Replenishing the food in the bird feeders is as far as I get on these cold and bitter days. I have started to clear the greenhouses, ready for my start day, for a bit of heat. I usually start some peppers on a heated bench. Valentines Day is my start day – any earlier and I don’t have room for all the plants I like to grow.
I always put some mouse traps down before I sow any seeds as they can devastate seedlings. Don’t sow until you have two days of empty traps. Mice love sweet pea seeds, marrow and cucumber. They will also graze on onion seedlings and bite the top out of many seedlings. I have some violas on a bench outside, (ready for the Spring Show on March 31st), and I notice one or two have been pruned back by the little furry beasts!
Pruning apples and pears is a high priority. I am old-fashioned enough not to prune in frosty weather – a good excuse for not getting too cold! Don’t forget that stoned fruit shouldn’t be pruned until it is growing, as the chance of getting disease into the trees is lessened.
Another tip is to spray your secateurs with antibacterial spray out of the kitchen after each tree is pruned. Bacterial canker, which can be seen as raised bark and lesions on trees can rapidly spread and should be removed. Look at the pruned shoots and see if there are any brown streaks in the area - if there is cut back until it is clear of dark coloration. Start your mower and make sure it is in running order as grass will need cutting in March. If it needs attention, get it done NOW – don’t wait until the last minute.
If you have started heating a greenhouse, think about putting a couple of big pots that could be sown with carrots, radish, lettuce a bit of protection - they could remain in the greenhouse until you need the room for more tender subjects. By the time the vegetables have grown, they can stand outside conditions.
So folks, our annual programme starts off with local plantsman, Bob Brown from Cotswold Garden Plants in Badsey speaking about his Thirty Best Plants on February 7th – make a note in the diary. March’s presentation is Simon White from Beales’ Roses coming all the way from Norfolk to talk about the A-Z of Roses – we’ve been trying for some time to get someone to talk to us about this garden favourite so it should be popular. Planning ahead, our Spring Show this year is March 31st as Easter’s early so get all these dates down in the diary!
I always put some mouse traps down before I sow any seeds as they can devastate seedlings. Don’t sow until you have two days of empty traps. Mice love sweet pea seeds, marrow and cucumber. They will also graze on onion seedlings and bite the top out of many seedlings. I have some violas on a bench outside, (ready for the Spring Show on March 31st), and I notice one or two have been pruned back by the little furry beasts!
Pruning apples and pears is a high priority. I am old-fashioned enough not to prune in frosty weather – a good excuse for not getting too cold! Don’t forget that stoned fruit shouldn’t be pruned until it is growing, as the chance of getting disease into the trees is lessened.
Another tip is to spray your secateurs with antibacterial spray out of the kitchen after each tree is pruned. Bacterial canker, which can be seen as raised bark and lesions on trees can rapidly spread and should be removed. Look at the pruned shoots and see if there are any brown streaks in the area - if there is cut back until it is clear of dark coloration. Start your mower and make sure it is in running order as grass will need cutting in March. If it needs attention, get it done NOW – don’t wait until the last minute.
If you have started heating a greenhouse, think about putting a couple of big pots that could be sown with carrots, radish, lettuce a bit of protection - they could remain in the greenhouse until you need the room for more tender subjects. By the time the vegetables have grown, they can stand outside conditions.
So folks, our annual programme starts off with local plantsman, Bob Brown from Cotswold Garden Plants in Badsey speaking about his Thirty Best Plants on February 7th – make a note in the diary. March’s presentation is Simon White from Beales’ Roses coming all the way from Norfolk to talk about the A-Z of Roses – we’ve been trying for some time to get someone to talk to us about this garden favourite so it should be popular. Planning ahead, our Spring Show this year is March 31st as Easter’s early so get all these dates down in the diary!