Winter is here!

The garden can be the last thing on a lot of people’s mind once December arrives but there is always something to be done to keep on top of it.

Plant bare root hedging and trees

Now is the best time to plant bare-root hedging. Bare-root plants such as beech are ideal during the dormant season as they’re cheap and easy to plant.

Prepare your site by digging approximately 30 cm either side of the hedge line. Remove any weeds around the site and apply bone meal fertiliser to allow for root growth.

Protect Your Plants

Place cloches or fleeces over any tender plants that are vulnerable to the cold to provide them with some extra protection from the frost.

Look after the birds

Birds really rely on our kindness when the harsh conditions start kicking in. Stock up on peanuts, seed, and fat balls to keep them fed throughout December. Clean your bird feeder and put out water every day.

Plant Winter Bedding Plants

Planting winter bedding plants can be a fantastic way of fill your garden with colour throughout the winter, and is really easy to do.

Cyclamens and primroses are both great to use as bedding plants in December and both create a fantastic colourful display.

If you’re planting winter bedding plants in pots, make sure there is good drainage. It’s a good idea to fill the pot with broken pieces of another flowerpot or pebbles for extra drainage.

Shake your trees!

If we are lucky enough to get a white Christmas, make sure to shake snow off branches every so often. Although the snow on branches create a lovely view, the weight of the snow can damage stems and branches.

However, you can ignore snow on low-lying plants, as the snow actually helps them by acting as a blanket and protects them against particularly hard frosts.

Get in Touch!

If you have any questions about your December garden contact us on social media- @CountryLifeGC (Links in footer). If you have a specific problem such as pest damage it’s really helpful to send us a picture- we’d love to help!