January 23
January 23
The festive season has passed for another year, but winter is still with us, and there can still be lots to do.
This is the perfect time to prune your apple and pear trees. If you are in the habit of doing this annually, then it is straightforward. All you have to do, is cut back the growth from 2022, which will be straight spurs, cut them right back, and that is the job done. If you have not pruned for some time, the task will be much more significant and require some thought. You may need to thin out some branches to let more light into the tree, which will help the airflow more quickly and result in a healthier tree and, hopefully, a better crop of fruit. You can also prune your red/white and black currants, gooseberries and blueberries. Giving a light prune now should ensure a good harvest.
January is a good time to start the care of your lawn for the coming year. This is done by coring the lawn and removing plugs the size of your little finger, which will help relieve compaction and aerate the root system, which in turn will strengthen the root system.
As a result of the weather in December, many of us are behind with planting our bulbs and a bit worried about it now being January, don’t worry. Even planting in January will give them time to grow and flower well in the spring. There is still time even to plant some Crocuses for late February. This is an ideal opportunity to get some very interesting bulbs planted that will give a great show into early summer. I am far behind with the garden and still have lots of bulbs to plant.
This winter so far has been very wet, and there is lots of sodden debris on the lawns and in the beds. The task now is to get that cleared and to start removing the weeds that have appeared from nowhere, especially ‘sticky willies’. They are getting protection and heat from the damp leaves and developing strong roots … get them out, or you will have problems all summer.
Why not take advantage of this period to re-edge/ tidy up the edges of your lawns. Why not even go so far as reshaping a bed to create a new shape and add more plants or shrubs to give a better, more interesting vista that you and visitors will enjoy. Be creative and make improvements to enhance the garden’s appearance.
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Many of you will have patios that have been in place for a number of years, and many would and could benefit from a good clean. Power washing is probably the best way, and what a difference it can make. Many patios, over time, can become a bit uneven, especially those laid with concrete 2x2s. These have been laid on sand and, over time, will have moved and even sunk slightly, resulting in becoming a trip hazard. This is an excellent time to uplift and relay those slabs and a good time to give some thought to a sitting area altogether.
In between the showers, get out there, enjoy some ‘me time’ in the fresh air, and be creative.
Ewen
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