Garden Jottings for January

Christine Brown

President, AHS.

With the thought that after December’s shortest day, the Winter Solstice on 21st, the days will get brighter and longer it’s time to look around the garden for emerging snowdrops and those early glowing aconites with which I find it so hard to colonise the garden. Pulmonaria and hellebores were plants that I also struggled to grow but now they occur all around in certain places, though it is odd that one man’s excess is another’s death, or is it another “right plant right place” maxim? Plants always find the most suitable positions to thrive in and we should maybe take notice and plant accordingly.

Sometimes a failure – storm damage, old age, disease or fungal infection – can open out a new view of your garden. We so often just live with some items – shrubs, heavy trees or clumps of plants – that don’t really warrant their place. So take the opportunity to really look and make changes.

A tree that is just now showing its winter glory is the small weeping prunus autumnalis subhirtella as it is covered in small pinky white flowers which will appear from November to March. Scented shrubs will be in evidence now including viburnum bodnantense, mimosa, witch hazel and winter sweet and are welcome along with red and yellow stems of dogwood cornus and will add colour.

If you have potted Christmas trees with roots, they should be gradually acclimatised by first placing them in a cooler room such as an unused spare room before moving to a garage or shed for a couple of weeks then, when the weather is equable, into the garden. Place the tree in a sheltered spot outdoors, remembering to water it sparingly during this process, and you should have a healthy tree for next year. Water your Christmas plants such as poinsettia, azalea and cyclamen little, and only when the soil is drying out, with tepid water with a little fertiliser. Orchids should be stored in bowls of water for 20 minutes fortnightly then drained and replaced in their cache pot; their leaves should be gently wiped over and occasionally misted giving some orchid food to promote flowering. When the flower spray has faded cut it back to two nodes above the root. Another spray may develop from this point.

Christmas cacti and amaryllis should be left to dry out after the flowers die and left somewhere cool and dry. Do try to keep other house plants away from draughts and cold areas. When they’re brought back after Christmas give them a little TLC: wipe their leaves and give some plant food in tepid water. Bulbs such as dwarf iris, paper-white narcissi and hyacinths can be left to dry down, then turned out from their containers, cleaned and dried then, after storing in a dry dark place, these indoor bulbs can be planted in the garden in the Autumn.

Take care when digging and tidying borders and wild garden areas as hellebores, snowdrops, crocuses and aconites will be pushing up their new shoots and can easily be damaged. Areas under fruit trees and deciduous shrubs are ideal for such plants along with primroses, violets and dwarf daffodils as they prefer shady areas made by the emergence of leaves on trees during the hotter summer days.

Keep watching for fungal diseases as these can appear as rust or mildew or floppy soggy plants in the conservatory and greenhouse. Try to ventilate when weather permits as this can reduce the occurrence of these problems, although rust will need to be sprayed under the leaves with a fungicide. Keep plants and cuttings spaced out so the air can circulate. Keep watering to a minimum; you need to have them just ticking along in the wintertime. Tidy away any yellow or brown mildewed leaves and failed cuttings and keep these in a bucket to be burnt.

As the epidemic of bird flu is prevalent again pay attention to cleaning water bowls, tables and feeders. Bird baths should be scrubbed out and all debris under tables and feeders cleared up. It is important to encourage birds as they are invaluable allies keeping aphids and grubs at bay, besides being a joy to watch. Therefore, keep food topped up as birds waste energy flying to feeders that are not replenished regularly. Make sure bird baths have clean fresh unfrozen water in cold weather so they can bathe their plumage and drink. Cut Christmas trees can be stood outside and hung with bits such as peanuts in their shells on string and bacon rinds to make another feeding station for a short time. It can later be burnt along with any perennial weeds, diseased foliage and plants. The resulting ash can be added to the compost heap as it is rich in potash and trace elements.

Ponds also need to be kept open during cold spells. Float a large plastic milk container or ball in the water removing it to allow air to get under the ice when the pond has frozen over. Do not smash ice as this could shock the fish, but stand a saucepan of hot water on the surface to melt the ice thereby giving access to oxygen under the ice, essential for fish to thrive.

Keep off lawns when the ground is either excessively wet or frosty and clear away any remaining leaves as they will spoil the grass and make a good addition to the compost heap.

If you have a nice vegetable plot, make a plan to rotate your crops: these will be 1. root crops 2. brassicas (green plants cabbages etc) and 3. peas and beans. These crops should be moved around the available space to a different position each year. There is still time to add compost to the plot. This can be spread over the surface as the worms will work some of it down into the soil and will also act as mulch to smother annual weeds, though nettles, thistles, dandelions, convolvulus and docks need to be removed and burnt. Annual weeds which do sprout up can be turned into the soil where they will rot down into humus.

Remember to work in the garden little and often; a lot can be achieved in only an hour, but it can keep your body from being worn out and aching. Though it can be rewarding to have a good long session it can take its toll. Far better to pace yourself and be kind to your body. Keep an eye on your tools, use a trug or bucket and make sure you bring them in when you finish and wear good supporting shoes!

Finally, I wish you all a successful enjoyable new year in your garden.