What to do in the garden this month

• Prune wisteria now, cutting back summer side shoots to 2 or 3 buds.
• Prune overwintered fuchsias back to one or two buds on each shoot.
• Trim winter flowering heathers as the flowers disappear, to prevent the plants becoming leggy.
• Start chitting early potatoes – stand them on end in a module tray or egg box and place them in a bright, cool, frost-free place.
• Lift and divide snowdrops still ‘in the green’ if you want to move them or create more plants.
• Stock up on pots, compost, labels, twine and other sundries in readiness for improved conditions.
• Plant bare-root roses, hedging and fruit trees.
• Towards the end of the month prune summer-flowering Clematis before active growth begins.
• Trim deciduous hedges before the birds start nesting.

Did you know?

Fruit Trees

A very easy space-saving option, cordon fruit trees consist of just one main stem with 2-3″ laterals carrying the fruit and flowers. Traditionally grown at a 45-degree angle, they are these days more often grown vertically, but you can still plant them at an angle if you wish.

Space cordon apples and pears 2½-3′ apart. They can be grown against a fence or wall, or along posts and wires, or in the open and staked individually with a ‘standard rose’ type stake, or even a stout bamboo cane. They will reach between 6-8′ in height. They do well on all soils except the light and sandy which should have plenty of organic matter incorporated to add body, and the trees mulched thereafter.

Many of us want to use less plastic in the garden, from plant labels to watering cans, tools, plant pots and the sheeting used to suppress weeds. Buying (and therefore using) less plastic will not only reduce your plastic footprint, but will also send a message to manufacturers that gardeners want alternatives to plastic (especially single-use plastic).

To learn more, click here:
https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/gardening-with-less-plastic/

Source: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/10-new-year-resolutions-for-the-garden/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2020%20vision&utm_campaign=GW%20Newsletter%20January%201%202020&utm_term=8896906

Interesting facts

• Some arums, stapelia and the largest flower in the world – the rafflesia – smell like rotting meat! The reason for this horrible whiff is to attract flies, which carry their pollen to other flowers.
• The most common scent made by plants is lemon. Apart from an actual lemon, you can find this smell in lemon grass, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemon-scented geranium, lemon gum and lemon thyme as well.
• Some plants need moths to pollinate them. They grow pale flowers whose scent is very strong in the evening and hardly noticeable in the daytime.
• Scents are taken from plants mainly as essential oils, which are then used to make perfume. Some perfumes are a mixture of 50 different smells!
• The ancient Egyptians were the first people to write down information about perfume. They used many perfumes as offerings to their gods. And they also used them to help preserve their mummies. The ancient Egyptians lived between 2,500 and 5,000 years ago.