Jobs for January and February
19 January 2010
Jobs in the garden for January and February
· Complete planting of bare root fruit trees and bushes, and other bare rooted plants and shrubs
· Raspberries -prune autumn fruiting varieties to the ground.
· Protect fruit with nets if you have problems with Bullfinch.
· Blackcurrant s- remove one third of stems, oldest and weakest to ground level.
· Plant Alliums and Lillies
· Willows and Dogwoods- cut down to one or two buds
· Prune winter flowering shrubs and roses.
· Cut late summer and autumn flowering Clematis back to lowest pair of strong buds, about 1-2 feet from the ground .
· Prune summer flowering shrubs such as Caryopteris and Buddleia.
· Many evergreen shrubs can be cut back hard in late February if they have become overgrown, such as Mahonia and Camellia, some cannot as they will not re- grow; if in doubt seek advice first.
· Divide and replant snowdrops when the flowers fade but while the leaves are green.
· Cut back grasses and other perennials before growth gets under way.
· Start dahlia and begonia tubers into growth by planting in compost, keeping moist and above 10 degC.
· Prune indoor Passiflora and Plumbago.
· Shorten fuchsias to one or two buds.
· Sow sweet peas and annuals in pots or modules.
· Service lawn mowers and start mowing if the weather is mild and grass growth well under way. Start with the blades set high.
· Apply granules of controlled release fertiliser to permanently planted containers.
