As the new year approaches and winter grips the UK in its frigid embrace, keen gardeners are undoubtedly gearing up to tackle the year ahead — beginning with the harsh conditions it brings at the start.
For those questioning whether there are essential gardening duties to complete in January — search no more, as a former Royal gardener holds all the solutions.
Jack Stooks, who served at Highgrove for two decades, collaborating with Heart Bingo, has disclosed precisely which horticultural tasks must be accomplished in January to guarantee your garden remain shielded from frost and flourish when spring arrives.
Jack shares: “Between now and January, get your borders tidied up. We are now at the point where most of the leaves have fallen, so once cleared, you won’t get many more now. Now is a really good time to do this.”
The former Highgrove employee continues: “Spring bulbs are already coming up too. If you can get compost or mulch down now, do it now, sooner rather than later. If that takes until January, get your mulch down then.”
Gardens, which remain a perpetual subject of discussion amongst dedicated gardening enthusiasts, represent one garden element requiring careful attention, cautions Jack, particularly during the bitter winter period, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The ex-royal gardener warns: “We’re starting to get cold days where you can’t walk on frosted grass because it bruises and kills it. Do not do this. You have to have minimal footprint over the grass, so definitely wait for soil to defrost before you can get back onto it.”
Expanding on how we’re nearly at that stage in winter where daylight hours limit our opportunities to venture outdoors and tend to the garden, the specialist continues: “You can cut back any old growth you haven’t got to.
“Dahlias can be dug up or left in if you’re feeling brave, and see how they do. But make sure that they are mulched.”
Regarding safeguarding your plants, particularly delicate varieties such as olive trees, Jack recommends utilising garden fleece. The specialist suggests: “Garden fleece can be brought which can protect tender plants — like olive trees. This can be used to protect plants and trees from the frost in the colder months.
“You can also make protective hessian “sausages” filled with straw, which we used to do at Highgrove. These can be tied around plants to give them extra protection in the cold. If we have snow, we should also knock this off plants so that they don’t snap any plants or shoots.”
Comments are closed.