Maintaining your garden during the winter months when it’s raining, wet and cold, but these simple winter jobs can really help keep your garden looking its best all year round. Winters can be harsh to our beautiful gardens as the ice can damage the plant life, allotment areas and make the garden look a little worn out.

Follow these three simple steps to maintaining your garden this winter:

• Aerate the lawn, this is so important as the winter has made the lawn damp and creating this compact swamp type grass. With the wet getting in between the grass, it is unable to air out, therefore not allowing the soil beneath to be exposed to the sun and air. Using a garden fork or rake, simple glide over the grass, separating the strands and allowing for the air to get in between, this will help to feed your lawn ready for a healthy looking lawn come springtime.
• Raking the laves sounds like a cliché gardening job but it really does help the appearance of your garden and you can start creating compost from your garden waste using a composting tank. When leaves fall from the tree and land on patio or walk way areas, the rain fall can cause the leave to stick to the floor and becomes a nuisance to left. Rake up your walkways and lawn area regularly, allowing the grass to breath and absorb the sunlight as much as possible.
• Clean up your patio area, making it an easier cleaning job in the spring and summer months. Washing the build-up of mud and grime from the decking of tiled patio is a must if you want your guests to feel comfortable sitting out in your garden. Doing regular patio cleans takes the strain off cleaning the tiles come spring time.

Winter time is definitely not the best time of year to be out in the garden, but will be worth the effort when you have your family and friends in your garden when the sun comes out.