
Gardening Jobs for this month and February
1. Cleaning Tools and Greenhouses/Sheds
Yep. it’s that time again folks. I January you don’t much chance to do anything other than use your time to get rid of Hardened muck from spades and other tools and giving the a coating with a light oil. Wooden shafts with teak oil and wiping things down with a mild solution of a disinfectant where necessary. This also applies to any sheds or greenhouse windows. Keep off the soil and don’t clear too much natural garden litter away as it can help the good bugs and wild life survive these cold months.
2. Pruning apple and pear trees.
Pruning an apple or pear tree can be a bit scary for many gardeners. In some respects its not much different than pruning a rose bush, just something a bit bigger. Remove branches that face inwards to the plant and remove ones that might cross others and rub together.
Cut out shoots that go straight upwards or you could be making a rod for your own back as this will make the tree grow taller. Use secateurs on the thinner branches and on the wider thicker branches use a good small sharp hand saw cutting close to the wood that you are leaving so it can close up after the cut, Don’t leave stumps as they will dieback and infect the tree.
3. You can boost your winter fragrances by planting more of these types of plants out close to a window or in outside pots.
The RHS recommend these types of fragrant plants… I can reccomend buying plants from the RHS as they usually come with a 5 year warranty. Click on the links for more into on the plants and to buy should you wish. We do not get any money for setting this link.
- Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’
- Philadelphus ‘Manteau d’Hermine’
- Rosa ‘Sunny Sky’
- Syringa ‘Katherine Havemeyer’
- Trachelospermum jasminoides