A COLD NOVEMBER, A WARM CHRISTMAS
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NOVEMBER A COLD NOVEMBER, A WARM CHRISTMAS More weather folklore As the lawnmower has finished most its work for the year, the body should be given a good clean up, and the engine of petrol mowers, a service. Follow the manufacturers instructions, changing the oil, fitting a new plug and cleaning the air filter.( Or leave it with a service engineer now to beat the spirngtime rush ). You may still need it occasionally over the winter as milder weather promotes some growth which can be lightly trimmed. You can still plant most spring bulbs. Choose a dry spell and if the ground is a bit wet put an inch of sharp sand in the planting hole to rest the bulb on. Discard any soft or damaged bulbs, they are unlikely to grow and could infect the rest. As a general rule the tip of the bulb should be twice its height below the surface of the soil. One reason why previous bulb plantings have failed to grow could be due to mice and squirrels which will make a meal of them. To protect them use a piece of fine mesh wire placed on top. The leaves and stems can grow through, but the pests cannot reach them. Cover with soil or mulch. Make sure it extends well beyond the bulbs or if this is not possible make a cylinder of mesh to surround them as well. Although the time to sow a new lawn has long passed you can still use turves. Choose a dry, frost-free spell anytime in the next few months to prepare the site.(see June tips) Use any dry spells to cultivate new flower beds or the vegetable garden. If you have a clay soil leave the clods of turned earth for the winter weather to break them down. Dig in manure or compost to improve the structure, or scatter over the surface and the worms will do most of the work. If you grow Gunnera manicata the large buds with next year's leaves are quite tender. Use this year's leaves to protect the buds by cutting them off and securing them on top of the crowns with sloping canes pushed into the ground or use a net to hold them down. Between now and March is the time to plant bare-rooted shrubs and trees which will be available at the nursery. If you haven't already ordered your bare-rooted plants, then do so now. Meanwhile if you intend to plant a hedge, prepare the site by removing all weeds in a 60cm wide strip and dig in some well rotted manure or garden compost. About two weeks before planting add some general fertilizer or pelleted chicken manure. When you obtain the plants make sure the roots don't dry out and heel them into lose ground or a large container of damp sand, if you can't plant them straight away. Often bare-rooted plants arrive in a dryish medium with a brush-like growth of fibrous roots in a dense mat. Firstly they should be soaked in water which has been allowed to reach ambient temperature - not straight from the tap which can be much colder. Then after an hour or so when planting, they should be spread out in the planting hole to give them the best chance of producing new root hairs. After digging a hole big enough so that they will not be doubled up, a small mound raised in the middle allows them to be spread evenly around, leaving the crown at soil level. Long roots should be trimmed back so that they are not bunched up, as they will probably die anyway or if they do they will remain stunted. When filling in with soil give the plant a few gentle shakes to encourage it to trickle between the roots. Water well to wash down the soil to give better contact with the roots. If you have'nt done so already, reduce the height of rose bushes, buddleja, mallow and other plants at risk from wind-rock during the winter. Cut branches by half and prune properly in spring; use a hedge trimmer on the roses if you have a lot to do. The traditional time for final pruning of roses is by the end of March, but with the milder winters lately the new shoots have been starting to break earlier so make a note to check at the end of January as they may need to be pruned then.

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