Down Garden Services

DECEMBER IF SUN SHINES THROUGH THE APPLE TREES ON CHRISTMAS DAY, WHEN AUTUMN COMES THEY WILL A LOAD OF FRUIT DISPLAY More weather folklore "One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides." - W.E. Johns Seasons greetings and all that, but the garden centre turning into Santa's Grotto will already have tipped you off to the impending anti-climax. Back in the real world a bit of greenhouse hygiene wouldn't go amiss. Remove all debris and weeds and if there are no plants or only a few which could have a holiday in the house, use bleach or a natural garden disinfectant to clean all of the hard surfaces. A power washer will dislodge any moss and algae in crevices, but ensure that any seals are not displaced by the water jet - as well as good waterproof clothes care is needed as a blast square onto the glass could dislodge a pane. Again in the greenhouse use bubble-wrap to insulate a small area and create an inner sanctum for tender plants with more frost resistance or if heated it will cut the running costs. Some garden fleece or light fabric draped over plants will give extra protection on the coldest nights. Fill some large containers with water and leave them close to the plants. The water stores heat during the day and can keep the temperature a few degrees warmer during the night. Darker coloured ones will absorb the heat better. This bamboo has been weighed down by a heavy fall of snow, it will recover its shape, but not all plants do. Snow can be very heavy and will damage some trees and shrubs if it bends the branches. This is particularly so with some conifers with upward growing branches which spread apart and may break or not recover their shape when the snow thaws. Go around the garden and shake off the snow from affected specimens - a broom is a suitable tool. To prevent this susceptible trees or shrubs should be encircled with string or rope if heavy snow is expected. This is also why hedges should be cut with an "A" profile to shed the snow. It can also accumulate on a fruit cage with a permanent wire-mesh roof which could collapse, so again the broom can be used to tap it gently from below to dislodge it - standing to the side and suitably clothed! It's still not too late to plant any spring bulbs which you may have been meaning to, but not found the time. Also there may be some being sold off cheaply, check them carefully for moulds or that they have not dried up, otherwise they could be a real bargain. If you can't find a spot for them, pot them up and they can be planted later when they grow or just place the pot in a gap in the border. You can still sow some varieties of broad beans like The Sutton Dwarf or Aquadulce, or peas such as Douce de Provence. If sowing outside they will need protection from mice or squirrels; place a fine mesh over them and raise it as they produce shoots. In more northerly gardens protect with a cloche or sow in modules in a cold frame - mice can get into these as well! Continue to check tree ties and tighten or renew if required. If the tree has been in the ground for a few years, it is most likely stable enough to do without a stake (often the tree is holding up the stake!). Also make sure old ties are not strangling the trunk or branches of their dependents, eg. trained shrubs on walls or trellis. If you need to replace a stake it is best to use a sloping one or two posts with a cross piece to secure the tree - a single stake close to the tree could damage the roots. Use a leaf-rake or a blower to remove any remaining fallen leaves from the >lawn. Put a generous mulch around recently planted rhododendrons and other surface-rooted shrubs which could be affected by a severe frost. Recently more frost-sensitive plants such as Olive trees and patio plants have been available, so if a cold spell is forecast they should be taken under cover or if this is not possible they should be draped with protective fleece. A more economical, if less asthetic option would be old net curtains or sheets. Make sure any covering is well secured as gusty winds will dislodge them. Move >containers into a sheltered area or close to the house where the temperature may not fall as low. Keep off the grass when it is frosted as treading on it will cause damage. Containers for propogation should be washed with a little bleach in the water to prevent the carry-over of diseases like damping off, then stacked ready for use . Now that all the leaves are off grape vines, there is no sap moving around and it is the time to prune to avoid sap 'bleeding' from the wounds. If a structure of leading stems has been formed, cut the side shoots back to within one or two buds of the main stems. Next year when growth begins remove all but one side shoot which will later provide the fruit.

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