Winter in a care home is usually a very hectic time, with increased prevalence of coughs, cold s and illnesses to contend with, as well as planning for the festive season and looking ahead to the new year to sort out budgets, priorities, event programming and more. However, it is vital not to neglect outdoor duties, as the gardens and grounds of your care home will not look after themselves. The cold weather can cause a great deal of damage to exterior property and the garden still needs tending in order to ensure it looks its best, come the spring.

Here are some essential care home garden and grounds jobs to get done over the winter.

Soil support

Milder winter days are a great time to get the garden fork out and dig over the soil in your care home’s garden. Choose a day when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged. This helps prevent the soil from becoming compacted and will aerate it, ready to support spring plant growth. Adding compost can also help improve the soil’s condition and add valuable nutrients for plants and insects. Mulch made from bark chippings or fallen leaves is another useful addition to spread over the surface, as it helps insulate the ground against the worst of winter’s frost and freezing conditions.

Shrub management

If you have not yet done so, winter is a great time to prune any shrubs that have overgrown during summer and autumn, including roses. While plants are dormant in the colder months, it can be safer to prune them as the risk of ‘bleeding’ is lower. Begin by removing any dead branches and. checking for signs of disease. Prune any branches or stems that are pressed together, as this can hurt the plant when the winter winds cause them to rub and damage each other. Cut at an angle, just above a leaf node. Now is a good time to plant new shrubs too, as the soil will be moist from seasonal rain to allow roots to grow down and easily establish themselves. Again, avoid planting new shrubs in waterlogged areas.

Clean out the greenhouse

If your care home is lucky enough to have space for a greenhouse, this can offer fresh produce for the dinner table over the year, as well. As hours of entertainment for green-fingered residents to help grow fruit, vegetables herbs and cut flowers on site. Over the next few weeks, take time to have a good tidy up of the greenhouse,. Clear away any old plants you no longer want, check your flowerpots and seed trays and replace any broken ones now, while you have time. Make sure any electric lighting or heating still works and give the work benches and glass walls a good wash down.

Remember the wildlife

It can be harder for our feathered friends, small mammals and insects to find food during the winter. A great act of kindness would be to put our food and water and then keep the feeders topped up. If you do this regularly, you will find that more wildlife visits the garden, which can offer residents a great source of interest and joy while they are more confined to staying indoors, out of the cold. A bird bath can also be a nice addition, but watch out for the water freezing over on particularly cold days. Other nice ideas can be to install hedgehog houses and plan to buy more plants and flowers that will supply pollen and nectar to support bees and butterflies next year.

General repair maintenance

Finally, as your care home garden’s growth slows down over winter, you could use the extra time this frees up to carry out a full inspection of your outdoor areas. Check paths and patios for cracks and signs of freeze-thaw distress. You could cover up any statues or stone plant containers, again to protect them against frost damage. Repair any broken railings or garden furniture you discover straight away so that this job is not forgotten and the items will be safe for residents to use when they venture outdoors again in the spring. Keep an eye on outside drains and pipes to make sure they are not blocked and are protected against the frost. Do an audit of your gardening tools to check for damage and see if any need replacing or upgrading.