Winter in KZN can be harsh and it’s a good idea to give your garden a little extra attention in the coming months. You don’t want to lose all the hard work you’ve put in so far!

These five garden maintenance tips will help you protect and sustain your garden through winter’s dry days and chilly nights:

1. Avoid harsh cuts:

Winter is the ideal time for pruning and cutting back of summer flowering shrubs. Avoid harsh cuts in frosty gardens, where pruning is best left for warmer times.

2. Make small moves:

While excessive pruning is on hold, if you’re planning some garden design changes, this is a good time to move plants as most plants recover and re- establish themselves better in cooler weather.

3. Be kind to your lawn:

Winter in KZN can be very dry, turning your once beautiful lawn into a dusty expanse. Now is the time to regularly cut and water your lawn to ensure it stays green and lush. Sow over dead patches or take the time to plant new sections of lawn in preparation for the warmer months.

4. Save precious water:

This tip actually applies all your round as we should all be saving as much water as possible while still being able to use this precious resource to nourish our gardens. One way to introduce a sustainable water strategy into your home is through an irrigation system via a JoJo tank. An effective rainwater harvesting system, the JoJo tank has many advantages, from cost-saving to the prevention of surface erosion.

5. Think of spring:

When it comes to gardening, winter is a time for planning ahead, for great garden ideas. Prepare your beds for spring bulbs, using fertiliser and fresh compost. And plant your bulbs as soon as the soil temperature starts to drop.

Bonus tip – winter doesn’t have to mean no flowers for your home. Quite the contrary! Not only do we live in an evergreen province, certain flowers bloom during the winter months. Calla lilies are a perfect example – available in a wide range of colours, including pink, purple, and orange, these beautiful and elegant perennials bloom in winter and spring so you should have sight of them right into August. Requiring minimal care, besides proper watering and fertilising, once cut, they do well indoors and make excellent bouquets. Just steer clear of the roots as these are poisonous.

Need help looking after your garden? Eco Balance offers a professional garden maintenance plan, designed to keep your garden looking beautiful.