Preparing For Winter

We are now well into September and, as you've no doubt noticed, the nights are beginning to draw in. However reluctant we are to admit it, we need to start preparing for the winter, especially in the garden.

One consideration is where to store the lawnmower and garden furniture when they are not in use. Many of us will have bought additional garden furniture and perhaps some new gardening equipment. So start clearing out the garage to create some space or perhaps consider some additional storage by buying a garden shed.

Wooden garden furniture needs to be well maintained; if you have bought some this summer, read the maintenance instructions and take care to follow them. Hardwood furniture should be treated with teak oil at least once a year. However, I recommend that your furniture is treated in the autumn when stored away and in the spring when it is brought out of hibernation. Softwood furniture needs an equal amount of attention using some form of timber treatment. I recommend that you read the labels of the timber treatment tins to see which would be best for the task (Focus Timber Shades would be ideal). When storing the furniture for the winter, oil the threads of nuts and bolts to stop them rusting.

We also need to attend to the basic maintenance of garden tools in the autumn and it does pay to clean them before they are stored for the winter. Clean and oil bare metal areas, then clean and apply linseed oil to wooden handles. Clean all the rubbish that has accumulated on the lawnmower and strimmer and, if necessary, have them serviced. In many cases an unleaded petrol and two-stroke mix will deteriorate if it is stored for a few weeks. So drain it out and use fresh fuel in the spring.

One of the main causes of blocked gutters are leaves that fall in the autumn, they get into the guttering and block the down pipes. Leaves can also get into the gullies that are intended for rainwater drainage. If you have a problem every year with fallen leaves, why not fit leaf guards to gutters, down pipes and gullies. On the subject of leaf guards, if you have a pond, why not make a net to go over the top to collect the leaves before they get into the water. If there's an autumn storm, it's a good opportunity to check the guttering and down pipes for leaks. During a heavy storm, look at the guttering to make sure it's not leaking. If you find leaks repair them before the winter.

One task I quite enjoy is readying the lawn for the winter. During the autumn you shouldn't need to mow the lawn as often and it is a good idea to raise the height of the mower cut so that the grass is not cut quite so short. Remove the old dead grass and moss that can get into the lawn by giving it a robust rake over - this is called scarifying. When that is done, apply a top dressing of fertiliser (like Evergreen Complete Autumn Liquid Lawn Feed) and the lawn is ready for the winter.

One final job is to clean the patio or decking - during the winter months they can become very slippery so it's essential to ensure that they are cleaned properly to avoid accidents. I recommend that you use a pressure washer or hose to remove all deposits on the patio or decking area. Once this has been done, use a cleaning fluid like Jeyes Path, Patio & Drive Cleaner to remove any coating left on the patio or Cuprinol Decking Protector to treat the decking. When this has been completed, the patio and decking should be free from slippery coatings. Do not pressure wash new slabs - allow them a year to cure first. You may find you need to repeat this operation in the spring to keep the areas non-slippery.

This all may seem like a lot of work but remember that tidying and preparing for the winter is a good way to avoid damage and decay caused by the ravages of the winter weather.