Snow may be flying throughout much
of the country—but even though winter has arrived, avid gardeners don’t
necessarily have to stop pursuing their favorite pastime until warmer weather
returns.
According to Jim Wolf, Vice
President of Marketing for tool manufacturer Corona Clipper, there are many
activities that gardeners can tackle during these long winter months.
“Gardening doesn’t have to end when the growing season does,” Wolf said. “In
fact, there are certain gardening tasks that actually can and should take place
during colder weather.”
For example, winter is the prime season to prune
trees and shrubs to improve their health and productivity. Pruning in the
winter, while trees are dormant, diminishes the chance of spreading disease or
infestations, and it can correct flaws that occurred during the previous
growing season. Pruning fruit trees during the winter will help produce larger,
more robust fruit in the future. While spring-flowering shrubs like azalea and
forsythia should not be pruned in the
winter, other shrubs that flower later in the year are fair game.
Wolf also offered some advice to
those gardeners in the market for new pruning tools in order to accomplish this
important winter-time gardening chore. “Look at buying pruning tools as an
investment that can pay off for years to come,” Wolf said. “Avoid so-called
‘bargain’ tools that lose their edges quickly and won’t stand up to hard use.
You’ll wind up spending more in the long run and risk damaging your trees and
shrubs.”
Long-reach pruners like Corona
Clipper’s model TP 3206 eliminate the need to climb up a dangerous ladder when
pruning during slippery, winter conditions. This pruner’s 360-degree rotating
head also provides an endless number of cutting positions.
Because tools can take a beating
during the busy spring, summer and fall months, winter maybe provide the best
opportunity to take stock of your entire tool inventory. There’s plenty of time
to clean and maintain tools that may have been neglected during the busier
gardening months. Shovels, pruners and saws may need sharpening, and all tool
handles should be checked for cracks or loose grips. If possible, rust should
be removed from all metal portions of a tool by using a putty knife and then
lubricated.
If any tools cannot be salvaged,
take an afternoon to visit your local garden center and find replacements so
that you won’t be caught without a certain tool when you need it next spring.
You may want to consider replacing some of your worn-out hand tools with new
ergonomic models that put less stress on your joints. “Simply put,” Wolf added,
“an ergonomically-sound tool is easier to use and is capable of delivering more
gardening satisfaction.”
Ergonomic hand tools like Corona
Clipper’s CT 3750 weeder offer an ergonomically-designed grip for greater
strength and increased comfort during use.
While at your garden center or
nursery, you can also take on another winter gardening task—planning your
spring garden. Check out the newest flowers, trees and plants, sketch out a
garden design plan and order seeds and bulbs from catalogs. This is not just a
great time for planning ahead—you can also take the time to fantasize about how
good your flower and vegetable gardens will look this spring!
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