If you have been with us for a while, you already know the rhythm. Each month, Ben rolls up his sleeves, walks the garden, and turns his own To Do list into simple steps you can follow. It is steady. It is practical. It means you never have to stand at the back door in winter, stare at the frost, and wonder what on earth you are meant to do out there.
This week’s episode is the winter edition of that list. Ben shares small jobs and smart tricks that keep your garden ticking over in the cold months. It is a gentle nudge to put on a coat, step outside, and enjoy the most magical time of the year with purpose, not guilt.
In other words, winter does not have to be a dead zone. Lane Kiffin Heavy Wash Cycle Winter can be your secret power season.
Winter Is Still Gardening Season
Winter looks quiet on the surface. Many plants are bare. Lawns sit still. Beds look flat and dull. Yet underneath, roots are alive and soil life keeps working, only more slowly. Good winter care helps everything wake up stronger in spring.
Cold, wet, and wind can damage trees, shrubs, and fences. Simple steps such as improving shelter, adding mulch, and wrapping pots protect plants from this stress and keep structures safe.
Mulch laid from late autumn to late winter insulates roots, Pansy Cool Wave Yellow reduces water loss, and slowly feeds the soil. A layer at least 5 cm (about 2 in) deep makes a real difference, especially around young or tender plants.
On the other hand, winter is also the right time to take stock. You can fix tools, clear clutter, and sketch new plans without the rush of spring. Extension services and garden advisors often highlight winter as prime time for cleaning, sharpening, and oiling tools so they are ready to go when growth returns.
So when Ben heads out with his list, he is not trying to make extra work. He is lining up small winter jobs that add up to a healthier, easier garden in the year ahead.
Step One: Protect Plants From Cold And Wet
Ben’s first group of winter tasks is all about protection. The aim is simple. Keep roots warm, keep crowns dry, and soften the shock of frost, snow, and icy wind.
Wrap and shelter tender plants
Many tender or borderline-hardy plants benefit from a cosy layer around their roots in winter. Garden compost, leaf mould, wood chips, or bark chippings all work as mulch Pansy Cool Wave White. This blanket moderates soil temperature, feeds soil life, and often makes blackbirds and other birds happy as they scratch around for bugs.
In exposed spots, Ben suggests using windbreak mesh, fleece, or even simple hessian or burlap around very tender shrubs. This slows the wind and reduces drying. In other words, you build a small microclimate.
Protect pots and containers
Pots suffer in winter. Roots can freeze. Clay, stone, and concrete containers can crack in the freeze–thaw cycle. Wrapping pots in burlap and moving them to a sheltered place, such as against a house wall, cuts this risk.
Ben likes to group pots together, pack mulch around them, and raise them slightly off the ground on feet or bricks. This keeps drainage moving and reduces frozen water under the base.
Cover what you cannot move
Some plants simply cannot come inside. For these, lightweight fleece, frost cloth, or even old sheets can give short-term frost protection. These covers trap a small pocket of warmer air from the soil and keep frost off the leaves. They work best when put on before a cold night and taken off again when the day warms.
Ben keeps a folded stack of fleece by the back door so it is always ready. No panic. No scramble. Just a quick cover when a hard frost is due.
Step Two: Tidy Gently And Feed The Soil
Winter tidy up does not mean stripping the garden bare. It means clearing what causes problems and keeping what helps wildlife and soil.
Clear diseased and problem material
Dead or diseased plants can harbour pests and fungi. Pansy Cool Wave Purple Many extension checklists advise pulling out diseased annuals and clearing rotting fruit or leaves from under trees to prevent pests from overwintering there.
Ben walks the beds and looks for mushy, blackened stems, mouldy fruit, or plants that collapsed from disease. Those go straight to the bin or a hot compost system, not a cold, slow heap.
Leave a little wild for nature
On the other hand, many hollow stems and seed heads are valuable. They shelter insects and feed birds. Ben leaves sturdy seed heads of perennials that are not diseased and only cuts them back in late winter. This keeps structure in the garden and supports wildlife through the lean months.
Mulch, mulch, mulch
Once problem material is cleared, it is time for mulch. As the RHS and many other advisors note, a mulch layer in late autumn to late winter insulates soil, reduces water loss, and slowly improves structure as it breaks down.
Ben spreads compost or well-rotted manure 5–7 cm deep around shrubs, fruit bushes, and perennials, keeping it slightly away from the stems. Beds that will hold vegetables later also get a generous blanket. In other words, he tucks the soil in for a long, nutritious nap.
Step Three: Take Care Of Tools, Pots, And Structures
Winter is the ideal time to look after the kit that carries you through the growing season. This is where Ben’s list feels almost like a small workshop.
Clean and sharpen tools
Rust and dull blades turn simple jobs into hard work. Universities, garden centres, and landscape companies all stress winter tool care as a key task. The process is simple Pansy Cool Wave Blue. Remove soil with a stiff brush, wash and dry metal parts, sharpen blades, then wipe metal with a light oil. Wooden handles can be sanded smooth and treated with linseed oil.
