A gardening expert warns that gardens risk “permanent damage” if these gardening jobs are not completed before the end of the month.
It’s still cold outside in January, but it’s the perfect time to start preparing the garden for the year ahead as it’s the start of a whole new growing season. But it is also one of the most feared months of the year with freezing weather and the risk of frost. Many gardening jobs need to be done at the start of the year for a beautiful garden in spring and summer, such as weeding or pruning plants according to William Mitchell of Sutton Manor Nursery, a gardening expert.
He insists one task in particular is essential this month to avoid “serious damage” to gardens if not done now. This involves collecting dead leaves from lawns and borders, an essential action according to the expert. The leaves still fall regularly in January and you have to rake them, even if some people find it pretty with their autumn colors. The expert warns: “If the leaves are left too long, they will start to decompose and rot.”
If you don’t pick them up, “it can be extremely dangerous to your garden for several reasons.” The first is that rotting leaves can provide a breeding ground for bacteria which can then spread throughout your garden and cause considerable damage. Another reason is that leaves that begin to rot produce a substance called tannin. The expert explains that tannin is an extremely powerful dye that can “cause huge discoloration” of your lawn, which can be “extremely difficult to remove” and can cause “permanent damage” to your garden. But also, with the rain, the leaves stick to the lawn in your garden and deprive it of light and air. It will therefore stop growing and turn yellow.
You can collect leaves manually using a rake. It’s the simplest and most affordable way to deal with dead leaves on lawns, driveways and borders. However, this requires some effort and time. Leaf blowers, on the other hand, provide a quick and reliable way to clear spaces by gathering large quantities of leaves into a neat pile. These powerful devices are well designed and ideal for those with larger gardens. If you don’t have one, another easy way to remove leaves from lawns is to use a lawn mower. In terms of effort required, it is a good compromise between a rake and a leaf vacuum cleaner. Run your lawn mower over the leaves and it will collect them in the grass catcher box or bag.