January Gardening tips, plans, projects for winter & other stuff !!

[Gardenman]

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. I know, I know, probably the last thing you want to do at this time of year, BUT , I would say this wouldn?t I. Gardening is good for you, especially for keeping fit , enjoying a bit of connection to nature & ( This is a big AND) building your immune system . More of that later :))

I hope all of you managed some kind of enjoyable Christmas. Let?s try & make it Christmas everyday this year

Back to the plot

1. One of the 2 times you can prune your Wisteria. Cut back to the second or third of the new growth or whips to the main stem, cut out all diseased or dead branches & give a good potassium feed to help flowering this spring

2. Also get pruning Apple & Pear trees while they are still dormant, if they are like the ones I did just before Christmas get someone else in :)). Pruning is to open up the centre of the tree to allow the air to flow freely through the tree to keep it healthy & productive. Also cut out any crossover dead or diseased branches . Make as many of the Big cuts downward facing & paint with a sealant

Prune soft fruits Black/Red berries, Gooseberries. Don?t touch Cherries, Apricots, Plums until later in the summer

3. Cut off old damaged leaves on Hellebores ( Christmas roses)to allow the new buds to flower . Dead head winter Pansies & Cyclamen & feed for prolonged flowering & winter colour. If looking for more winter colour then buy & plant Skimmias, a really good plant for colour. Red buds turning into white flowers into spring & summer

4. Cut back ornamental grasses before new shoots come through. Prune Rose bushes hard at an angle & close to a bud to prevent disease. Try to give the bush a rounded open shape like fruit trees to keep it healthy. Pluck off & pick up all leaves with black spot. Burn or dispose of these leaves separately, black spot is a fungus & will continue to infect in the ground & in compost.

5. Lawns. Yes, I?m still banging on about your lawn. Blow, rake,brush or sweep any remaining leaves or debris & worm moulds off your lawn to stop it developing bald patches . Wish it worked for me :)))

If it snows or gets frost on it, stay off. It kills the grass wherever you step !

6. Patios & Decks. They tend to get very slippery & dangerous at this time of year. So, either don?t go out there or get it power washed & if it?s softwood, let it dry out & seal it.

If you are looking to replace or install a new deck, you might want to consider a composite deck, much more eco, but they are more expensive, non slip & some suppliers give a 20 year guarantee!! This making a good long term investment & they are virtually maintenance free. A softwood deck is still worthwhile, but doesn?t last as long unless you are prepared to maintain it twice yearly.

Whichever you choose, they will need to be built by an expert who knows what they are doing

7. Still here? Well done . Not too far to go.

It?s a good time to plant new hedges. Bare root stock is available in all nurseries. Try to use your imagination as our habitual Box hedge is still suffering from moth blight which has not gone away yet. Photinia Red Robin adds a colourful

touch with bright red new growth . Pittosporum is an interesting & sometimes variegated green/spearmint colour bushy hedge that grows quickly with good pruning . Beech is lovely if you like the old leaves sticking on the bushes through winter. Yew is beautiful, but your Grandchildren will be the benefactors of this when it?s fully grown :))))

That?s it, so get out there & enjoy your winter garden & it?s different beauty . I?m sure by now with all the working from home , you have all found the benefits of your gardens if you have children or not . But, if life is still too busy, then as I always say, get one of the highly recommended gardeners on the forum

If you are considering a new design or project , then this is absolutely the best time of year to do it. The planting will be ready for a beautiful spring & summer garden & you won?t have to join the queue that forms when the sun comes out & you all remember you have a garden:)))

Get a few different gardeners & designers off the forum to give you quotes & pick their brains for good ideas & ways to meet your requirements. Prices if you are using a professional should be close & a guarantee is always a benefit.

I have mentioned this before when jobs are hard to come by. Many people offer their services as a gardener without having the real knowledge of plants, how to build & create structures & are cheap. There?s always a reason why something is cheap & there have been numerous times when I have heard or been asked to put something right because the people who did the job won?t come back or has disappeared!! I don?t resent anyone a job, there?s plenty of work to be had, but I do get upset when people have paid out good money for a bad job. Cheapest is not best

Other stuff

During this virus as I touched on earlier it really is good to get out in nature, to exercise a little, eat well , keep your mental health balanced & build your immune systems to help keep you healthy & safe.

I have learned to love what I do for a living & as some of you know, I will be running retreats in Kefalonia when things have calmed down, teaching with wonderful yoga & nutritional teachers how to balance & enjoy your lives

In the meanwhile, I continue to offer my Self & my team to design , build & maintain gardens in the area with a love of what we do.

I really do wish you all a very good & positive New Year full of good health, happiness & gardening of course

Nigel

Exterior Design Gardens

07759862191

[Gardenman]

Just to let you know, I am running a plant , tree, shrub supply direct from my trade nursery as this is the best time to be planting for spring & summer colour & growth. Still plenty of time for hedges & trees . Also, absolutely best time for new lawns to establish themselves before use in spring . We currently have space for design & projects with free quotes & outline drawings

Happy to answer any gardening questions you may have

[siousxiesue]

Nigel, I have a spring blossoming tree that needs a prune. I was hoping our handyman would do this over winter.

The tree is now showing signs of buds, am I too late this year? It's normally abuzz with bees so I don't want to deprive them this spring!

[Gardenman]

Hi Siouxie.

Sadly too late to prune it. Have to wait until late summer autumn time. Happy to do it for you then :))