The winter garden

What to do in January

by Ed Gardiner

Shred the Christmas tree

Once Christmas is over there is always the problem of what to do with the tree, if you have bought a real one. The best way of dealing with it is to take it to your local waste tip, where many local authorities now run recycling schemes; the tree will be shredded and used for compost and mulching. If you have your own shredder (or have been given one for Christmas) do it yourself, and you will be able to use the material in your own garden.

Clear the weeds

It is amazing how weed seedlings germinate during mild spells even in the depths of winter. On any winter rambles around the garden, take a hoe with you so that these weed seedlings can be knocked out before they get too big. This will save an enormous amount of time and effort when spring comes around. Collect up annual weeds and put them on the compost heap. Any perennial weeds should be dug up with as much of the roots as possible, putting these in the bin. Pieces of root left in the soil or put on the compost heap often start to grow again, actually increasing the weed problem.

Decaying leaves

These should be put on the compost heap or leafmould heap. Pay particular attention to clearing the crowns if herbaceous perennials and alpines, as these are vulnerable, especially the latter, to rot in prolonged damp conditions under fallen leaves. Leaves are best composted, not burned, as they can then contribute to the goodness of the soil. Be careful when distributing large piles of leaves in which a hedgehog may be hibernating. The garden grippers or ‘big hands’ one sees advertised in magazines are safer tools to use than forks or rakes.

Now order your seeds

There is a bewildering array of seeds and young plants available for all the seed companies and catalogues. It can sometimes be daunting, even for experts, trying to decide which seeds to choose for the new season. But it is a pleasant job leafing through the catalogues and planning what to grow in the year to come.

Summer? It’s not that far away now!!!

Happy winter gardening.