Although the cold dark winter days and nights are really setting in, there is still a great deal of work gardeners can do throughout December.
It may not quite be time to put the lawn mowers away in storage yet, as Gardeners’ World recommended taking advantage of a dry day early in the month with the blades set high in order to keep the grass trim wherever possible.
Fallen autumn leaves should not be left lying around. National charity Garden Organic noted they can be used to protect areas of the garden from rain damage.
Excess water in the cold season can stop nutrients from reaching the soil and it was suggested a leafmound is constructed over particularly sensitive areas in order to prevent this from becoming a problem.
Leaf blowers could be the ideal solution for the task of gathering a final collection of any autumn leftovers, particularly for those with larger areas of land to cover.
Another option individuals carrying out such work could consider is mulching, which can prevent erosion and soil compaction.
Environmental magazine the Ecologist explained it is essential to cover plants with a nutritious layer of insulation in winter, noting flowers such as dahlias require a very dense layer of this.
MowDIRECT offers a range of chipper-shredders that can recycle a variety of garden waste and could be ideally suited to this purpose.
This will save on the need to order manure or other compost, but Gardeners’ World suggested piling soil may be a good idea as it will provide worms with more nutrients to distribute.
It may be a good idea to be prepared for snowy conditions in case the country experiences a white Christmas this year.
A range of snow blowers are available from MowDIRECT, which can help minimise the damage a garden sustains.
Salt spreaders are also available and are key to keeping driveways and paths clear to ensure safe travel to and from the home in slippery conditions.
Cutting down marginal plants was also advised and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has noted December is a good month to take hardwood cuttings.
The group told the Daily Telegraph a garden’s bare bones become visible at this time of year so it is a good time to assess what needs to be done.
Pruning before Christmas was recommended for certain plants in order to prevent them bleeding as the sap can start to rise early in some trees and hedges.
Cordless shears could be a strong choice of tool to carry out this work but it may be a good idea to consider investing in hedge trimmers for larger bushes.
The RHS specified shoots ought to be cut back by around two-thirds of their length or trimming side shoots to two buds.
Harder cutting is fine if the plant continues to grow too large.
Weeding is a related task that can be carried out now, which could also save time for other jobs in spring.
Garden Organic specified perennial weed roots can spread in winter, which will create problems if they are not addressed until the new year.
Owners of a McCulloch line-trimmer or brush cutter could use a Multi Tool Cultivator Attachment for this task, which is available from MowDIRECT for £79.95.
This can turn one of the aforementioned products into a compact tiller, which is ideal for turning soil and weeding between crop rows or in awkward corners of the garden.
