Now that autumn is here, there’s plenty to do in the garden. Getting outdoor spaces ready for a cold snap can be quite demanding work, with lots to move around and maintain. So, get winter ready with gloves that keep you covered, and your garden will be thriving while the temperatures are diving.
Greenhouse Graft
As the nights draw in and temperatures begin to drop, it’s definitely time to get the greenhouse ready for its overwintering duties – and that means giving it a jolly good clear out. All those tender plants, even herbs like mint and parsley, which spent summertime basking in the sun can move back into their winter quarters to avoid getting caught by an early frost—an unheated greenhouse can remain 5 degrees warmer than outside temperatures. Take the time to make some space by using the last of the summer’s sun to give your greenhouse a mini makeover.
Start by giving it a good tidy and sweep. With the decks clear, you’ll want to give surfaces a wash down with hot soapy water and then scrub away any green grime that may have appeared on window frames and shelving units. Make sure to wear sturdy, waterproof gloves that give you plenty of grip but don’t make your hands moist from perspiration, like the SHOWA 281 ‘Temres’. These gardening gloves are perfect for jobs that require getting to grips with grime. They’re breathable so you can wear them throughout the day and their gauntlet-shaped style will keep sleeves free from filth – so you can get things done in half the time!
Lifting and shifting
Autumn is great for shifting around your garden growth. You can move anything which looks to be outgrowing or not benefitting from its current planting site. Just be sure to avoid interfering with established growth that’s happy and settled. Ideally, you should start to bring in all the pots of tender plants, such as pelargoniums, begonias and fuchsias, from the patio and put them up on the staging. It’s important to bring them in whilst it’s still mild, to prevent waterlogging and frost damage once the weather turns wet and cold.
For young tender plants which are planted out in the garden, you can use a trowel to dig around and under the root ball, carefully lift them, pot them up and bring them in too. To protect your hands whilst you’re doing jobs that need nimble fingers, opt for a flexible glove with gripping power. SHOWA’s 310 gardening glove is an all-rounder. The knitted back gives them amazing stretch and breathability, so you can wear them all day long without wrinkled up fingers when you take them off!
Heavy-duty duties
Those larger container-grown tender and exotic plants – such as standard fuchsias and lemon trees – will need plenty of greenhouse space, as their heavy pots or planters can be quite large. These mature pot-grown plants are at greater risk from the cold than those planted out in beds and borders because their roots haven’t got the protection of being underground, where the temperature remains more consistent throughout the year. A cool conservatory makes a good overwinter home for orchids, citrus varieties and other precious exotics if you have the room. Use a sack truck or a trolley to assist with moving large specimen plants and go for heavy-duty gloves to protect you from knocks or scrapes whilst manoeuvring! For such a task, the SHOWA 306 gardening glove gives great grip and amazing tactility. They’re waterproof and the roughened latex durable palm and comfortable fit make them an absolute winner in the garden.
A little elbow grease out in the garden now will pay dividends next year. So, this autumn, don’t let hard graft slow you down and, instead, get some gardening gloves you can really rely on.