As we move into the winter months there is a notable drop in temperature and increasingly unpredictable weather, some of the plants that were happy basking in the sunshine and warmer weather are unable to survive through the winter without protection. One group of perennial plants, often used in summer containers, are termed half hardy and need protection through winter, until all danger of frost has passed. Examples of these are fuchsias pelargoniums (often marketed as geraniums), osteospermums, begonias and salvias. Many of these have been bred from native species that originate from the Mediterranean regions, South Africa and South America and will not survive our harsh winters. If time and space is limited, it is not essential to keep them until the following year as most are produced commercially every year and can be purchased after all danger of frost has passed around mid May.
December is a time of year when garden centres and nurseries market house plants for seasonal decoration. Plants such as poinsettia, cyclamen and Christmas cactus will bring a colourful addition to your house plant displays but need a little care if they are to survive over the coming weeks. Where you buy your plants from can determine how successful you will be as they do not like cold, draughty places, so buying them from an outlet that displays them outside or near a open doorway is not a good idea. If you can, select your plant from those growing in the greenhouse or in an area where they receive good light, are not in a draught and look healthy and happy.
You are looking for a plant that is fresh, well balanced and, in the case of cyclamen and Christmas cactus has a good number of flower buds emerging. For poinsettias avoid plants with yellowing or drooping leaves, but one that has a good proportion of red bracts (coloured leaves). The flowers on a poinsettia are quite small and insignificant, nestled in a cluster of red bracts they appear as small yellowish buds, you do not have to remove them or do anything with them as they don’t detract from the display of leaves. In your home poinsettias, cyclamen and Christmas cactus require similar conditions, good light but not direct sunshine, out of draughts, a temperature range of between 10 -15C (50 – 60F), not too close to windows and radiators. Water sparingly and ideally stand in a saucer with a thin layer of gravel, pouring the water into the saucer so it is a little deeper than the gravel. The plant will draw the water up, watering from the top can rot the crown of the plant so is best avoided if you can.
There is much talk about how we can support nature in our gardens and simple adjustments to the way we work can provide shelter and a food source for birds and if you are lucky you may find that a hedgehog takes up residence, it is also a great way of utilising prunings and branches you accumulate whilst tidying up your trees and shrubs.
It doesn’t need to take up much space and can be discretely placed at the end of your garden or form part of your design adding a natural barrier or low screen that divides the garden up into separate areas. The process is fairly straight forward, and involves installing two rows of upright stakes, spaced about 1 – 1.5m (3 – 4 ft) apart with a 30 – 40cm (1 – 1.5ft ) gap between the rows. The height is up to you and will depend on how many branches and prunings you have to dispose of and may take a few years if you don’t produce much pruning waste. The idea is to lay the branches horizontally between the stakes to form a twiggy fence mixing the materials, (branches and prunings) as you gradually build up the height. If you want to be a little more adventurous you could include bug hotels, nest boxes, or a hedgehog house. Don’t compress the branches and twigs too much as this will stop birds being able to hop through and access bugs and insects, they may even choose to nest in the structure too if it is safe enough. If you are concerned about how it looks why not grow an ivy or clematis over it, this will add a pollination source for bees and butterflies too.
I don’t mind the occasional rainy or miserable day as this prompts me to start thinking about what I plan to grow next year. Whether it is annuals and half hardy flowers for garden and pot displays or vegetables and fruit for the kitchen. It is a good idea to plan early, as I do find that plug plants and even seed of popular cultivars can quickly run out. It is also a good idea to check on your stock of pots, compost, labels, twine, fertiliser and liquid feeds too. Start with a simple list, then work out which needs doing first. I carry a notebook with me most of the time, and jot down notes to remind me what jobs I need to do and what plants or seeds I want to grow again. I am sure that most of you have mastered this facility on your mobile phone, It’s taking me time to master that one.
Whatever your plans for next year, enjoy the festive break, who knows there may be a little snow to bring a proper winter feel to the garden.
Happy Gardening,
Martin
Next month, ( pruning fruit trees and bushes, gentle tidying of borders, check structures and plant supports.)
