December Top Tips

Top gardening tips from our expert Maurice Rust.

• As we reach the last four weeks of the the year, most of plant life in the garden has slowed down. Resting for winter and awaiting for the cold frosty days of January.

• A few jobs need to be completed in the garden before the christmas festivities begin.Any remaining summer growth on roses bushes should be pruned off now, if full rose pruning has not already taken place. We are all tempted to leave those last faded buds to open, if it is mild then do so.

• Rake up any dead rose leaves or twigs off the rose bed, if left on the soil they will contaminate the soil with pests, diseases and fungus spores ready to begin the cycle of aphid,mildew and blackspot all over again next spring.

• Complete any winter digging as soon as possible before the soil becomes too wet and sticky, if you have light sandy open free draining soil it will be much easier to work with than wet heavy clay soils. Dig in as much humus as possible, garden compost, manure, leaf-mould, peat and some sharp sand or grit, these will all help drainage.

• It is a difficult time of year for the 'garden frame and green house', with the high cost of heating these days it is tempting to keep the themostat turned down and the vents closed. Air circulation and ventilation is very important, on warmer or sunny parts of the day light hours open the vents when possible if only for a short time.

• The same advice of ventilation applies to the garden frame, for extra protection on cold frosty nights or days give the frame some extra covering with sacking, newspaper, thick cardboard or fleece.

• If plants in the glass house or frame are not ventilated then fungal attacks and stem rots are likely to occur.

• Herbaceous plants sometimes suffer badly during the winter from slug damage, delphiniums are particularly likely to be a victim. A good preventive measure is to scrape some of the soil away from the crowns and replace with sharp grit.

• One last job to be done before Christmas and the New year, is to check garden fences, wooden pergolas, garden archs and trellis supports. Carry out repairs as soon as possible before the winter storms set in.