Queensland is blessed with fairly mild winter months in comparison to other climates, which means that it’s not as urgent to prepare your garden for this chilly season. There are still plenty of things you can do around the garden in winter to prepare for the warmer seasons though! The cooler temperatures make it much more pleasant to do all those physical labour jobs, like garden or yard maintenance and repairs, pruning, tree trimming or tree removal and the preparation of new garden beds. It’s also a perfect time to have an arborist – such as the professionals from Brisbane Treeworx – come out to check any suspect trees, as the lack of foliage gives them insight into a tree’s health that is much more difficult to obtain in warmer months. Here are a few of the chores you can complete over winter:
Preparing New Garden Beds
Winter months slow the growth of weeds and grass, meaning it’s much easier to dig up a garden bed and prepare it for springtime. If any weeds emerge after digging, you can get rid of them by covering the garden bed with plastic sheeting until they die back. Then, when springtime rolls around, you’ll have a lovely, clear garden bed to fertilise and plant in.
Sowing New Trees and Plants
Closer to the end of winter, you can get started on sowing some flowers, plants or trees to plant in your new garden bed. The Brisbane weather allows us to grow a vast range of plants, from tropical to English-style plants, so the sky’s the limit. You can sow these into small seedling pots in a warm location, like a greenhouse or indoors. Then, as soon as they start sprouting, get them out into the light and gradually acclimatise them to the sun.
The Importance of Deadwooding in Winter
Deadwooding or lopping is a job that’s a good idea to complete in the winter months. That’s because deadwood can be hazardous, causing a risk of falling limbs or even entire trees during the summer storm season. It may not seem like there’s anything wrong, but even seemingly healthy looking limbs can snap off during windy weather if the tree’s not in optimal health and this can damage property or harm humans or animals. To prevent this, it’s best to have a yearly check by a qualified arborist.
Deadwooding also protects the health of your trees. When branches snap off, the broken section creates a perfect hidey hole for pests and trunk rot. These both threaten the tree’s overall health and can even cause it to die. Finally, deadwooding also creates an aesthetically pleasing look to a tree, which has the potential to increase your property price.
Fertilising Your Trees
Winter is the ideal time to give your trees a boost by calling a qualified arborist to do some tree fertilising. If you have any trees that seem like they’re declining, they can be treated with a specially formulated fertiliser Injection. If you just want to pep up your healthy trees, you can do so by fertilising them around their base at the foliage line, then adding mulch or similar to lock in the moisture to the roots.
As you can see, there are plenty of wintertime chores you can do to make your garden and trees healthy and beautiful. It’s definitely a good idea to book in a yearly safety check with a qualified arborist to ensure questionable trees are healthy and have no deadwood, or to remove trees that are dangerous. Book a free, no obligation quote with Brisbane Treeworx by filling out our contact form or calling 0400 249 099, 7 days a week.
Do you want more information about the Importance of maintaining trees during winter? Get in touch with our team today and let us help you achieve healthy, beautiful trees.
