Neaten things up
The basics principles of neatening plants up are to remove old, soggy and sometimes even rotting leaves. Use sharp snips or secateurs to do this because a clean cut reduces the risk of the plant succumbing to diseases. Below are a few examples of the sorts of different plants that might benefit from a bit of TLC:
- Tidy up Bamboo by removing leaves from the lower section of the canes which will help accentuate the beautifully straight and striking vertical lines of the canes
- Remove old or damaged leaves from Hellebores – they can be prone to slug damage at this time of year but removing old, tired leaves will leave room and air for new ones.
- If you have a Dig Mediterranean garden, you may well have Eryngium or Sea Holly as part of your display. Tidy up any rotting leaves, but leave the beautiful dried flower heads for a few more weeks as they’ll look spectacular when encrusted in frost. On the flip side, if you do want to cut them back, they also work very nicely in a vase – whether fresh or dried.
- If you have Dig Jungle Garden, you’re likely to have Phormium or two. These wide leaved, grassy looking plants also benefit for soggy leaves being carefully snipped off.
Keep your pond clear
Remove debris, fallen leaves and even give water-dwelling plants a trim – especially if drooping leaves are prone to meet the water and rot. Whilst your pond is low in activity and life, it’s a great time to tidy it up ready for the boom in spring. Make sure to go about all of these tasks carefully if you have fish and, most importantly, if you are clearing debris from your pond, leave it in a pile next to the water for 24 hours to allow any insects or other pond-dwellers to creep back into the water.
Clean tools and pots
With gardens dormant, it’s a good idea to use the free time not spent tending to plants to tend to the tools we use to care for them. Give everything a good clean, from tools to old pots so that they ready for any planting you may want to do in spring.
If you’re cleaning tools such as secateurs or snips, once clean and dry, give them an oil, especially around joints or any moving parts – this will reduce the risk of transferring bacteria and disease from plant to plant, as well as increasing the longevity of your tools.
Compost your beds and containers
With a batch of fresh compost or mulch, a good 2-3 inch layer is what you’re aiming for to really have an impact. This will ensure a good supply of nutrients seeps into the soil, ready for a stronger display when the time comes. Bark mulch is a great option – it will break down slowly adding lots of goodness and looks great too.
Weeding
While access to our flower beds and borders is much easier before spring growth really begins, it’s good idea to remove any weeds you might have noticed – and also to give any patios and paths a once over too. In the colder, wetter months, weeds can rot and become slippery so it’s a good idea to hoik them out.
Watering
You probably won’t need to do much watering but it’s a good idea keep an eye on pots to ensure they’re not completely devoid of any moisture.
Pruning Wisteria
If you’re lucky enough to have a beautiful Wisteria growing in your outdoor space, or up the side of your house, now is the time to prune new fronds back to two or three buds. The new fronds will be thin and whippy, and this exercise will ensure a strong display of flowers whilst also keeping the growth in check.
Planting snowdrops
One of the real showstoppers at this time of year, is the delicate and much-loved Snowdrop or Galanthus. You should be able to buy flowering Snowdrops from your garden centre and these are a lovely thing to add to your borders, lawns or other preferred spots while they can be immediately enjoyed. Snowdrops naturally spread and so, if they settle in year one, you can expect more and more year on year to give you a beautiful winter display every twelve months.
Gardening for nature
At Dig, we really believe in gardening in a way that benefits local wildlife. Gardens help to reduce urban temperatures, they create habitats for native and visiting species and, most beautifully can create a green corridor across cities, towns and the countryside too to help our fauna flourish. Here are some things you can think about around now to lend a hand.
- Check bird baths for ice. Although the temperatures are lower, birds still need to drink. If you’ve had a heavy frost overnight, make sure to remove any ice from your bird bath and top up with fresh water. It’s a good idea to remove any dead leaves too.
- Leave berries for natural birdfood. Many plants will produce berries in the winter months, and lots of these make excellent food for visiting birdlife. The birds will know which ones they want so you don’t need to worry too much about what’s what. Red flashes of colour from berries provide some much needed vibrancy in the winter and so, combine that with a flock of colourful goldfinches say, and you’re onto a winner.
- Leave natural areas. Birds are natural foragers and so, if you have the space, its important to leave areas for them to be able to do this. From hedges, to corners of your garden where you are comfortable leaving longer grass, these can provide valuable habitats for insects that, in turn, provide food for a more active bird population in winter.
- Avoid pesticides. It can be tempting to use pesticides. They’re often very effective at saving beloved plants from being plagued by slugs and other bugs. Our view is that it’s better to live and let live as many bird species prey specifically on some of our most annoying insects – from grubs, to slugs, and aphids. Remember, your garden is an ecosystem.
- Leave leaves. Leave leaves where they fall. Except for lawns, where they can create bare patches, and paths, where they can become slippery, leaves don’t really need to be collected. They’ll break naturally and add nutrients and sustenance to your soil – which in turn encourages more worms and other insects, which, in turn supports local wildlife. The beautiful food chain.
