Simple Winter Tasks
By Rachael Leverton
This year’s festive season (at least at time of writing), is shaping up to be a little more ‘normal’, whatever that term now means. While most of us are looking forward to more socialising and togetherness, I’m betting a fair few might think back fondly to last year’s smaller, quieter Christmas. And this is where the garden comes into its own. There are always things to do out there, even in December. A few simple gardening tasks offer some pockets of calm and relief amid the busyness of the festive season. They are also a wonderful way to get some fresh air and exercise to burn off those Christmas calories and winter gloominess!
First, take a look at your winter containers. If you have a particularly wet spell, make sure they don’t get flooded. If it’s dry, then plants will still need water regularly, just give the compost a chance to dry out each time. Pick off any leaves that look yellowed or diseased.
Do you like garlic? I love it. Now is the perfect time to start your own garlic crop, especially if like mine your soil is free-draining. Plant individual cloves of garlic. ‘Solent Wight’ is a great variety for our greyer British climate and forms large plump bulbs.
If you have a sheltered warmer spot try ‘Lautrec Wight,’ which as its name suggests originates from the town of Lautrec in France. It produces particularly handsome pink/purple cloves and is widely regarded in France as the best garlic. Snip off any wispy ends or the birds will pull cloves from the soil (I learned that one from experience!). The bulbs will be ready to harvest when the leaves start to die off and turn yellow, which is usually around June or July.
Tidy established perennials by cutting back those that have become pulpy. Simply cut back the decaying material, chop it up and add it to the compost heap. If you have an unheated greenhouse, a summer house or conservatory you can sow some sweet peas and leave them to germinate. Sow the seeds in deep pots or root-trainers filled with multi-purpose compost then keep the pots in a propagator or cover them with a transparent plastic bag. Once seeds have germinated, remove the covering.
If the soil isn’t frozen, you can plant bare-root fruit bushes such as gooseberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Make sure you dig a hole that can take the plant’s roots comfortably without squashing them. Then label them clearly because it’s easy to forget which varieties you’re growing!
Finally, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the gardener in your life please can I recommend Gold Leaf Winter Touch gloves. They have a Thinsulate™ thermal lining which keeps hands toasty warm even in the coldest weather, AND an additional Ski-Dri™ waterproof, breathable lining so your hands remain dry even when used in the wet! I also love the reinforced palm because it’s great for spade work. As you can tell, I love mine, and I am neither sponsored by nor connected with the company in any way; mine were a recent gift and I’ve been raving about them to anyone who will listen ever since!
Happy Gardening!