Action Plan: Nigel Colborne does essential work for your garden this week
- Nigel Colborn says now might be the time to remove the saplings in the garden
- UK-based gardening experts advise waiting for a dry season by early March
- He then recommends raising them while they are small to take action.
Plant of the Week: New Christmas Rose
christmas rose, hellebore niger It’s not difficult to grow, but it does best in loam-rich ground and partial shade. Unlike the taller, more colorful oriental hellebore, H. Niger It produces large white flowers with five petals on short stems. Despite the name, this plant will likely flower from February onwards.so a hybrid Hellebore HGC Jacob Royal This is a valuable new product because it is a December blooming variety.
Now is the time to zap these saplings
Last summer’s heat and drought caused grass weeds to seed profusely.
Parts of my garden have recently been overrun with clumps of saplings, especially annual grass. Some places have come out like watercress.
The soil may be too wet to take action.
However, it continues to attack these seedlings during the dry season from now until early March.
Pull it up while it is small and check for growth at the base and top.
Work carefully, especially if the spring bulbs are on the same border.
Their first shoots stretch quickly and are easily damaged.
Be careful not to compact the cold, wet soil.
Annuals such as barren bromgrass, hairy bitter cress, and groundsell are easy to pluck when young.
But when they are allowed to mature, or worse, when they set seed, the weed problem grows.
Large annual weeds, such as female thistles and fat chickens, aka milk thistles, also need to be pulled out early, before they can develop deeper, more tenacious roots.
Every weed pulled is an improvement.
So when you go out in the garden, even a little extra effort can make a difference.
Five minutes a day might save you hours of work next spring when you’ll be busy with other things.
Five minutes a day might save you hours of work next spring when you’ll be busy with other things.Stock image used
As the current harsh winter deepens, pipe bursts are more likely to occur. If you have water pipes outside or inside a cold building, make sure they are well protected. Make sure all pipes are properly insulated, not just faucets. I use a mix of old, worn garden fleece and bubble wrap debris to slow down fragile pipes. With more modern outdoor plumbing, it should be easier to use purpose-designed pipe insulation.
finish the formal hedge
Disables clipping of questionably hardy hedge plants such as escalonia and tamarisk.They are best trimmed at the end of summer and then left alone.
If you have an evergreen hedge or topiary, heavy autumn rains may have caused excess stems to grow in places. Remove them with pruning shears or scissors as soon as the days are calm and dry. Small birds such as wrens, dunnocks, tits and long-tailed tit like to hunt insects deep in hedgerows and other vegetation. So be careful not to spoil their hunting area. Hedges are also important for providing shelter to small birds during bad weather. Avoid cutting questionable hardy hedge plants such as: Escalonia Or tamarisk. They are best trimmed in late summer and left alone.
reader question
Last June I was given a young plant of Clivia, potted using peat-free compost. Now there are many large, ruffled leaves. But there is no sign of flowers. where did i go wrong?
B. Mrs. Macdonald, Cheshire.
you are not wrong Your plants will grow well and flower at normal times. It is usually late winter through spring. Meanwhile, keep your clivia warm, with good light and water. You can see the first flower stalk emerging from between the leaves and a long, strong stem growing out of it. Each stem ends with a cluster of tangerine-orange flowers.Your plants will be happy in the same pot for over a year
advertisement