The Flower Garden
- Prune back shoots on mophead and lacecap hydrangeas to a pair of buds
- Trim all foliage from barrenwort (Epimedium) before flowers start to develop
- Plant lilies in pots
- Prune mahonia, removing old stems to make room for new growth
- Lift and divide congested clumps of snowdrops when in leaf, also known as ‘in the green’
The Fruit and Vegetable Garden
- Plant shallots outside into well-prepared soil
- Sow mustard and cress in a pot on the kitchen windowsill for a quick crop
- Use netting and bird scarers to protect fruit bushes from hungry birds, which can strip off swelling buds
- Prune side shoots on trained forms of gooseberry back to two or three buds
- Sow the following crops in pots or trays in the greenhouse, ready to transplant outside later: Brussels sprouts, spring cabbage, cauliflower, onions, leeks, lettuce and salad leaves
In The Greenhouse
- Hand pollinate the flowers of peaches and nectarine, with a soft brush
- Cut off hippeastrum flower heads, leaving the stalk
- Sow summer-bedding plants in trays in a heated propagator or in the greenhouse
- Plant dahlia tubers in trays to encourage shoots to develop, which you can use as cuttings
- Pot on houseplants and ferns into slightly larger pots
- Insulate the greenhouse with polythene to improve insulation and seal windows
Generally
- Fix nesting boxes for birds to suitable trees around your garden
- Service petrol lawn mowers and power tools
- Keep indoor azaleas well-watered with rainwater
- Make fat cakes and hang them among roses to encourage bluetits to feed off overwintering pests
- Clear away old plant debris from around the margins of ponds, and scoop out leaves that have fallen into the water
Don’t forget to listen to me every Sunday 10am to 12 noon and also vist my website at www.babicz.com
Cornus in Winter
