Down Garden Services

JANUARY Cats scratch a post before a wind, wash their faces before a rain, and sit with backs to the fire before snow. More weather folklore "Plant carrots in January and you'll never have to eat carrots." - Anon Flower of the month - CARNATION The 13th of January is St. Hilary's feast day which has a reputation of being the coldest day of the year, so make sure any outside taps are well insulated and if possible turn off the supply. Also empty any water-filled containers such as watering cans which could burst if they freeze. Other things to look out for are hose attachments which should be taken indoors After a wet spell inspect the lawn for waterlogged areas, make a note for future remedial action. Plenty of chances recently! Don't do anything now as you will only do more harm to the soil structure. Fine drifting snow can cling to leafy shrubs and trees causing them to bend severely, even snapping under the weight. try to prevent a build-up and bind upright stemmed specimens together with string or rope to prevent them from spreading. Make sure your spring bulbs aren't buried under a thick pile of leaves - a thin layer will not signify. Check fence panels, posts and other structures for signs of damage or rot, and repair or patch up for future replacement. There could be more storms, or a heavy snowfall could bring them down. Rhubarb roots are completely dormant and can be divided to provide more plants or older clumps can be revived by discarding the central woody parts and replanting young crowns. Dig over the plot and incorporate plenty of organic matter with a good general fertilizer. Mulch the plot with a 75mm layer of compost or strawy manure. Don't harvest from young plants until next year to allow strong development. It might be prudent to leave a clump or part of one in place to provide a some stalks for the current year. Check the state of the buds on rose bushes. The traditional time for final pruning is March, but milder winters mean that they can start into growth earlier and if not pruned low enough the new shoots will break too high up or at the wrong place, giving an untidy bush. Start onion sets off in modules to develop anchoring roots. Check stored crops for signs of rot and remove any developing shoots on potatoes as they will cause the tubers to shrivel and become inedible. As deciduous trees and shrubs are dormant this would be a good time to move any that have outgrown their position or do not fulfill the desired effect where they have been planted. Some many just not suit your tastes and can be discarded, but if there is room in the garden they can be moved. Prepare the new site with plenty of organic matter and dig a hole to match the root-ball of the shrub or tree making sure it is at the same level as before. If soil is covering the bark above the base it can cause it to rot and kill the tree. Below is an example where the soil was about 30cm above the original root level which killed this conifer tree. Sprinkle some bonemeal around the back-filling soil and using a heel or the blunt end of a stake to tamp it around the roots. Trees and taller shrubs will require a stake driven in at an angle pointing towards the prevailing wind (usually south-west), leaning in from outside the root-ball. Water well to settle the soil in. Take hardwood cuttings of shrubs and fruit bushes. Quite large cuttings of Buddleja, Dogwood or coloured-leaf Elder up to 100cm long will take root if inserted where they are required to grow. Hedging plants such as Privet, Cherry Laurel or Griselinia can also take from cuttings up to 60cm - remove the soft growth at the tips of the shoots. This is the usual time to plant soft-fruit bushes and raspberry canes. The latter require lots of organic matter. The long winter evenings are a good time to study the seed catalogues or online to choose the crops and flowers for the coming season. For the vegetables you could prepare a storage box with monthly dividers to set out a sowing schedule. Back to Down Garden Services tips for DECEMBER FEBRUARY Back to top               Custom Search