Plants of the month

Borders and rock gardens

Chrysantheum (in absence of frost)



Flowering plants

Jasminum nudiflorum (Winter Jasmin)

Prunus subhirtella autumnalis (winter flowering prunus)



Plants and trees with coloured leaves

Berberis

Cotoneaster
Trees and shrubs with coloured fruits

Amelanchier

Aucuba

Berberis

Callicarpa

Chaenomeles

Cotonneaster

Crataegus

Euonymus

Malus

Pernettya

Pyracantha

Skimmia japonica

Sorbus

Symphocarpus

Viburnum
Flowering plants for the house

Abutilon

Aphelandra

Begonia

Capsicum

Cineraria

Cyclamen

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Saintpaula



Cut flower for a reasonable price

Chrysantheum

Cyclamen

Euphorbia fulgens

Iris

Nerine


Even though the winter chill sets in, there are still things you can do in the garden.

Tender plants will need protecting from frost, gales and freezing rains. Move plants into the greenhouse, or into a sheltered spot, but if you can't, it is worth wrapping plants or pots in situ.Winter can be a tough time for birds in terms of water and food, so make sure there is always some food and water available to encourage winter birds into the garden.

Winter is the ideal time to check your garden equipment and do maintenance if necessary.



Leaves

Collect fallen leaves and put them on a separate heap to make compost of them, especially especially from lawns, ponds and beds. Ideally, you put the lawn mower in a high position and drive it over the lawn to collect and shred the leaves with little effort. The shredded leaves will turn faster into compost then unshredded ones. After this job, it is recommended to do maintenance of the lawn mower and if necessary, to have the blade sharpened. Use this compost in a layer of about 5 cm thick in the plants area in your garden, to protect the roots of the plants next winter.

If the fallen leaves consist of mainly beech- or oakleaves, you can use them immediatly, in a layer of about 15 cm thick to protect sensitive plants as kniphofia, schizostylus, Iris Styiosa and agapanthus from the winter frost.



Bulbs

 
Check your summer bulbs such as for instance dahlia bulbs against mold and drying out. If the bulb is shrinking, submerge it into water, let it dry and put it again safely away. If you notice a part of a bulb that has rot, just cut the bad part of with a very sharp and clean knife and powder the cut area with sulfur.

Finish your planting of spring bulbs to have a nice display early in the year.



Trees

Plant (fruit) trees, Rhododendrons and Azalea's if the weather is still fair. Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees using grease bands around the trunks.



Flowers

Remove perennial plants and put them in 15 – 17,5 cm pots and place them in a cool greenhouse as to make them flower in winter. Dicentra spectabilis, astilbes, Primula Denticulata and Helleborus Niger, which will flower around Christmas under glass. The Japanese azalea's are very suited to pot now and give them a nice spot in the house to bloom. Don't cut or hurt the root system so make sure the pot is big enough. Use a mixture of ordinary soil and some turf on top. Make sure the soil does not dry out. After the flowering period, you can put the plant again in its old spot in the garden, as long as the soil is not frozen.

Plant Roses now, since the soil still contains enough warmth to stimulate the growth of the roots. Before planting, put the roots of roses (bought with bare roots) for about 1 hour in a bucket of water. Use a handful of bone powder in one 10 liter bucket and mix this with turf or a suited organic menure. This bucket is enough to plant 5 roses. Use a sharp pair of siccors and remove all leaves, flowers, fruits and sideshoots. Make a hole big enough to contain the spread roots of the rose. Shake the plant gently as to make sure the soil moves in between of the roots. When the hole is almost full, press gently with your foot the soil on the roots. Make sure the grafting is about 2 cm under the surface.


If you are planting roses against a wall, make sure the roots run away from the structure, to avoid the roots drying out. In any case, don't plant them more than 35 cm away from the wall or the fence.

When it is impossible to plant roses, it is fine to leave them in the wrapping for 1 week. If you need to wait longer still, make a ditch deep enough as to hold the roots and about 7.5 cm of the branches of the plant. Water the roots, fill the ditch and gently press the soil with your foot.

If you have a greenhouse or a coldframe, big enough to grow roses in pots who will flower next year in april and may, use clay pots of about 22 cm, or cheaper fibrepots, specially made to last one year for this purpose. Cover the drainage hole and put 2.5 cm turf and a high quality compost blended with bone powder. Cut the roots to 15 cm to stimulate growth and fill up the pot to 2.5 cm from the rim and push the soil down firmly. Leave the potted roses outside on a concrete surface or ash till December.

Prune roses to prevent wind-rock.

Raise outside container pots on feet to prevent water logging and insulate them against frost (bubblewrap works excellent).



Veggies

Cover brassica with netting if pigeons are a problem.