Gardening Tips For What To Do In The Garden This Month
Here are a few things that could help keep you busy if you are in the middle of a long dark and cold winter. If you are in the middle of your long hot summer down-under (you lucky people) well, enjoy! Even though this article is specifically for winter gardening, check out the Resource Box below for plenty of articles on gardening for any time of year.
OK, here we go:
1. Give your grass a high cut every now and then. If you can, choose a dry, windy day when the dew has lifted so the clippings are removed. Where I am, finding a windy day is not so much of a problem, finding a dry one... now that is a different matter altogether. But if you are like me, hang in there, one will turn up soon.
2. Check the ties of shrubs grown against walls (Ceanothus, Pyracantha, Moroccan broom, etc) - those sudden gusts of wind that are all too frequent this time of year can throw them forward and crack roots.
3. Take old honeysuckles back to a strong, well-spaced framework of not-too-old stems, keeping a few young ones around the edges.
4. Clear away and burn the dead leaves from under roses to reduce the chance of any disease lingering.
5. Do not forget that central heating, as nice as it is this time of year, will play havoc with tropical houseplants. Increase the humidity by simply standing the pots on saucers or trays of damp gravel and keep them away from radiators (which is easy) and draughts (perhaps not so easy this time of year!)
6. If you have ever dreamed of scooping a prize at the local summer gardening show, start planning for it now. Have you ever thought about onions? Exhibition ones are fairly easy to grow. The biggest bulbs come from varieties such as Mammoth, which are sown any time now.
7. Try to remember where you have bulbs growing in grass. The new leaves should be well through by now and it is all too easy to walk on them unawares. I am thinking of things like snowdrops, narcissi, crocus, fritillary, etc.
8. Have you worked out what you want to plant this season? Well, if you still have to then why not fish out last years seed packets and you can work out what you want to buy for this season. Great excuse to get down to the local garden centre, as if you needed one!
9. If you are lucky enough to be a gardener with a warm greenhouses (and do not forget your minimum winter temperature in there should be 55F), why not start growing indoor tomatoes such as Sparta, Shirley and Big Boy. Now, early to mid January, is the perfect time.
10. Now wisteria has dropped its leaves, you can prune it. Just take back the long stems you pruned last summer to two or three buds. Also, cut out stray stems wrapped around gutters and slithering along walls. Be careful though: do not forget those buds can be thorny.
11. Why not treat your much-abused and maligned garden shears to a professional sharpening? After all, they are not really needed at the moment and you will notice a big difference. You will not regret it!
12. In those long spells of freezing weather we can unfortunately experience this time of year, winter-flowering pansies can sometimes receive a knock to their growth. If this happens, wait until the weather warms up a little, then deadhead any spent flower stems. This should induce a mass of new flowers to emerge for you to enjoy.
Well, that little lot should keep you busy for a while and do not forget, enjoy your gardening. It can be just as much fun in the winter!
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