Grow Your Own Magazine

Geordie · #1 (**permalink**) 01-12-2005, 03:54 PM

Apart from harvesting any edibles or picking up the pieces from weather damage you don’t need to set foot in your garden in December. Don’t feel guilty about the time spent contemplating the garden from the warmth of an armchair; it can be time well spent. Its worth planning next years veg plot now, for at least 3 reasons. One, because you will still be able to remember what grew where and avoid planting the same crops in the space next year. Two, because thinking what to grow where will help you to revise the seed catalogue wish list into something more realistic. Three, because once you know which areas you will need for early crops you will know where to direct your energies on the days when you can get out there to dig, weed and mulch. Its all too easy to put the first early potatoes in the same place as last year because the rest of the garden is inhabited with B list celebs who mistook it for a jungle.
For me the list of diy jobs is endless, making or repairing frames, greenhouse maintenance, fencing blah blah hard life etc etc. Non diyers it may just be a case of nipping out to check on the garden and its wildlife in moments of better weather.
Check your trees, shrubs and over wintering brassicas every few days, look for signs of windrock and check stakes and ties. Watch out for ‘lift’ amongst new plants due to the frost, where the soil lifts up around the roots. Once the ground has thawed out just heel plants back in.
Watch the weight of a snowfall does not break the roof of your fruitcage, better if you can remove the roof. This lets in birds to get at over wintering pests.
If a long frost is forecast dig up a week’s supply of root veg and brassicas. You are not likely to make much headway trying to dig them out of frozen tundra, or frozen fingers trying to twist off sprouts is not ideal.
Cover leafy crops with fleece to protect them over the next couple of months, this ensures new growth remains edible and that you can find them. Have a go at blanching endives and forcing some chicory to boost your winter salad collection. If you are really keen you could try sowing some cut and come again varieties in pots on an indoor windowsill. If you get really really desperate try sprouting seeds (sorry if you enjoy this!)
For our southern (yeah right Spain maybe) gardeners you should still get away either planting winter garlic…..tradition was to plant it on the shortest day and harvest it on the longest…soil conditions permitting.
If you sowed peas or broad beans last month sow a few in pots in the greenhouse to cover the spaces you will find in the spring.
Any strawberry runners you potted up can now go into the greenhouse. Leave in pots or plant in greenhouse border / growbag to try and get an early crop next year. They can be moved outside by the time you need to put you tomatoes in.
Lift and divide your clumps of rhubarb using a sharp spade, selecting the best buds from the outside of the clump. Replant about 3 feet apart in holes filled with manure or compost. You can start to force established rhubarb crowns from the middle of the month
You still have time to prune apple or pear trees now, cut laterals back to a couple of buds and remove all damaged wood. If you grow plums, cherries, apricots or peaches…lucky you….but wait until spring as silverleaf fungus may be a problem. Soft fruit can also feel the wrath of your pruning shears…you know you will feel so much better.
Extreme masochists can then go on to sharpen and oil tools, clean your glass, cloches and plastic tunnels, service garden machinery, tidy up after winter storms, hide away in the shed making your special formula compost….you get the idea!
By necessisity this is geared toward gardeners with gardens or allotments and mainly based on my own observations. No mention of herbs…not my area of expertise but I am sure someone else can advise and feel free to add what I have missed.

andrewo · #2 (**permalink**) 06-12-2005, 03:19 PM

Geordie,
What's the latest we can plant Garlic in the north. I have raised beds, and I am south facing on the Pennines. -4 predicted tonight.

Andrewo

Mrs Dobby · #3 (**permalink**) 07-12-2006, 10:57 PM

Geordie, you posted this last year, and I have a feeling the advice and sentiments are just as valid this year, so I thought I'd post a reply saying what a great post, and in doing so bring it back to everyone's notice once more! All us newbies will find the info and sentiments a great salve to those consciences that say we should be out there n the plot (even tho its blowing a gale / freezing cold / raining!

roitelet · #4 (**permalink**) 07-12-2006, 11:29 PM

How right you are Geordie. There are no QUIET months for gardeners

burnie · #5 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 07:18 PM

I'm still mowing grass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mrs Dobby · #6 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 08:39 PM

Lol Burnie, if it wasnt so wet, so would we! Just wish we could get a dry enough spell to give it a cut, its far too long now!

dexterdoglancashire · #7 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006, 09:10 PM

Geordie - many thanks for your advice! I was thinking I was being lazy! (well, wot with wanting to hibernate and all that) so you have made me feel a lot better. I did plant some tatties inthe hope of some for christmas, but they were got by the frost - I need to have a test dig soon, so see if they have survived! DDL

Geordie · #8 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006, 10:20 PM

I'd forgotton I'd done this....thanks Mrs D......will try and write one for January!

woodfettler · #9 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 12:40 AM

Did You Get A Reply About Garlic Cos I Could Do With Knowing Myself

Geordie · #10 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 12:44 AM

Planting garlic now......probably a little late...but it may be worth a try in pots somewhere sheltered untill it gets a bit of growth then transplant to outside after hardening off.

Earthbabe · #11 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geordie

No mention of herbs…not my area of expertise but I am sure someone else can advise and feel free to add what I have missed.

This is a good time to tidy up half hardy herbs by removing any dead material (chives are a good example), cut back woody herbs if not already done and enjoy the pleasures of sage and bay. Make sure all the dead flowering spikes have been cut of lavenders. If very cold weather is predicted you may wish to cover some of the more tendy perennials e.g Lavandula dentata, Myrtle. You can start sowing indoors with bottom heat once the days start to lengthen noticeably again (end jan) for a supply of basil, chervil etc.

If it is still going harvest tarragon for freezing.

You should still be able to cut some thyme too.

Hope that helps but I'm sure there are bits I've missed or bits that are different depending on geography.

Mrs Dobby · #12 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geordie

I'd forgotton I'd done this....thanks Mrs D......will try and write one for January!

Your welcome Geordie, I was trolling thru some of the older posts and spotted it, and thought it was just as valid now as it was last year, so thought I'd resurrect it! Your advice, sentiments and writing were so good it just didnt deserve to be forgotten!

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