Winter gardening made simple

You can plan your gardens layout, order any bulbs or plants you’ll need for early planting and more!  

Here are some useful tips for customers with a green thumb: 

Prepare your soil 

Add compost or manure to your soil, this will add nutrients to help prepare for spring planting. 

Choose winter plants 

• Vegetables and herbs. Crops like kale, spinach, cabbage, carrots, and Brussels sprouts are all great for winter planting. 
• Flowers. Winter-blooming flowers like hellebores, pansies, and snowdrops are great to add some colour to the garden. Also try adding some shrubs and conifers. 
• Herbs. Why not try growing your own rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley, which all grow well in winter. 

Use cold frames  

If you don’t have room for a greenhouse, you could try getting a cold frame, which is like a mini greenhouse. It will create a warmer microclimate for growing veg. 

Give yourself mulch more protection 

Apply a thick layer of mulch to insulate the roots of plants, this will help protect them from frost and can help retain moisture. It can be made from straw, wood chips, or leaves. 

Water wisely and protect plants 

While plants require less water in winter, they may need some at drier periods.  

Also, move potted plants that might not like the frost indoors or to sheltered areas. 

Bring the garden inside 

You can grow herbs and smaller vegetables indoors in containers on a sunny windowsill. Basil, mint and microgreens are some examples of what you can grow.