Things to Do the Week:

Flowers

• Squash mistletoe berries into apple tree branches to encourage plants to develop
• Clear borders and rake up leaves before bulbs start poking through
• Dig over gaps in the borders, taking time to pick out roots of perennial weeds and bin them
• Spread a layer compost around shrubs and along the base of hedges
• Plant new roses and shrubs
• Treat fences, furniture etc with preservative 
• Pick faded flowers off pansies to prevent them setting seed

Fruit and Veg

• Prune red and white currants, shortening side shoots to a single bud
• Pot up strawberries to grow under cover for an early crop
• Check your soil's pH with a special kit and add lime if it's too acidic for your plants
• Check fruit and vegetables in store, removing any showing signs of deterioration
• Cut down canes of autumn-fruiting raspberries to ground level

Greenhouse

• Sow onion seed under cover, and keep warm until germinated
• Check overwintering plants for signs of greenfly and other pests, and treat if necessary
• Bring potted strawberries under cover
• Water pots of forced bulbs if their compost is dry
• Water plants sparingly taking care not to splash water around
• Get all the old toot out and topdress borders with old gro bags
• Order seeds and young plants from mail-order companies or online
• Prune greenhouse grapevines once they're dormant and the leaves have fallen

Around the Garden

• Top up bird baths with fresh water daily and melt ice with warm water on frosty days
• Finish clearing fallen leaves
• Water pots of spring bulbs
• Float a ball or cork in pond to prevent ice expanding and cracking pond liners
• Give pots and seed trays a thorough scrubbing ready for the start of the sowing season

• Buy snowdrops “in the green”

Don’t forget to listen to me every Sunday 10 to 12 noon on Sunday Best at Phoenix FM 98FM on online at www.phoenixfm.com

Andrew