December Gardening Tips
As our gardens quieten and still for the winter period, we can still enjoy them on milder winter days to complete the following important jobs:
Flower/Plants
- Move patio containers to a sheltered spot if very cold
- Plant out Wallflowers
- Plant out new rose bushes
- Take root cuttings of suitable perennials
- Move shrubs growing in the wrong place
Fruit/Vegetables
- Take hardwood cuttings from healthy fruit bushes
- Start pruning apple and pear trees
- Cut down Jerusalem artichokes
- Prune Gooseberry bushes
- Sow winter lettuces
Greenhouse
- Monitor heaters to ensure they are working efficiently
- Plant up Hippeastrums (Amaryllis) bulbs
- Ventilate greenhouses on warm, dry days
- Treat timber with preservative
- Use rainwater to keep potted azaleas moist
General
- Wrap insulation around all outside taps and pipes
- Order early from seed catalogues
- Dig compost into beds empty areas of soil
- Check tree and climber ties are secure
- Keep bird feeders clean
The slower winter months have passed and by mid-March we’re ready to welcome Spring and start the new season in earnest! As the weather improves our gardens stir into growth - these are the jobs to complete now:
A busy month is ahead in the garden, as the weather begins to warm, days are a little longer and blossom surrounds us! Now's the time to get sowing and planting.....
May has arrived and it really is a lovely month in the garden! Days are getting warmer and longer, we're surrounded by trees in leaf and blossom and our pots, borders and baskets burst with wonderful colour! We can really feel that Summer is on the way and it’s time to tidy up spring plants, plant out summer flowers and get planning for Autumn...
As Summer arrives, we can relax outdoors enjoying the long, warm days surrounded by our gardens in full growth, colour and fragrance! There’s plenty to harvest in the vegetable garden and keeping on top of weeds is a key task!
The garden is in full bloom, full of mid summer colour, texture and fragrance! Now is the time to maintain the blooms, providing your garden with the care it needs to prevent drying out during the warmest months
With long, hot summer days, August is the time to relax and enjoy the beauty of the garden. Regular watering, feeding and tidying are keys to keeping your garden looking beautiful... .
September is the perfect time to take stock of your garden after the busy summer period. Now is the time to establish new plants and make plans for the coming seasons... .
In October, with colder nights and shorter days, we can enjoy the last splashes of autumn colour in our beds and borders. With the prospect of first frosts, there are plenty of jobs to be done in the garden....
Winter is on the way.... As the days shorten, we enjoy the array of autumn colour as leaves fall and shrubs reveal berries and can be busy with these jobs: