BRHS - Burton Rossett Horticultural Society Gardening News

By EssentialsMAG gardening contributor CAROL EDWARDS

While it seems that nothing is possible in our gardens at the moment, there are a number of jobs we can tackle to help us in the coming year. It’s getting ready for Spring really, and it helps us a lot. It is certainly a good thing to start on, isn’t it? The bulbs are beginning to show in one of my tulip pots, which cheers me up.

If you are intending to sow any seeds this year, organise them now. Sort them into planting dates - get yourself a box with dividers - and file your packets by dates as they need to go in. When the season starts you will be a lot more efficient with your time and preparation.

There is still pruning to do as well. Ornamental grasses, that have finished making growth, can be cut down now to the ground and will grow again in the summer.

Cornus and Salix which are grown for their colourful stems can be cut down to the bases. Clematis, which are summerflowering, can be pruned towards the end of the month. This applies to the group 2 type - most gardening books have a list of these for your reference.

If you have any overwintered fuchsias, they can be pruned back now to one or two buds on each shoot. Do check on their care to be safe.

I have a winter-flowering jasmine in my garden and it needs pruning at this time of the year, after flowering, to encourage new growth for next year’s blooms. You can cut back the previous year’s growth to 5cm from the old wood.

Trim winter-flowering Heathers as the flowers disappear, to prevent the plants becoming leggy.

Prune winter-flowering shrubs, for example, Mahonia or Viburnum Bodantenese once they have finished flowering.

Snowdrops can be lifted now and divided.

In the veg garden, it is a good time to make raised beds before the growing season starts.

Don’t forget to feed the birds will you? They need our help to get through the rest of the winter.