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Late Autumn/Winter
Clippings
What to do in the Garden now
| Lift dahlias |
Cut
stems back to 8”/20cm, turn clumps upside down to drain in a garage or
cool greenhouse. After
3 weeks, store in trays of sand or leaf mould in a cool, dry place e.g.
garage or under greenhouse staging.
However,
of my 3 dahlia plants abandoned to their fate in a border last year, two
survived the snow and our coldest winter for years to bloom joyfully again
this summer and autumn. A
blanket of leaf mould or garden compost would be a welcome early Christmas
present for them. |
| Prune
grape vines |
Cut long stems
growing from the basic framework of the plant back to 2 buds. This must be completed by
mid-January when the sap will start rising again. |
| Fruit
trees |
(excluding all
stone fruit) can be pruned from now until early March or leaf-break. Aim for a goblet-shaped tree
of 4-5 main branches with an open centre to allow maximum sunlight to
ripen fruiting wood and good air circulation to help prevent disease.
One
or two complete branches can be removed from a neglected or overcrowded
tree. Some excessive
and strongly growing “water” or upright shoots resulting from previous
pruning can be removed. Remaining
water shoots should be trained as horizontally as possible to take the
place of unproductive branches, which may be pruned out in later years.
Trained
fruit, such as espaliers, should only be pruned in summer – come on my
course on 31st July 2010 to learn the simple techniques of
maintaining these beautiful and productive trees. |
| Take
hardwood cuttings |
of
roses, vines, blackcurrants, coloured-stemmed Cornus (dogwood), Buddleja, Lavatera.
Cuttings
should be pencil thick, straight, trimmed below a bud at the base, above a
bud at the top and roughly the length of your secateurs. The top cuts should be
slanted to remind you not to plant them upside down!
Either
put in tall pots of well drained, moist compost, with two-thirds of the
stems submerged (5-6 per pot), or outside in well prepared, well drained
soil in trenches with 1”/2.5cm of sand in the base.
If
large numbers of cuttings are needed, they can be tied in bundles of 10
and plunged into sand. Rooted
cuttings should be ready for planting by next summer or autumn. Although slower to root,
hardwood cuttings are usually the most reliable of all. |
| Don’t
be tempted to prune shrubs and roses |
Mild
weather will encourage leaf growth which will then be cut back by cold,
thus weakening the plant. You
may also cut out next year’s flowering wood.
If
you wish, tall plants can be reduced by one-third to reduce wind-rock, but
then clean and sharpen your secateurs and put them away out of temptation’s
reach! |
| If the
birds |
have left you any berries, pick stems
of holly or evergreen Cotoneaster
and put in a deep bucket of water in a cool dark place to use as Christmas
decorations. |
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Links
World of Felco All Felco secateurs, loppers and pruners are sharp, durable
tools that are easy to maintain and repair
Gloucestershire Orchard Group
(GOG) aims to conserve,
promote and celebrate traditional orchards in Gloucestershire
Deacon's Nursery
sells a very wide variety of
fruit and nut trees, soft fruits and a selection of more unusual fruit
plants
Westonbirt National Arboretum is one
of the most spectacular tree gardens in the world, with over 3,000
different trees and shrub species, many of which are rare or endangered
in their native lands.
Pan-Global Plants nursery specializes
in rare plants capable of growing in the British Isles. Also,
trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns, climbers, bamboo & exotics
The Aerogarden a hydroponic garden
for beginners & experts alike
The Cottage
Garden Society This is a wonderful source of
information for all those who are passionate about
cottage gardening
Mumbleys
Farmhouse - Smallholder Courses designed for
complete beginners who are interested in running their own
smallholdings. Courses on keeping chickens, pigs, sheep, & beehives.
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