of these easy tips and tricks you’ll be sure to put those green thumbs to use and turn your garden into a visual masterpiece.
