Gardening Tips for February 2012

Garden pests
Start the New Year off by not letting garden pests and diseases get you down.
Many pests can survive over winter and lay eggs, these eggs may stick on the stems of plants to hatch out later so pruning now might help remove them.

By checking your plants now and dealing with the problems as they occur, you can help prevent them from getting out of control.
If your fruit trees have had a lot of problems with pests and diseases it’s worth spraying them with tar oil winter wash over the trunk and branches. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully and make sure not to spray on a windy day

Roses
Do not prune roses until next month, as it may encourage new growth and frost will burn the new cuts. On the other hand now is an ideal time for planting new roses, but do not plant roses where they have been growing before and you will avoid Replant disorder.

Containers
Keep picking off the dead heads from winter flowering pansies and primroses to keep them looking attractive. Change any plants such as Cyclamen which have been damaged in the winter months, plants such as Primrose and potted bulbs are very good for filling in the gaps.

Ponds
Garden Ponds are best left alone at this time of year as the frogs and other creatures are hibernating, and should not be disturbed.

In freezing conditions, float a tennis ball on the surface to keep the surface from freezing over completely. Never clear a frozen pond by breaking the ice, you can melt a hole by holding a pan of hot water on the ice.

Cordyline
Tie up Cordyline leaves to enclose and protect the centre. When snow or frost is likely, cover with fleece. Last year’s winter weather damaged a lot of Cordylines. Snow will spread the leaves apart, allowing the frost to enter the plants centre and kill a lot of plants. If there is a heavy snowfall, remove snow from trees and shrubs to prevent damage to branches.

It is a good time to start off the slower-growing half-hardy annuals and perennials. Pelargonium, Begonia can be easy to grow from seed if you have a warm windowsill or some heat in a glasshouse. Some seed may take two to three weeks to germinate, which will bring you into March and the days will be getting longer.

Sow seeds of Broad Beans and Sweet Peas in a cold greenhouse or outdoors in a cold frame with some protection.

Prune Acer and Birch trees now, while they are still dormant. This will avoid the danger of ‘bleeding’ (excessive sap loss) if they are pruned in spring when sap is rising, best to wait until all leaves have fallen

Winter Gardening Tips

Drain the fuel tank of the lawn mower before putting the machine away for the winter.

If your pond freezes frogs can be deprived of oxygen. Floating a small ball in it will keep a small area clear.

Clean away any fallen leaves, if left to rot on the ground, fallen leaves and fruits are great breeding homes for overwintering pests and diseases. Take the time to rake them up and you’ll not only lessen that risk, but you’ll also have some very good composting material.

Plants grow very slowly in winter and use a lot less water than in summer.  Those outdoor pots you could barely keep moist in summer may now be thoroughly waterlogged. Check them and if necessary move them up on bricks or small timber blocks to allow them to drain properly.
If that doesn’t work move them to a sunnier or more sheltered position.

Container grown plants are more at risk from frost damage than plants growing in the border. Protect plants by wrapping the pots with a layer of insulation.

Protect your fruit trees from winter moth grubs by applying a grease band to your trees now to stop an infestation next year.

Free-standing fruit trees should be pruned now. Remove dead, dying and diseased branches, as well as branches that are crossing over each other.

Deciduous trees and shrubs can still be planted and transplanted.

Be on the lookout for any pests on plants over the winter.  Small infestations of whitefly, red spider mite and greenfly will soon spread, giving you more problems in the future.  Look very closely at the undersides of leaves, at the base of stems, and on new buds for fine webbing.  Set any suspicious-looking plants in the shower to wash off the mites, and repeat frequently. Or, if it’s a small plant, you can shake it around upside-down in soapy water. Insecticidal soap also works, you can also Control pests by picking them off the leaves, spraying or disposing of badly infected plants.

The best way of being successful with these indoor plants is to make sure that they never dry out, that their very fine root systems are always kept moist and that they are put in a position where there is a satisfactory amount of light, no droughts and no exposure to excessive heat from radiators or fires. If those few steps are carried out then there should be no problem.

Do not give water to houseplants late in the afternoon. The foliage should not be wet when night comes as they can rot.

The Lawn
Continue to remove fallen leaves from lawns before they block out light and moisture to the grass. Repair damaged lawn edges or patches with turves cut from other areas of the garden. Avoid walking on lawns on frosty mornings. It can damage the grass and often leads to brown footprint-shaped marks. Watch your lawn for signs of water-logging, as the weather gets wetter. You may be able to remedy this with some maintenance – either now, next spring, or the following autumn.