• Sow sweet peas in deep pots and pinch out once two pairs of leaves have developed
• Cut back old stems of mallow (Lavatera) to ground level. Take care not to harm roots
• Plant hedging plants
• Prune stems of dogwoods, willows, cotinus and paulownias
• Fork and rake over area for hardy annual bedding

The Fruit and Veg Garden

• Cover rhubarb with a forcing jar or an old bucket to exclude light and encourage early shoots for early pickings of rhubarb
• Prune gooseberry bushes to open up the centre of the bush to improve air circulation
• Chit seed potatoes in trays in bright frost free place
• Plant bare root fruit trees before they begin to shoot. When the arrive soak the roots and heel in some soil until you are ready to plant.
• Sow seeds of broad beans, carrots, hardy peas and parsnips outside in soil warmed by cloches

Greenhouse

• Plant dahlia tubers in pots or trays and place in a heated propagator if you want to take cuttings
• Star raising crops from seed, including tomatoes, chilli peppers, aubergines and cucumbers
• Water with a copper fungicide solution to prevent damping off of seedlings
• Sow seeds of cyclamen keeping in total darkness until seeds have germinated

Generally Around The Garden

• Take care not to walk over emerging spring bulbs in the border or in the lawn
• Order young plants from mail order companies
• Sort out and clean up canes and support ready for use in the spring
• Use a pressure washer to clean paths

Worlds most expensive snowdrop!

WORLD RECORD BEATING PRICE FOR SNOWDROP

On Thursday 16 February at 14:40 after a bidding frenzy of over 30 bidderson eBay, Thompson & Morgan, the Ipswich based mail order plant and seed company, acquired the world’s most expensive snowdrop Galanthus woronowii ‘Elizabeth Harrison’ for £725.  This is a unique striking variety with a golden yellow ovary and yellow petal markings.

The price is almost double the previous world record price for a single rare bulb of Galanthus ‘Green Tear’ sold for £360 last year.

Over the last few years the amount paid for unique Galanthus bulbs has been steadily rising as they have created more interest and in 2008 a single rare bulb fetched £226.

Thompson & Morgan hopes to be able to produce this variety and bring pleasure to as many gardeners as possible.  These unique Galanthus are notorious for their slow rates of multiplication but we hope to be able to look into commercial production via tissue culture, which will be the most time consuming and expensive part of the venture – buying the bulb was the easy part!

When Thompson & Morgan purchased the world’s first Black Hyacinth ‘Midnight Mystique’ in 1998 for £50,000 a bulb, it took 15 years before it was available to the general public and demand has always outstripped stock.

On Sunday I have as my guest Daniel Bridge and we are going to talk all things on flower photography from types of cameras to close ups etc………… so join me on www.phoenixfm.com on Sunday 10am to 12 noon.

Hopefully we we also talk about what to do in the garden this week as well!

Happy Gardening

Andrew

A week in gardening can seem much longer with temperatures last month getting to

10 c and this week snow and below freezing.

So what to do in the garden?  As soon as we get snow you should get out and brush the snow from your prize plants as they will bend and break with the weight of the snow especially after a night or two of freezing when the snow will get even heavier!

Feed the birds. And do not forget the bird bath… add fresh water.

Float a ball in the fish pond. Fish need air so keep some open water for them.

A great thing to do when you are inside is to get all your seeds and put them into sowing months and put them in a shoebox marked up wth the months. That way you will see at a glance when to sow.

Keep an eye on the temperatures this week and stay warm!

Andrew

• Deadhead winter-flowering pansies and bedding plants, and pick off damaged leaves
• Divide congested herbaceous perennials
• Prune winter jasmine to cut back flowered shoots
• Transplant shrubs growing in the wrong place while they’re dormant
• Plant lily of the valley
• Cut down tall stems of buddleia, shortening them to low-growing emerging shoots

Fruit and Vegetable Garden

• Cover soil with cloches to warm it for early sowings
• Finish winter pruning fruit trees and soft fruits
• Cut stems of autumn-fruiting raspberries to soil level
• Chit seed potatoes, standing them in trays in a light but frost-free position
• Plant Jerusalem artichokes as a windbreak on exposed plots
• Sprinkle sulphate of potash fertiliser around fruit
• Sow seeds of broad beans, carrots, hardy peas and parsnips outside in soil that’s been warmed with cloches

