My Gardening Blog

During the cold weather you need to make sure that there is no young growth on your grass as this may cause it to be likely to succumb to pests and diseases. To do this gradually, lower the cutting height of your lawnmower until you are just about shaving the grass. Undertake this in steps over a few weeks as you do not want to abruptly take off all the tissue or cause more damage to the turf. You do not want to let the grass grow longer than 2 inches during the winter.

Apply fertiliser to your grass at the end of fall. Even though it will not be used by the grass during the slow growth of the cold weather it will be reserved in the roots and will be instantly available for use by the lawn in the Spring when new growth starts again. If you have brown areas reseed them at this time. In the colder weather the seeds will germinate.

Remove any trash from the lawn before the first snowfall. This includes leaves, logs, equipment, pots etc. If left on the lawn when it starts to snow these could smother the grass underneath the covering of snow and cause damage which can make the grass more likely to succumb to pets and diseases. During the cold season, even though the grass will grow more slowly weeds will thrive so you need to regularly pull out weeds to keep them from damaging the lawn.

As well you need to water the lawn during the winter, although not as much as you would in the warmer weather. For most grass species watering every week should be plenty. Some species, such as rye grass, Kentucky Bluegrass and tall Fescue grow quickly in the winter and will need fertilising and watering during this season.

If you use a watering system remove all the water to avoidharm in icy weather. You don’t want to use it the following Spring only to find the pipes are damaged and full of holes.

With some care your lawn will survive the winter in excellent shape and be green and healthy with new growth in the Spring.  Winter lawn care is not difficult if you stick to our guidelines. You’ll find more information on lawn care and lawn mowers at lawn mower reviews.

Should you buy a solar garden fountain or a wired fountain? Both have their advantages and disadvantages but we have found that solar garden fountains are safer around children and pets with easier maintenance than wired fountains even though they do have the drawback of not working well through the winter.The power panels on solar fountains make use of photovoltaic cells to gather sunlight all through the day which is used to power the pump. As they require sunshine the pump will reduce speed and the water will stop through the hours of darkness or if the sky is overcast.

Setting up a Solar Garden Fountain

Solar fountains are straightforward to set up and nearly all will require no difficult installation. Solar fountains either have panels built into the pedestal or separate panels that may be sited some distance away. This allows the fountain to be sited in a sheltered setting while the panels are positioned where they can collect the sunlight. The separate solar panels can be placed on a hard surface, attached to a tree or fence or on a wooden post planted securely in the ground.

Storing Energy

Nearly all solar panels aren’t capable of storing power so they cannot be used at night. They will operate most effectively on sunny days and during cloudy days they will only pump water slowly or stop altogether. Through the winter it is a good idea to disconnect the solar panels as during very cold or icy weather conditions the pump may work if it is sunny and damage could arise. A few solar fountains may have battery backups to make up for short periods but the majority are really only intended to be operated on sunny days.

Ease of Use

Solar garden fountains are advantageous as they necessitate no wiring from a power supply and can be located some distance from the home. With separate panels they could even be positioned in out of the sun or under arbors.

Solar Pond Fountains

Additionally many solar fountains are specifically made for fish ponds and are also handy as they don’t necessitate cables from the house. You could set them to float on the pond or set them in place with rocks or tied to secure them.

Solar Garden Fountain Safety

Solar powered fountains are environmentally friendly with no poisonous emissions, hardly any noise and no substances that may leak and be a danger. Since there aren’t any cords they are safe for pets and children.

In Conclusion

Fountains powered by sunlight are cheap to run, very easy to take care of and safer than fountains with wires. While they have the shortcoming of working poorly throughout the colder months they will be, however, an excellent addition to your garden.

You can make your garden attractive to wild birds in many different ways. The best way is to provide them with a safe place to eat and the food they love. Garden bird feeders are the best way of providing food for them. They are really helpful to the birds during the winter when food is hard to find.

Many different species can be attracted by providing their favorite foods. Finches love thistle seeds so you can buy a specially designed feeder to hold these tiny seeds. Prevent spillage and keep seeds dry by using tube feeders. Watch the birds feed from the comfort of you home with a window bird feeder.

You can purchase bird feeders specially designed for goldfinches, woodpeckers and hummingbirds. Place close to your bird house somewhere safe. Always check the food in your feeder daily to ensure it is dry and free from mould. Clean up any spilled food around the feeder regularly to deter ants and wasps and other predators.

Feeding during the winter is most beneficial for wild birds but shortages occur during other seasons as well. Help the wild birds by providing food for them all through the year. Put out suitable food for fledglings during the breeding season as they can be severly affected by food shortages.

Provide them with a safe place to bathe or drink by providing water in pans or a garden bird bath. Water at different levels should be provided as some species like to bathe at ground level, others higher. Containers should only be filled to a few inches and should be placed some way away from the noise around bird feeders. Attract the wild birds with the sounds of running water. A water dripper on your bird bath will attract the birds and also deter mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water.

Give the wild birds a sense of security by providing a natural looking environment. Wild flowers and trees can be allowed to grow wild in an area of the garden to make them an attractive and safe place.