Did you know that November and December can be pivotal months for your outdoor space? When it comes to setting the stage for spring and summer, late-year gardening holds the key.

As autumn unfolds, the jobs you complete in this seemingly off-season will have a huge effect on how soon your plants burst into bloom next year, and how long they stay that way.

More than that, your outdoor space is a major selling point, and if you're planning to sell in spring or summer, you'll reap a substantial reward for the time you put in today. So let's take a look at:

• The great garden tidy up
  
• Autumn harvesting & planting
  
• Making mini magical spots
  
• Naked winter gardening
  
• End-of-year garden jobs
  

Whether it's for your own enjoyment or to attract a stream of buyers, late-year gardening sows the seeds of a blooming spring and summer, and helps you beat the winter blues by making magic outside.

THE GREAT GARDEN TIDY UP
Withered plants and decaying leaves left on the ground are breeding grounds for pests and fungal diseases, so getting outside with a rake and secateurs makes good gardening sense at this time of year. 

Here's your checklist:

• Remove any dead annuals, vegetables, and weeds. Add healthy, disease-free material to your compost pile, but discard anything showing signs of mould or mildew to stop it spreading.

• Prune back roses, perennials and shrubs that have outgrown their place. Seed heads and dried flowers create lovely autumnal bouquets, but leave a few for visual interest and food for birds.

• Collect ivy, bay, lavender, and evergreens for the ultimate seasonal craft hack: make posies, wreaths, table centres, or bouquet garni, either as gifts or to enjoy yourself over the holidays.

Once your beds are clear, lightly fork over the soil to break up compaction, then spread a generous layer of compost or well-rotted manure and let the nutrients leach into the ground.

AUTUMN HARVESTING & PLANTING

Late autumn’s mists and mellow fruitfulness say it’s time to awaken those ancient gathering and preserving skills, and to get enough daylight to maintain our circadian rhythm.

• For bright flavours in the dark months, dry picked herbs upside down. Cut mint to ground, but rosemary, lavender, and sage to above the last leaves, for future growth. 

• Gather any last tomatoes and apples to create chutneys and jams for a cosy autumnal homestead vibe. 

• Plant bulbs now for flowers from February to July. Snowdrops, crocus, tete a tete, tulips, anemones, alliums, lilies, and species gladioli will all put down roots in the darkness.

• Perennials also do much better when planted while the soil is still warm enough to start growing roots, giving you healthier, more floriferous and drought-resistant plants.

Trading a little cool air now for the promise of those first blooms is an excellent investment in your future garden happiness - what better reason to wrap up and get out there!

MAKING MINI MAGICAL SPOTS

Whether you've got a patio, balcony, windowsill, or even indoor plants, there are plenty of opportunities in winter to nurture a little green oasis. Try these ideas for size:

• Help your houseplants thrive in the face of darker days and central heating. To perk them up, clean the leaves, give them a mist, or move nearer to the light. Do not overwater!

• Turn a balcony into a winter wonderland, with fairy lights trailing through winter pansies, Christmassy poinsettia, or year-long mini fir trees, and water weekly.

• Boost your window boxes or patio with pots of mid-winter colour. You can buy pansies, primroses, hellebores, cyclamens and violas already in flower, from dazzling to demure.

With shorter days and long nights, even the tiniest spot - indoors or out - can lift up your home and your heart; perhaps even give cheer to potential buyers if you’re currently on the market.

NAKED WINTER GARDENING

December gardens can feel bare and a tad uninviting, but it’s still a great time to breathe the crisp air and work up an appetite before filling up on the seasonal treats you’ve piled in your pantry!

• Winter is the perfect time to make big plans, whether DIY or professional. Do you long for a barbecue area, home produce, or a drought-friendly gravel garden? Thinking caps on!
  

• New bedding isn’t just for indoors! Now’s the time to mark out new beds with string and posts, then remove turf, gravel, or smaller shrubs and perennials.

• Offer the birds, bees and bugs a cosy retreat with a bug hotel, bee brick, and bird box (or clean out any existing ones). You could even make your own with a YouTube tutorial.

December is the start of the real cold, and gardening may not instantly appeal, but with an eye on the future, you can picture the prospect of beautiful fluttering visitors when the warmth returns.

END-OF-YEAR GARDEN JOBS

From the end of the year until February, the earth gets hard as iron and frost becomes a regular thing, but it’s still worth taking any clear day to care for your outdoor spaces, plants, and any garden visitors.

• Cover any whole plants with fleece, or use leaves and straw over cut stems. Shelter smaller pots in a porch, garage or covered driveway to prevent fatalities from frozen roots.

• Birds need water as well as food. Set out water daily where the local kitties are unlikely to take advantage, or use a boiling kettle to defrost your birdbath. 
  
  
• Put out homemade fat balls, or fill your bird feeder with RSPB-approved seeds or dried mealworms for nutritious snacks to keep them healthy.

Finally, let's not forget your deep winter bonus, as the first of the bulbs you planted in autumn peek up through the soil and perk up your soul.

Looking for some winter wisdom for your move?
Whether you're ready to move or planning ahead, we’re here to help you make the most of your home - inside and out - whenever you decide to sell.

We'd love to show you how we help homeowners in the Wilton and Salisbury area to get the highest price and a swift result, so call us on 01722 580059 or message us at info@piccoloproperty.co.uk for a friendly, no-strings chat.