In The Greenhouse

• Plant summer bulbs, such as liatris, begonia, gloxinia, gloriosa, canna, eucomis and agapanthus
• Maintain frost-free conditions by installing a thermostatically controlled electric fan heater
• Bring pots of spring bulbs into the greenhouse to encourage flowering
• Sow summer bedding, such as begonias, verbena, lobelia, ageratum, pansy, viola and antirrhinum
• Crops to sow in heated propagators include tomatoes, aubergines, onions, celery and peppers

Generally Around The Garden

• Knock heavy snow off shrubs and conifers to prevent its weight damaging branches
• Place rabbit guards around trees to protect bark
• Firm down plants lifted by frost or wind rock
• Cover areas needed for early seed sowing with polythene or cloches to warm the soil

• Cut down willows and dogwoods to their base to promote strong new canes
• Finish taking hardwood cuttings from shrubs, trees and roses
• Plant bare-root roses, hedging, trees and shrubs
• Pick off hellebore leaves with black blotches as this is a symptom of leaf spot disease
• Prune wall climbers away from window frames and gutters
• Lift and divide congested snowdrops when in leaf, also known as ‘in the green’
• Prepare plant supports ready to pop into position to support tall or floppy perennials, such as delphiniums
• Prune roses and buddleia during mild weather but complete by the end of February

In The Fruit & Vegetable Garden

• Use cloches to warm soil for early sowings
• Prepare areas for planting asparagus
• Prune apple and pear trees to remove congested, badly placed, damaged or diseased branches
• Cover seakale to force new shoots to develop

In The Greenhouse

• Raise lettuce and salad crops in pots for early pickings
• Water potted fuchsias sparingly to prevent compost drying out completely
• Prune grapevines before they come into growth, when their sap starts rising
• Bring pots of strawberries under cover to encourage early fruiting
• Start sowing seed of summer bedding and crops that need a long growing season to mature, such as pelargonium, petunia, verbena, salvia, lobelia and begonia

Around The Garden

• Clean and sharpen knives and secateurs, and spray metal tools with oil
• Put up nesting boxes for birds in suitable trees or on buildings
• Move shrubs growing in the wrong place
• Service petrol lawn mowers
• Search through seed, bulb and nursery catalogues for new plants to grow this year
• Repair wobbly or damaged fences, and treat wooden structures with preservative

• Dig up congested clumps of winter aconites and transplant to new sites
• Improve the soil the soil by spreading compost or manure over beds and forking in
• Move plants growing in the wrong place
• Dig deeply areas where you’ll be planting new roses, shrubs or perennials
• Spread a thick mulch of bark over the crown of tender plants, such as fuchsias, dahlias and cannas
• Prune summer-flowering clematis, cutting stems back to emerging buds close to soil level

The Fruit and Vegetable Garden

• Prune out the oldest stems from black currants to encourage new shoots
• Check crops that are in store and discard any showing signs of rot
• Fork compost into the soil and clear old crops from the veg plot
• Cover fruit trees and bushes with netting to prevent hungry bullfinches eating blossom buds
• Sow the following crops under cloches during January and early February: broad beans, hardy peas, spinach, carrots and onions

In The Greenhouse

• Wash glazing inside and out to let in as much light as possible
• Bring potted camellias into unheated porches or conservatories to enjoy early displays
• Buy chrysanthemum cuttings or take cuttings from your own plants
• Sow seed of hardy annuals, such as Calendula, for some early flowers
• Tidy up the greenhouse, getting rid of any old compost or rubbish that could hide unwanted visitors

Generally

• Keep window bird feeders topped up with seed to attract blue tits and sparrows
• Wash out flowerpots and seed trays
• Move patio pots to sheltered sites during cold periods
• Spread a mulch of compost over borders and around trees, shrubs and roses
• Clean algae and moss from paths and steps
• Sprinkle a top-dressing of gritty compost over lawns

Kings Seeds Early Starter Spring Catalogue arrived this week and I was impressed at the good value in it. (and it takes a lot for me to be impressed!) www.kingsseeds.com

• Cut back ornamental miscanthus grass before new shoots start developing
• Trim back ivy and Virginia creeper from around windows and guttering
• Clear away dead foliage from perennials, chop it up and add to the compost heap
• Remove weeds from borders, and dig deeply to sieve out roots of perennial weeds, such as bindweed, ground elder and couch grass
• Improve compacted soil by mixing in extra compost. Take care not to walk on or dig up spring bulbs
• Take root cuttings from phlox and oriental poppies
• Pot up containers with spring bedding displays

