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Let's face it – most people don't venture
out into the garden this month, unless it's to cut evergreens for
Christmas decorations or to put out bird food. December weather is
often cold, wet and windy. There may even be snow. Winter jasmine
is a star performer, covering its green shoots with starry yellow
flowers. However dismal the weather, hopefully you can still enjoy
your garden from the warmth of your living room.
ESSENTIAL JOBS CHECKLIST FOR
DECEMBER
- Store terracotta pots in a shed unless
you're sure they're frost-resistant
- Line your greenhouse with bubble-wrap for
insulation
- Move houseplants off windowsills at night
- Send off for lots of seed and plant
catalogues
Last Chance To…
Do your Christmas shopping!
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TOPICAL TIPS FOR DECEMBER
- If you're feeling energetic get out and
do a bit of digging. Start a programme of conditioning and
improving your soil. To do this successfully you need first to
find out what sort of soil you've got, whether it's acid,
neutral or alkaline, whether it's sandy, peaty, stony, loamy
or sticky with clay. If you're new to gardening ask your
neighbours. Buy a soil testing kit – this will measure the
acidity of your soil. Any soil will benefit from having
organic matter added so while you're digging add plenty of J
Arthur Bower's Farm Manure.
- As long as the weather remains dry you
can continue planting evergreens
- Clear up any fallen leaves and cut back
perennials if you haven't already done so
- Curl up in front of the fire with lots of
colourful catalogues to give you lots of ideas for next year
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- Bare-rooted roses can be planted this
month. Follow the instructions for planting given in our Quick
Tips
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- Clean your lawn mower. When spring comes
you'll be glad you did
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- Save energy and keep your greenhouse warm
by lining it with bubble pack
- Potted azaleas need to be watered with
rainwater. Feed them weekly with J Arthur Bower's Liquid
Ericaceous Feed and stand them on damp gravel. When they form
buds you can take them into the house if your prefer but
continue to treat them in the same way. They do prefer to be
kept on the cool side.
- You may think pests are dead or
hibernating but unfortunately whitefly and greenfly find
greenhouse very congenial all the year round. Be on the
lookout for them and spray as necessary
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- Trees and shrubs can be planted in
containers in fine weather. For permanent plantings like these
choose J Arthur Bower's John Innes No. 3 or John Innes
Ericaceous Compost.
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- Clear away the remains of old crops and
put them on your compost heap. Remember to add Garotta
biological compost maker every 15 cm (6 inches)
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- Protect bay in very cold weather or if
it's in a container move it to a sheltered spot
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- Take hardwood cuttings of currants and
gooseberries. The cuttings should be about 25-30 cm (10-12
inches) long and should be buried in a trench in the open
ground to about half their length
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- Keep an area in pools and ponds ice-free
to stop the build-up of gases that could harm wildlife. Never
smash the ice. Melt it by standing a pan of boiling water on
it.
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- Now's the time of year to sow those seeds
that require exposure to the frost to promote germination. Use
small pots of John Innes seed compost with added grit where
required and cover the seeds with Silvaperl Grit Sand. Stand
the pots out of the sun.
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NEED MORE HELP?
Look at our information pages. The aim is to
cut out the mystique that surrounds many common tasks, and to
explain in a simple way, why and how to do them. This way, we hope
to help you enjoy your garden more, and get the best out of it.
Under each topic, you'll also find a guide
to the wide range of J Arthur Bower's products available to help
you with that particular task. The choice is yours.
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