Winter outside can be downright unpleasant but it can also be dangerous if you don’t prioritise garden safety. With Christmas round the corner, you still want your garden to be a place that can be enjoyed – so don’t overlook those winter jobs, it will help keep you and your family safe but you can also have a bit of Christmas fun too!
We’ve put together a few things to consider to help make your garden, or your relatives’, a safer place this winter.
Jet washing patios and paths
We all see this as a spring job don’t we? Washing away the grime so that the patio is a nice place to spend summer. But jet washing in your garden is even more important than the summer. Forget about the looks, patios and paths can be slippery and dangerous when moss and leaves begin to settle on them.
ROSPA says that the most common accident in the garden is a fall, and if you’re falling on to a hard surface then the risk of a more serious injury (including your head) is greater. When we jet wash patios we use Wet & Forget to ensure that the moss, grime and algae stays away making your patio and paths safer place to be during the winter – especially for any socially distanced present drop offs.
Clear up leaves and debris
If you live near to large trees, we don’t blame you for not wanting to clear up leaves, twigs, pine cones and chestnuts all the time. No sooner have you done it, you get another load fall down. But leaves and debris can impact garden safety in the winter. The damp, soft surface of leaves make it incredibly easy to slip on and pine cones can be large enough to trip on.
The bad news is, you have to put in some work to clear them up and keep it safe (or you can ask us to do it for you!). The good news is that you can have some fun while doing it. Making hedgehog houses, or large compost piles for them, is a great way to get kids involved and do something good for wildlife too.
Chop back any large or loose branches
High winds in winter can bring big branches crashing through fences and even end up in neighbours’ gardens. They also pose a hazard when you’re out and about in the garden. Getting an expert opinion on any trees that have branches that cause you concern is a great way to make sure your garden safety is prioritised this winter.
If you want to have a go yourself, this handy guide on how to safely prune your own trees should help. As it points out, this time of year is perfect for pruning because you can see the bare canopy and it’s more obvious where you need to prune.
Once you’ve done your pruning, you can use your branches and other debris from the garden (pine cones, conifer clippings and holly) to turn into beautiful Christmas Wreaths.
Tie down any loose things
If you’ve got smaller plant pots, wendy houses or seating that’s prone to movement in high winds (you wouldn’t be the first one to wake up and find your wendy house on top of the fence!) then tie it down. You can usually find a few items around the garden to help with this, the odd brick or large rock, so that once you’ve tied them down you can also weigh them down. Turning those essential garden jobs into a bit of Christmas fun will help you get some enjoyment out of it. Managing garden safety can be tricky if you haven’t got the tools you need, so if you’re after some help then give us a call on 07961 234448 or email [email protected]
