The nights are longer but it’s still good to get out in the fresh air. Although the garden is slipping into winter hibernation there are still jobs to be done and little gems popping up out of the ground to bring a smile like cyclamen.
Rake up the fallen leaves regularly particularly from lawns, beds and ponds and add to the compost bin or put in a black bag in a spare corner for wonderful leaf mould.
If you are thinking of adding a rose, shrub, tree or bulbs to your garden try and plant them early in November before the ground loses its warmth. If your garden is small, plant a few pots up with tulips, small narcissi and crocuses and add a top of wire mesh to prevent squirrels. The display of bulbs will bring such joy in the spring. If unsure of what to do when planting anything there is so much information on line and the RHS site is very helpful indeed.
Now is the time to take the lawnmower to be serviced rather than leave it until spring, clean and oil gardening tools for winter storage and have a general tidy in the garage or shed.
Another useful job is to sort through pots and seed trays. Washing them and stacking in sizes helps enormously when the planting begins in the spring. Clean pots help prevent pest and disease problems and aid propagation.
Lastly, if you are lucky enough to have an apple tree apply a grease band to prevent winter moth, prune long stems on roses that might catch the wind and cause wind rock and please don’t forget our wonderful birds by feeding them through the winter.
Happy gardening,
The Tidy Gardener
Rake up the fallen leaves regularly particularly from lawns, beds and ponds and add to the compost bin or put in a black bag in a spare corner for wonderful leaf mould.
If you are thinking of adding a rose, shrub, tree or bulbs to your garden try and plant them early in November before the ground loses its warmth. If your garden is small, plant a few pots up with tulips, small narcissi and crocuses and add a top of wire mesh to prevent squirrels. The display of bulbs will bring such joy in the spring. If unsure of what to do when planting anything there is so much information on line and the RHS site is very helpful indeed.
Now is the time to take the lawnmower to be serviced rather than leave it until spring, clean and oil gardening tools for winter storage and have a general tidy in the garage or shed.
Another useful job is to sort through pots and seed trays. Washing them and stacking in sizes helps enormously when the planting begins in the spring. Clean pots help prevent pest and disease problems and aid propagation.
Lastly, if you are lucky enough to have an apple tree apply a grease band to prevent winter moth, prune long stems on roses that might catch the wind and cause wind rock and please don’t forget our wonderful birds by feeding them through the winter.
Happy gardening,
The Tidy Gardener
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