February 2006

How are your gardening resolutions coming on? If you did not have time in the run up to Christmas then it is not too late to finish the winter pruning. However, make sure all winter pruning is finished by the time spring comes and the sap starts to flow.

As plants are at their most dormant during this period, there is still time to prune your trees and hardy shrubs. Be careful not to prune if a frost is imminent, as this will cause further dieback to the stems. Pruning can help create a nice framework for young trees and will also encourage good leaf colour. Shrubs that need to be pruned to create good colour are, Sambucus, Cotinus, and Catalpa. Also prune late-flowering shrubs (e.g. Buddleias) and late-season Clematis (flower after mid June). Start pruning roses towards the end of the month.

Don’t forget about your lawn, even though you are not cutting it at the moment look out for areas that may be waterlogged. Note these areas and as soon as they dry out slightly then spike them with an aerator or garden fork and brush in a dressing of sharp sand (never builder’s sand).

Start clearing up the herbaceous border and fill in any gaps. It is the ideal time to take basal cuttings from dormant herbaceous perennials and divide crowded clumps. Start the first sowing of bedding and vegetable seeds and revive stored dahlias.

Keep planting trees, shrubs and especially bare rooted roses. Stake newly planted trees to prevent the base from rocking which will cause water to enter and rot out the base of the trunk.

Out in the vegetable garden add manure to your vegetable patch and start to cover some areas with plastic to warm up the soil.

Cut down autumn-fruiting raspberries, force rhubarb for early pickings and finish planting out other soft fruit. Use cloches to start off early vegetables, plant shallot bulbs later this month and plan tender greenhouse crops.

As I write in mid January the witch hazels (Hamamelis) are in full bloom of yellows, oranges and reds, accompanied by their sweet fragrance. The corkscrew hazel (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) is at its best with twisted branches and catkins hanging down from the spirals.

Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ continues to produce their fragrant blooms while the Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) will start to produce their delicate nodding flowers.

Get out into the garden and enjoy the milder days when they happen! Happy gardening!

Contacts
The regular "In the Garden" features for Monkey Magazine are written and researched by Cat Wilkins. If you have a comment, or would like to make a suggestion for possible future topics, please feel free to email her by clicking on this link:
Cat Wilkins