STOP! SNOWMAN
The days are getting shorter, it's getting colder outside and more time is spent indoors - winter is not far away. This not only means a change for you, but also for your little green space behind the house. We present you with the best tips on how to winterise your garden.
CLEAN & STORE APPLIANCES
The first and easiest thing you should do is to clean garden tools and furniture and move them to a dry place. Even if garden furniture made of aluminium or polyrattan can usually withstand cold temperatures, you should consider storing your garden furniture in a winterproof place. If you don't have a garage or similar, protective covers are an alternative that you can use to store the furniture under.
Hoes, spades, shovels etc. should be thoroughly cleaned of soil and other dirt before the first onset of winter and treated with a suitable oil, such as linseed oil. Just like your garden furniture, you should store your garden tools in a dry place. This will preserve your tools for a long time.
REMOVE LEAVES & PROTECT PLANTS
You can decide for yourself whether you want to remove the leaves in the traditional way with a rake or use a leaf blower. Keep your gutters free of leaves with a protective grid system - this will prevent overflowing gutters or other unsightly incidents.
If you keep sensitive plants in the garden, you also need to winterise them. You can either use garden fleece, move the plants to wind and water-protected areas or use other methods. Find out about your individual plants and winterise them in your own individual way.
WINTERISE THE TAP AS WELL
When you think of a checklist of things you should definitely have done in the garden before winter, turning off the water is one of the last points. It is a step that should not be forgotten under any circumstances. The danger: if there is still water in the outside tap, the pipes and the tap can be damaged by the cold temperatures. To prevent this from happening, you should switch off or shut off the water pipe and leave the tap open over the winter. Alternatively, if you want to be on the safe side, you can install frost-proof outdoor taps.
Other neglected water sources: Watering cans, rain barrels & co. Rainwater often collects here, which should also be removed from the containers before the first frost arrives. After emptying, you should also stow them away properly. Dry garages or the tool shed are best suited for this. Place watering cans and similar items upside down.
POND PUMP & CO.
If you have a garden pond, there are a few things you need to bear in mind. Provided you keep fish in your garden pond, you must ensure that it does not freeze over in sub-zero temperatures. This could lead to the fish suffocating due to the low oxygen content. However, there are simple solutions that you can use to prevent this problem. Place an ice freezer on the surface of the pond at the earliest possible time. This will ensure that the water is kept open and oxygenated at the same time. Unlike the pond pumps: these must be emptied and switched off at colder temperatures.
