Getting ready for Winter
Warm weather has a delightful way of making us complacent. Everything seems to be easy and comfortable. But Winter is nearly upon us – and while the Winters in Australia vary quite considerably – there are things that we can all do to make them more tolerable.
One of the better things about Winter is that the grass needs less mowing! This is the time of the year that the grass growth slows. To make sure that your lawn keeps looking good through Winter and bounces back looking beautiful and lush in Spring – it pays to give it a little bit of extra care now before Winter really hits. A sprinkling of lawn fertiliser is all you need – preferably in May. This will really help keep it healthy throughout the colder months.
Winter is also a great time to plant some flowers and Winter vegetables. There is really nothing better than being able to eat your own produce – not only for the sense of achievement, but to experience the enhanced flavour!
A few things you can do to help your garden through Winter:
· Use a thick layer of mulch on your vegetables and plants to protect them from the cold
· Aerate the soil as much as possible and use organic compost
· Move potted plants to more protected areas
· Make sure that you rake up fallen leaves regularly and put them on your compost pile or use as mulch
If you have a pool:
Winter is a time to save money on chemicals and power. You can reduce the hours that your swimming pool pump runs. 4-6 hours per day is usually sufficient for most pools in Winter. Speak to your pool servicing company about this though. Pool filtration is based on the size of the pool and climate and you don’t want your pool turning green. Some sand and chlorinated filters have a “Winter setting” so you can switch to this.
And lastly, and most importantly – your health!
News reports are talking about Australia expecting their worst Winter with many areas experiencing their worst and largest flu outbreaks. The Australian Medical Association President, Bill Boyd, warns that the current flu epidemic in Europe could be on its way here and encourages everyone to speak to their GP about being vaccinated.
Many of us regard flu as part of life and an inconvenience rather than dangerous. However – what is inconvenient and a nuisance to you, can be extremely dangerous to others. So – staying safe from flu is not just about ourselves, but also protecting the more vulnerable people in our communities. There are now 2 new flu vaccines available to cope with the varying strains of flu now evident. Young children (under five) and the elderly can obtain free vaccines.
Simple things like proper hand-washing, covering your mouth when coughing, and staying home when you are sick all help prevent the spread of the virus.
