Happy New Year 2017.
Happy New Year – 2017.
Start by planning your spring/summer vegetable garden. Cold and foggy days are perfect for planning spring planting and jobs.
On the beautiful sunny days of winter, go outside to do pruning, planting, and all the other gardening chores.
The positive side of cold weather is that deciduous fruit trees get the chill hours needed to produce fruit. Unlike citrus, there’s no need to protect them on cold nights.
Start thinking about composting old waste and tidying around the garden ready for spring.
Looking for some new inspiration or items for the garden then browse our site for some great choices and ideas.
Jobs to do in the Garden:
Newly arrived bare root roses and fruit trees can be “heeled in” by covering the roots in compost in a container in a cool, frost-free place until the ground defrosts.
It is fine to prune fruit trees in frosty weather. If it’s when you have most time, prune hardy foliage plants now, too.
Remove any snow-damaged branches from shrubs and small trees, cutting cleanly back to a healthy branch or the trunk. Partly broken branches you can try to wrap or bolt together, but they are highly unlikely to rejoin and may attract fungal problems. Wound paints are not recommended.
There’s no need to clear ice from ponds. Oxygen will still be available for wildlife and plants. Fish may benefit from extra oxygen, so keep the pump running to prevent freezing.
Control small flies (fungus gnats) in houseplant compost by applying Westland Plant Rescue Bug Killer Ornamental Plants as a compost drench.
Using rock salt to keep paths free of ice can scorch leaves and roots of plants, so apply with care and keep to a minimum.
Bulbs such as tulips that you haven’t got around to putting in the garden, can still be planted as long as they are firm and mould-free.
Cut away the leaves of Helleborus orientalis to show off the flowers.
Once plants in containers have frozen, it’s too late to bubble-wrap them. Move them to a sheltered spot near the house or into a light shed or garage.
Happy gardening from all the Garden Shopping team.
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