Jobs for the Winter Garden

During these cold, wet days, why not start planning what you want to achieve from your garden this year, what didn’t you get round to last year?!

Now is great time to browse through gardening books for inspiration and planning.

We have a great range of seed varieties – all types of vegetable seeds, flower seeds, herb seeds and many more, even if you don’t know what you are doing – give it a try, its so rewarding to see the seeds start to grow and produce their flowers or vegetables – the children also will love getting involved – If you don’t want a whole seed packet, we have seed cells, that contain just a few seeds, so you can try more of a range. We also have kits, Italian, Indian seed growing kits – these contain everything you need, they also make a great present! We have seed trays of all sizes, or small pots, also little propagators – to help the seeds get a good start and if room allows, a mini greenhouse!

Seed compost also comes in a variety of sizes, so you can buy a little or a lot!
Sweet Peas are great to start sowing as is Cavolo Nero, a very easy and healthy kale.
There are all sorts of containers you can use – old egg boxes, fruit punnets and so on!

Seed Potatoes are a brilliant way to get started on your veg plot or plant in pots or specially designed Potato sacks. Again, the joy of planting one potato and then when they are lift – roots full of all the potatoes you have grown. For the experienced gardener we have large sacks of potato varieties, for the new gardener or trying for the first time, we have taster packs – with just a few potato tubers in, then you can try one variety or grow a mixture without having to buy a huge amount of each one.

The potatoes must be ‘chitted’ before planting, this is the process of encouraging the shoots to start forming. All the instructions are on the packets, and we have staff to answer any questions – we also reply to emails with any queries you have.

The other vegetables ready for putting in the ground are onion sets -really easy! Asparagus – takes a little longer and need space but crop really well, patience is needed!

Summer flowering bulbs are now in store, and although it’s a bit early to plant, and keep an eye on the weather on when to do so – it’s the best time to shop the collection! The range of Dahlias is so exciting, and so easy – plant the tuber, protect the young shoots from slugs and snails and the blooms in late Summer early Autumn are truly magnificent – the range of shape and colours is mind blowing – be warned they become addictive on trying different colours and flower shapes.

We also have Gladioli - makes a great cut flower. Begonias – a fully summer display for hanging baskets or pots, also happy in a shady spot.

Garden Lillies, protect early shoots from frost and slugs and the scented blooms are just beautiful, especially on a warm, summers evening.

There is also a range of lots of other varieties – bulbs are so easy and it’s a lovely surprise to look forward to.

There is plenty to plant at this time of the year, The soil is warm and moist and will give plants a good and strong root base to get them ready for the Summer months.
We have a great range of new season roses, including the David Austin range. Its good to get these planted before the leaves appear.
These are not available on our website, but a phone call or email and we can check our stock for you.

Plants sold as Soft Fruit -such as, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants and more, are also available to plant now and benefit form being planted at this time of year. Its lovely to have these bushes planted in amongst your usual shrub borders, especially if space is limited.

Other Jobs for cold, sunny day’s –
Remove all leaves that have fallen on the ground – they can harbour pests and diseases that then attack the new growth of plants.

Get the herbaceous supports ready in the ground, to support the plants as they start shooting, much easier to do it now, then when they are in full leaf.

Frost cover any tender plants, where the cold weather could harm the leaves, also worth protecting plants that don’t like to be too wet, alpines, palms, tree ferns.

Apply a good mulch to the soil to help improve the condition ready for the growing season.

Remove any dead and diseased plants, especially in pots and planters, and refresh with lovely Spring bulbs and primroses – always pleasing to see the fresh colours of Spring plants.
Keep pots raised off the ground to allow the excess water to drain away.