7 winter gardening myths debunked
Cold, stark and dormant, the winter months aren't always the most inspiring for our outdoor spaces – but just because the natural world slows down, doesn't mean the work stops in our gardens.
In fact, there are numerous winter gardening myths that could be doing serious damage to our garden – at best they could prevent our plants from reaching their full potential and at worst they can kill them.
We asked Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk, to separate the fact from the fiction, so we know the winter gardening jobs to carry out to ensure our lawns and plants thrive when the longer days eventually set in.
Chris debunks 7 winter gardening myths below and suggests what to do instead to help plants and lawns thrive...
7 winter gardening myths debunked:
Plants do not need watering
“Plant growth slows down during the winter and a lot of plants become dormant, but this doesn’t mean they no longer need water,” Chris says.
“Their roots will still need moisture, especially during dry winters. Watering will vary depending on the plant but as a general rule of thumb water when the soil feels dry to touch.”
You shouldn’t prune during winter
“Some believe that pruning during the winter can be harmful to trees and shrubs, but winter can actually be a great time to do this. If plants are dormant when pruning, it actually lowers the risk of causing them stress or disease.”
The main aim of winter pruning is to encourage robustness, so that fruit trees are productive and shrubs don’t outgrow their space.
You shouldn’t use fertiliser
Chris says: “Plants that go dormant over winter will not need fertiliser, but those that are still growing may benefit from a slow releasing fertiliser, which can gradually provide them with essential nutrients.”
In fact, our lawns and plants need a little extra help to stay healthy and green as the harsh winter weather sets in – which is where certain fertilisers come into play. Iron-rich fertilisers (which help maintain the green colour of grass) and liquid fertilisers are both suitable for winter use.
Snow is bad for plants
“A lot of people think that a layer of snow is bad for plants when actually it can act as a blanket, providing them with a layer of warmth and insulation,” says Chris.
“The snow does, however, become damaging if it sits on the plants for too long and freezes over. You should remove it before it gets to this stage.”
There’s nothing to plant
People often dismiss the idea of planting anything in winter but this is a mistake, Chris explains. “Now is a great time to plant hardy vegetables such as onions, broad beans and lettuce. For plants opt for sweet peas, hardy cyclamens and snapdragons.”
Nothing can happen to dormant plants
Chris adds: “Plenty of gardeners make the mistake of thinking that because plants are dormant and no longer growing that they’re immune to damage.
"Dormant plants can still be damaged by frost, root damage and structural damage from strong winds.”
There are no garden jobs to do
Gardening is a year round affair – and there are plenty of jobs that need to be carried out over the winter months to ensure plants thrive come summer.
“This time of year is perfect for planning, pruning, caring for wildlife and harvesting winter vegetables,” says Chris.
January is also a great time to plan for the coming gardening year, by mapping out your bed layout as well as ordering seeds and plants.
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