Gardening

Edition Twenty two - January 2008

A very Happy New Year to everyone..

There is talk of a bad winter to come because the squirrels began gathering nuts in September and the birds ate up all the berries early, and I can't help feeling that these primitive methods of forecasting are more accurate than expensive hi-tech weather forecasting, which is invariably wrong..

So I shall continue to listen to what my aching bones and the animals' behaviour tells me before setting foot in the great outdoors, always with the added precaution of a shovel and wellies in the car, and a mobile phone too, of course..

If you are starting a garden from scratch, here's some advice

Jobs for the month - January

Jobs for fine winter days

• Cut Perennials right back now, to make room for new shoots in the spring.

• Keep ponds covered with netting to prevent fallen leaves blowing in and ensure pumps and any outside taps are turned off.

• Keep winter-flowering houseplants in good light and in a cool position to extend their flowering time. Move plants from cold windowsills at night and bring them into the centre of the room.

• If the ground is not frozen, move any shrubs or perennials that are growing in the wrong place or have outgrown their space. First prune them short and cut any dead wood out, then prepare the soil in the new space, mixing in fresh compost.  Lift plants with as much rootball as possible.  Firm the soil around the transplanted shrub, and insert a stake for support until it is established. Water well.

• Dig or hoe your flower borders if the soil is not frozen. Not only is it great exercise on a mild January day, it freshens up the borders and digs in all those fallen, rotting leaves that look so unsightly, but do the soil so much good..

• Finish raking or sweeping up the remaining fallen leaves and either compost them or put them in a plastic bag to rot down for leafmould. Clear gutters and down pipes of leaves.

Jobs for bad winter days

• Brush any substantial snow from evergreen shrubs and conifers, because the weight of it can break their branches. A yard brush is a good tool for this job.

• Put salt down on icy paths to prevent yourself and others slipping.

• Tidy the shed and greenhouse and get rid of some of those plastic flowerpots in the recycling bin, or ask your garden centre if they would like them.

• Give the garden furniture a freshen up with paint, varnish or teak oil.

• And the best job of all; pour through those seed catalogues that have been dropping through your letterbox and *place some orders.

* When you are ordering from your flower seed catalogues, do check out germination times and conditions. I once bought some seeds that took two years to germinate!  I'm afraid they went straight in the bin..

Happy gardening till next month....