Gardening tips! & a big thank you to our customers & brave readers!

[Gardenman]

I know, I know. You're sitting by the fire, watching the telly, with a glass of something nice in your hand & this annoying man keeps reminding you to get up & do stuff with your garden while it's freezing outside!!!! Well someone's got to do it! More of that later. So back to the plot, or the garden!

1. As said, it's cold out there, so protect your soft plants & shrubs, by taking them in if you can, bringing them closer to the house or protecting them with a horticultural fleece.

Don't walk on the lawn if there's a frost or it snows. I know I'm a killjoy, but it's my job to tell you

2. Simple. Get those bloomin leaves off your lawn. You'll be calling me in spring to lay a new one otherwise!!

3. Feed your little birds. Away from the cats & with the fat balls & seeds you can now get easily in the supermarkets pet shops, & nurseries.

4. Lift your terracotta pots & containers off the ground to stop them from cracking.

5. Prune roses hard back to a bud, especially if they are tall, as this will prevent wind rock. It's also a very good time to plant new roses, but not on the site of diseased roses you have removed. Add a good manure mulch to protect & feed the roots. Prune your deciduous ( leaf dropping) trees, shrubs & hedges, tying them in if needed.

6. It's also a good time to plant & transplant hedges, large & semi mature trees & shrubs. Again, make sure you protect the roots with a manure mulch or straw.

7. Cut back grasses, bamboo & herbaceous perennials. Lift Dahlias,Cannas & Begonias, put them in a paper bag in a dry shed.

Still with me?? Well done. Not much more to go!

8. Put grease bands around your fruit trees to prevent damage from moths & other insects.

9. Insulate taps, take off & store water meters & put a plastic ball or two in your ponds to prevent freezing. The pond, not you!

10. You can still lay turf at this time, but seed will not take. Use an Autumn feed with potassium & phosphorus to give hardiness & good root growth.

That's it. You can go back to sleep now 💤. If you prefer to stay in that comfy chair, remember, there are hungry gardeners out there, happy to do it for you. It is also a very good time of year to do project & design work in order you have a lovely garden for spring & we aren't all too busy. Remember to use the well recommended gardeners off the forum & not someone who doesn't know what they're doing, like the builders who put in a lawn for a customer of mine to save money. Despite advice, they failed to take out a ton of clay, laid no topsoil & failed to put in any drainage!!

I don't build houses & I don't expect builders to design & build gardens!

To all my customers this very busy year, my team & I thank you for the work & wish you all a very happy Christmas & well done for reading all the way to the end!!

Nigel

Exterior Design Gardens

07961888253

Sunderland Court

Lordship Lane

SE22

[Gardenman]

I forgot to mention, this is the best time of year to get your trees pruned. All the leaves are all over your lawns, so much easier & less weight to take away. Again, give well recommended tree surgeons off the forum a call. They could do with the work too.

[edcam]

Good tips but it's better to prune roses in late January. I've learned this through many years of trial and error.

[Gardenman]

I have just taken on a new garden designer offering more classic style designs, than my contemporary & low maintenance designs to offer a better service. As a consequence, we will be offering a free consultation & design service for January & February.

We are as previously posted offering a free days maintenance if you have any older & frail neighbours who are unable to maintain their gardens anymore & are open to this being done for them this winter.

Nigel

[Gardenman]

Just a note to thank all of our customers for the work they have given us & to wish everyone on the forum a very happy & peaceful Christmas & a wonderful New Year filled with happiness & joy

Nigel & all of the team at Exterior Design Gardens

Remember, this can be a stressful time of year, so look after each other 😊

[Upright]

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