The following contribution is from another author.
Now that we have left the warm climate behind and look forward to a cozy winter season, there will be some changes happening in the outside world as well as with our own houses. Winter is a time when the home and garden go into a state of hibernation and they both become more vulnerable to the weather outside. Here are some of the jobs you can do now before winter sets in to prepare your home and protect the garden.
Secure the Exterior
The exterior of the home will include your roof, walls, guttering and the doors and windows which lead into the home, and all of these things can be upgraded now and again for maximum security and safety. The roof can be checked for damage and you can either use a Proficient Roofing company to replace it or you can replace some of the shingles yourself this weekend. The doors and windows can be checked for breezes, and sealant can be used on the window frames as well as draught excluders under the door for maximum protection. Make sure you don’t have any space between the brickwork outside and the paving below because this can allow water into your foundations. Seal it up with cement for a protected home.
Update the Patio
Before the first frost hits and it is too cold to think about working in the garden, you can take this opportunity to redo the patio and update it ready for the winter party season if you have people over. You can strip back the whole thing and lay down new paving slabs or wood for a clean and updated patio which will make your winter garden look stunning.
If your patio is made out of concrete, you should invest in the best concrete sealer you can find. Hard winters make your concrete prone to cracking from the constant freeze/thaw cycles it endures. With a concrete sealer, you can update the look of your patio and protect it for years to come.
Protect the Garden
Speaking of the garden, now is a time which is dangerous for your plants, and you will have to bring the most frost vulnerable plants inside the house to keep them from dying through the winter. Don’t prune any of your bushes until the spring, let them hibernate naturally and it will keep them protected until the warm weather finally returns.
Plant some Vegetables
If you have either a greenhouse or a patch at the bottom of the garden which is bare, now is the ideal time to plant some winter vegetables to enjoy in your hearty meals for the next few months. You can plant things like beans, peas, lettuce, kale, carrots, beetroot and even potatoes in the ground this weekend, and by the winter you will have a wonderful warming winter crop to enjoy.
Decorate the House
The house is of course going to be a hive of entertainment and energy in the next few months with halloween, thanksgiving and Christmas all on the way. Now is the ideal time to have a clear out of your old things, tidy up and make the home feel more festive with autumn wreaths and fairy lights on the mantelpiece. It’s the little things that make a difference and the atmosphere in your home can vastly change depending on what you do with it.
