December Planting

With Christmas celebrations just around the corner, and New Year shortly after, the garden can sometimes be forgotten about. The shorter days also make it more difficult for gardening as the daylight hours are limited.

The weekends are usually the only time when it is possible to truly get some gardening done, and even these may be hindered by the onset of severe winter weather.

Now is the time to prune back rose bushes by about half. You should remove any cross cutting branches to create a vase shape bush and cut back all stems to approximately 15cm from the base, cut at a 45 degree angle. You may need a saw to cut off thicker branches. Finally cut out any diseased wood and remember to disinfect the blade after use.

Ideally you should have already planted your spring flowering bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils, however, if you still have some left to plant they should go in now before the first frost.

Hardwood cuttings should be taken from a wide range of shrubs, including deutzia, wisteria, dogwood and Virginia creeper.

Take winter hanging baskets undercover before they get exposed to severe winter frosts. Either put them under the porch or in the greenhouse if you have one.

Plants kept in a greenhouse should be watered sparingly, as with the temperature drop less water is needed. You should also make sure that the inside of your greenhouse is insulated to conserve heat and save energy.

Don’t forget to order or buy seeds of plants that should be sown mid to late winter.

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