In The Fruit and Vegetable Garden

• Dig over veg plots, mixing compost into the soil as you go
• Continue filling a trench with kitchen waste where you want to grow beans
• Cover rhubarb with forcing jars for an early harvest
• Use cloches to warm the soil for early sowings
• Plant new fruit bushes and trees
• Dig up and pot up roots of mint to force early shoots
• Buy shallots, onion sets and seed potatoes

In The Greenhouse

• Top up fuel tank of paraffin heater every evening
• Bring potted hyacinths and bulbs under cover to bloom
• Make a sowing plan for raising greenhouse crops and bedding plants, and order seeds
• Bring potted peaches under cover to prevent an attack of leaf curl
• Water pot plants sparingly and avoid wetting foliage. Never leave plants standing in water
• Regularly pick off faded leaves and flowers to avoid grey mould (botrytis) developing

Generally

• Tidy up piles of flowerpots and debris that could harbour snails
• Raise patio containers on feet or bricks, to ensure their compost drains properly
• Avoid walking on lawns covered with heavy frost, as you’ll kill the grass
• Provide birds with fresh water and food
• Sprinkle an all-purpose fertiliser along the base of hedges
• Move patio pots to sheltered sites during extremely cold periods
• Order bulbs, corms and tubers for summer flowers, including dahlias, canna lilies, gladioli, eucomis and lilies

This unseasonal warm weather means that pest that would normally be dormant at this time of year are active. Vine Weevils are very active now so watch out for tell tale signs of wilting plants that have fleshy roots such as sedums, cyclamen or primulas. Use a good pesticide specifically for vine weevils such as Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2. In the summer you can use a biological control of Nematodes but these rely on the temperature being warmer than now.

• Squash mistletoe berries into apple tree branches to encourage plants to develop
• Cut down old stems of sedums, taking care not to damage new shoots
• Clear borders and rake up leaves before bulbs start poking through
• Dig over gaps in the borders, taking time to pick out roots of perennial weeds
• Spread a layer compost around shrubs and along the base of hedges
• Plant new roses and shrubs
• Thin out the top growth on standard roses to prevent damage from the weather and wind rock
• Be ready to knock snow from shrubs bending under the weight
• Pick faded flowers off pansies to prevent them setting seed
• Collect and sow seed from garden shrubs and trees with berries

In the Fruit and Vegetable Garden

• Keep harvesting root vegetables as they mature, including parsnips and leeks
• Order seed potatoes, onion sets and shallots
• Stretch netting over brassicas to protect them from pigeons
• Cover clumps of rhubarb with buckets or terracotta pots to force early stems
• Prune red and white currants, shortening side shoots to a single bud
• Pot up strawberries to grow under cover for an early crop
• Check your soil’s pH with a special kit and add lime if it’s too acidic for your plants
• Check fruit and vegetables in store, removing any showing signs of deterioration
• Pick off yellowing leaves from the stems of Brussels sprouts and keep harvesting early varieties
• Cut down canes of autumn-fruiting raspberries to soil level

In The Greenhouse

• Sow onion seed under cover, and keep warm until germinated
• Check overwintering plants for signs of greenfly and other pests, and treat if necessary
• Bring potted strawberries under cover
• Dig up clumps of rhubarb to force into growth in darkness under large pots or bins
• Water pots of forced bulbs if their compost is dry
• Water plants sparingly taking care not to splash water around
• Wash glazing inside and out to let in the maximum amount of light
• Insulate greenhouses by fixing bubble polythene to the glazing bars
• Order seeds and young plants from mail-order companies or online
• Prune greenhouse grapevines once they’re dormant and the leaves have fallen

Generally

• Top up bird baths with fresh water daily and melt ice with warm water on frosty days
• Recycle your Christmas tree by using the local council tip’s shredding service
• Check the closing dates for any early order discounts from seed catalogues so you don’t miss a bargain
• Finish clearing fallen leaves
• Turn off the mains water supply to outside taps and wrap with insulation to prevent freezing
• Water pots of spring bulbs
• Float waterproof pond heaters in fish ponds to prevent ice covering the surface
• Give pots and seed trays a thorough scrubbing ready for the start of the sowing season

I would like to wish you a very pleasant Christmas and New Year.

Why don’t you take part in the latest poll?  If you like gardening do you also like cooking?

Have a great break and plan for the hot weather ahead!

Regards

Andrew