In the Garden ~ January

to help families with essential items: food, energy cards & tokens to pay fuel bills. And don’t forget, residents can ‘self-refer’ to the Alresford or Winchester Basics banks too. County Councillor Jackie Porter Jackie.porter@hants.gov.uk Tel/text 07973 696 085 Website www.jackieporter.co.uk

So Christmas is over for another year, and the tree and decorations can be taken down after the 6th.

Our holly berries were devoured by the fieldfares and redwings over a weekend in mid November, they seem to arrive earlier each year and have terrible scuffles with the resident blackbirds.

I read an article in December about the tree seedlings that spring up under hedges or in flowerbeds in the garden. I often come across holly and yew seedlings in the flowerbed. These should be nurtured and eventually replanted in the garden where possible, or given to friends. However I wouldn’t advise keeping sycamore or ash, unless you have a field to plant them in!

There is not a lot to do in the garden this month, especially if it’s cold and the ground hard. Ή Use up the remains of last years’ liquid tomato feed by fortnightly feeding indoor flowering plants. Ή Re-pot any lilies that have been in the same container for 3 years or more. Use

John Innes No 3, with 20% added leaf mould or multi-purpose compost. Ή Plant new container-grown roses into the ground if the weather is mild. Ή Cut back last seed heads of agapanthus and iris sibirica, taking care with big border sedums in case you damage the new shoots. Ή Prune established Rugosa roses, cutting close to ground level the very oldest shoots and the skinniest shoots, and halving the remainder. Ή Continue pruning fruit trees, feed with sulphate of potash Ή Tough deciduous hedges such as hawthorn or privet can be hard pruned in mild weather but leave if possible the ivy fruit for another month to feed the birds. Ή If the ground is dry and there is no frost you could mow the lawn on a high setting. Ή Cut down autumn fruiting raspberries to ground level Ή Force rhubarb by covering plants with a cloche or upturned pot. Ή Sow sweet peas indoors in 3 inch pots, autumn sown seedling can be potted on now. Ή Clean pots and seed trays for the coming season, check gardening implements are clean and apply some oil where necessary.

CK