Sometimes it's quite nice in these colder darker months to slow down a bit when it comes to gardening but don’t stop altogether, here are a few things to be getting on with.
Potatoes
If you have been organised enough to plant your Christmas potatoes make sure and continue to check them, earthing up as required.
Light Pruning
Dust off your secateurs and loppers and give your mature trees and shrubs a tidy.
Remember to firstly remove any dead or damaged branches, then move onto any that are crossed over or rubbing against each other. It’s good to have a good air flow running through your trees and shrubs so bear that in mind when pruning.
Lift Dahlias
If you have been growing Dahlias lift them now to store them over Winter. Cut the foliage down to ground level, lift and shake off any excess soil and dirt from the tubers, leave to dry. Once dry, place in a box with scrunched up paper and store in a cool dark place.
Frost protection
Worried about the frost damaging your pots? Then try grouping them together in the sunniest part of the garden, raising them up on pot feet or even pebbles as this will help drainage. If you live in a particularly cold area, wrapping your pots in bubble wrap is also an option, this will keep them well insulated.
Plant Bareroot Hedging
Nearing the end of November our bareroot hedging will be in, so if you are planning a hedge and want to do it in a cost-effective way, we will have Hawthorn, Rosa Rugosa, Green Beech, and Privet in pots of 10.
Keep up with Feeding
The colder it gets the less food there is available in the garden for our native birds, and at this time they require high energy foods to keep them warm, if the weather is particularly severe you may need to put it out twice a day and always try and leave out fresh water in the mornings as it can freeze overnight .We have a great selection of bird feeds and feeders in our stores to suit every situation.
Sow Seeds
Did you know you can start sowing seeds in November? From salad seeds to spring onions and even chillies not to mentions various flowers such as Sweet Peas, Alliums and even Pansies. This not only uses dormant space but also gives you a head start as Spring can be a very busy gardening month and so will save you time later.
Take the opportunity with November being one of the quieter gardening months to think ahead about what you want to grow next year and maybe spend a little time clearing areas that you may use. You are running out of time when it comes to planting Spring bulbs but if you hurry there may be some varieties still left that haven’t been snatched up!
