Make the most of the break in the rain to prepare your garden for winter says Clive Edwards
AFTER the heavy rainfall last week, there’s not much to do in the garden but one of the jobs you can get around to doing is placing a tarpaulin over the area to be dug and securing it to the ground with heavy stones.
Then when the weather does get a bit drier, pull the tarpaulin back and turn over the ground incorporating manure, moving the tarpaulin back a few more yards, and this way you can carry on with your winter digging.
Brussels sprouts should be ready for picking now and if you staked them earlier in the season, check stakes to make sure they are keeping the sprouts upright.
Leeks should also be about ready, just take what you need and leave the rest to stand until required. Leeks are much better harvested from the garden as they are required but in severe weather this can be difficult, so you can lift a few and heel them in on well dug ground as this will not freeze solid.
Protect any outside taps by wrapping insulation around them. Bubble wrap is ideal. If you have a garden hose, take it in and store making sure you drain off any remaining water.
Roses can now be cut back by half or so to stop them being damaged in the wind, any leaves with black spot on can be picked up and destroyed. Do not put them in the compost bin.
This is also the best time to catch up on all the jobs you were meaning to do in the summer months such as clearing paths of moss and lichen, treating timber with preservative, repairing fences and checking sheds. You can clean and repair your garden tools and check the lawn mower. If you have a petrol mower, make arrangements for a service. Any petrol mowers with unleaded petrol should be drained off as unleaded petrol will not last until next spring.
House plants won’t need so much watering now that the days are shortening. Cacti need very little watering or feeding over the winter, just keep them barely moist until spring.
You may be given a cyclamen plant which appreciates a cool, light room. Water into a saucer, not the top of the pot to avoid wetting the leaves and corm, which can easily result in rot and fungal infections.
Christmas cacti may fail to produce flower buds if the temperature is too high. Try moving the cactus into a cooler space away from artificial night lighting.
Hyacinths like a cool, bright space, if it’s too warm you will have more leaves than flowers.
Water azaleas regularly with rainwater not tap water, and keep in a cool room.
Poinsettias are susceptible to the cold. Avoid buying them from outdoor stalls on cold days and keep them in a warm, draught-free room.
Seed catalogues will be dropping through the letterbox, make a list of what you want to grow, have a look at something different or unusual and keep a small area in your flower garden or vegetable plot vacant.
Now is the time to drop hints to family and friends for Christmas presents. A good, warm jumper is always welcome when working outdoors, and a thermal cup to keep your tea warm, or maybe garden centre vouchers.
Ask Clive
Q Are there any garden plants that are poisonous to dogs?
A There are many, many plants that are toxic to dogs, cats and humans, including lots of widely grown favourites. It is perhaps more important to know which are appealing to pets, because they look like they might make a decent meal. So while foxgloves are toxic, dogs are less likely to eat them than a daffodil bulb which looks like a bit of fat or bone. Also watch out for the toxic seed pods of castor oil plants, cherry laurel fruits and lily bulbs all of which dogs might mistake for titbits.
Q Is it OK to harvest rhubarb in its first year?
Rhubarb, like most plants, uses its leaves to produce the food it requires to develop a strong root system. This in turn will encourage the development of lots of tasty stalks. Don’t harvest in the first year and take only a few stalks over a one to two week period in year two. From year three you can harvest regularly.
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Sisters are different flowers
From the same garden
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