Trees, Shrubs and Roses
- Check on young trees to ensure that they are not developing bad forking habits and remove one side of a fork if necessary. It is easy to see these problems now that the leaves are gone.
- Prune the lower branches off garden trees, though not cherries, to allow light to reach lower plants.
- Delay tree planting if the ground is very wet because the ground drainage can be affected in the root zone and this can lead to heavy losses.
- Roses can be pruned at any time, and new bushes or climbers planted too.
Flowers
- Put out a few pansies or winter cyclamen for a bit of colour in containers or use some evergreen plants to give life to the garden close to the house entrance.
- Division and re-planting of perennials can be carried out in reasonably dry weather, not too frosty as many flowers react very badly to being moved into cold, wet ground.
- If the tops of ‘perennial’ flowers have become too damaged by the weather, they should be taken off and composted.
Lawn
- Ground can be very wet and a lawn can only be mowed if the soil is firm.
- Lawn moss can be treated with sulphate of iron in settled weather.
- The edges to beds and borders should be trimmed if there is a chance to freshen the look of the garden.
Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs
- Overgrown herb plants can be cut back or divided and re-planted.
- Fruit tree pruning can be carried out, except on plums and cherries.
- Fruit trees and bushes can be planted at any time if the soil is not too wet.
- Compost heaps can be dug out and the compost spread on vegetable ground or for digging in.
Greenhouse and House Plants
- Water very little to reduce the risk of grey mould disease and ventilate a little on a dry sunny day.
- Keep tender plants off the ground on a bench and give them good light.
- Wash down the glass or polythene to increase light transmission and this improves plant health.