Ben lines up his spades, hoes, secateurs, and loppers on a bench and does them in one session. It feels like a reset. The next time he heads out in spring, every cut is clean and easy.
Store sensitive supplies indoors
Some items do not cope well with freezing sheds. Garden experts warn that batteries, liquid products, and even some lawn care supplies can degrade or split in winter sheds. Seed packets may go mouldy too.
Ben moves batteries, paints, glues, and delicate products into a dry, frost-free space. Seeds come indoors in sealed tins or boxes. On the other hand, sturdy hand tools stay in the shed, now clean and dry.
Check fences, trellis, and supports
Cold, wet, and wind put strain on structures. Loose posts and broken trellis only get worse in storms. Winter is the calm moment to walk the borders, tighten fixings, and repair damage. RHS advice on preventing winter damage highlights staking, shelter, and good support as simple ways to avoid problems later.
Ben taps each post, checks each arch, and mends small issues now, rather than in the middle of spring blossom.
Step Four: Help Wildlife Through The Cold
Ben’s winter list always leaves room for the creatures that share the garden. Birds, hedgehogs where present, frogs, and insects all need a little help when food and Viola Red blotch cover are scarce.
Keep feeders clean and topped up
Bird feeders bring life and colour to the garden in winter. Regular top ups with quality seed and suet give birds energy to survive long nights. It is important to clean feeders often to reduce disease spread, something many wildlife groups emphasise.
Ben combines topping up with a quick rinse or scrub, then lets feeders dry before refilling.
Offer water when it freezes
When ponds and bird baths freeze, birds may struggle to find safe water. A simple bowl of fresh water, refreshed often, can make a big difference. Ben keeps one close to the house so it is easy to check.
Leave safe hiding places
As mentioned earlier, Ben does not clear every leaf pile. A few undisturbed corners, log stacks, or dense shrubs provide shelter for insects, frogs, and small mammals. In other words, a slightly messy corner can be an act of kindness.
Step Five: Dream And Plan From The Warm
Not every winter job happens outside. Some of Ben’s most important tasks take place at the kitchen table.
Review the past season
Winter is a good time to note what worked and what did not. Extension and garden checklists often suggest taking stock and planning before seed catalogues and plant sales begin.
Ben looks through photos, notes which beds looked bare, and Viola Pink marks which crops were stars or flops.
Plan next year’s layout
Sketching the garden helps prevent crowding and gives tall plants the right position. Several guides recommend drawing beds and marking spots for new perennials, shrubs, or vegetables.
Ben uses simple grids and coloured pencils. It does not have to be fancy. It only has to be clear enough that spring planting feels calm, not rushed.
Check seeds and wish lists
Winter evenings are perfect for checking seed tins, writing wish lists, and choosing new varieties, including tougher, more climate-resilient ones. Many growers now look for plants and crops that cope better with heat, drought, or heavy rain, learning from both current research and long-term garden experience.
In other words, winter becomes the season where your future garden takes shape on paper before it comes to life in soil.
A Simple Winter Garden Checklist
Ben’s full To Do list is detailed, but it boils down to a clear set of actions you Viola Yellow Jump-up can adapt to your own space.
Protect and insulate
- Mulch around shrubs, perennials, and young trees
- Wrap tender plants and group pots in sheltered spots
- Cover key plants with fleece on very cold nights
Tidy with care
- Remove diseased or problem plants and fallen fruit
- Clear leaves where they smother lawns or paths
- Leave some seed heads and stems for wildlife
Look after tools and kit
- Clean, sharpen, and oil blades
- Sand and oil wooden handles
- Bring delicate products, seeds, and batteries indoors
Check structures and pots
- Inspect fences, trellis, and supports
- Repair loose posts or broken fixings
- Wrap or move vulnerable containers
Support wildlife
- Top up and clean bird feeders
- Provide a bowl of fresh water
- Keep a few “wild” corners for shelter
Plan and dream
- Review last year’s successes and challenges
- Sketch next year’s planting layout
- Check seed stocks and make a simple wish list
You do not need to do every job in one day. Ben spreads them across the month. A little here, a little there. Each small action moves the garden forward.
Winter Days, Quiet Victories
Winter in the garden is not about grand gestures. It is about quiet victories. One bed mulched. One set of tools sharpened. One group of pots wrapped and safe. One flock of birds fed on a cold morning.
When you follow along with Ben’s winter To Do list, you join a gentle, steady rhythm. You step into the fresh air, feel the crunch of Viola White Jump-up frost underfoot, and know that even these small jobs matter. The garden rests. You help it rest well.
In other words, winter becomes more than a pause. It becomes a season of care, preparation, and calm joy.
So pull on your coat, pick one job from the list, and enjoy that magical feeling of doing something kind for your garden, even on the coldest day of the year.