Although the arrival of winter may have you believing that your gardening and landscaping work is done until the weather warms up, there are still many things you can do to ensure a healthy and vibrant reawakening come spring.  If you experience some pleasant winter days you may want to get outdoors and take on a few tasks to make things easier for you and your yard once the temperatures really begin to rise again. Here’s a list of four landscaping tasks to do in winter.

Clean Up The Last Of The Leaves

When it comes to raking leaves in the fall, it can seem like it’s a never ending job.  Once you’ve cleared your lawns, it’s inevitable that more leaves will litter the place up again.  However, once winter arrives you can be sure the trees have dropped the last of their leaves. Clean these up to prevent moulds, diseases and the acidification of your soil.

Tree Pruning

The best time to prune trees is when they’re in their dormant phase.  Not only have all the leaves dropped which allows you to identify problem branches, but it’s much easier to access and remove problematic branches safely.  Winter pruning also gives the trees a chance to recover and prepare for robust growth in the spring.

Protect Flowering Plants

If you have a lot of early spring bloomers such as rhododendrons you should try and protect them over the winter.  This will ensure they’re ready for spring and are able to produce the beautiful flowers they’re known for. Tie them to a stake to allow them to weather the winter winds and wrap them in burlap to keep them warm.

Cover Your Soil

Leaving your flower and vegetable beds exposed over the winter can allow weeds to grow which can create an added workload come spring.  To prevent weeds from taking over during the cold months cover the soil with mulch, cardboard or landscaping fabric. This will curb winter weed growth, prevent erosion, discourage pests and allow worms and other helpful organisms to proliferate.  There are actually many winter soil coverings which can also look quite decorative.