John’s December jobs for the garden…

It’s been nice to see the return of the frost, after the unseasonally warm weather we have had in early November. The change in temperature signals dormancy in much of the plant world, and it’s the start of toughening hardy plants up, preparing them for the colder, freezing temperatures ahead.

This month is host to the shortest day of the year, and us humans are designed to have a period of dormancy ourselves, much like the plant world. Try and accept and go with it, rather than trying to resist it! If there’s a dry, milder day and you want to get into the garden, there are still things you can be doing.

Here’s what you can do this month…

• Grit your paths, steps, and wherever you walk outside your property, with rock salt to prevent ice that can be slippery.

• Gather up any remaining leaves and pop them on a compost heap if you have one.

• Place a football in your pond to help prevent the water from freezing over, helping wildlife.

• Please don’t forget the birds – it’s so important to ensure they have food and water in Winter.

• Put a calendar together for your next gardening year, pinning successes, learning from mistakes and planning things to do.

• Watch the sunrise with a brew in hand, especially if it’s frosty, to see the light bouncing and reflecting off plants, branches and grass, even if it’s just once. Embrace the winter morning light.

• Feed bedding with a high potash feed like tomato food to help encourage flowers.

• Plant trees and shrubs to help fill any gaps further back in your borders for evergreen colour and structure.

• Force Hyacinths and Narcissus to add flowers and fragrance around the home.

• Make a wreath using willow, evergreens, old flower seedheads, berries and more. You will be surprised what you can find in nature!

• Water your cut Christmas tree to help it last – but be careful if it has electrical light on it!