Gardener’s Diary – December 2013

GET SET FOR CHRISTMAS

Plants, bulbs, seeds and garden equipment make great, practical presents; whether for the experienced gardener or for those just starting out. A popular gift is an amaryllis bulb, available as a lovely gift set.

LIGHT IT UP

Garden lighting is a must as the winter nights draw in. Don’t forget to hang some for the festive season. Lighting is a great way to transform a room or outdoor area instantly from gloom to glam! Delicate strings are perfect for windows, mirrors and around doors. Small battery powered light sets make lovely arrangements when bunched together in glass lanterns. A set of three different sized lanterns with lights make great focal points for bare corners, fireplaces and window sills.

It’s not just for Christmas! Lighting for indoors and outdoors can be used again and again for occasions such as weddings, parties or simply to make an area look pretty!

GET YOUR SLEDGE READY

Don’t wait for the snow! Have your sledge ready so you don’t miss out on the fun. We have some great items that will make playing in the snow even better from traditional wooden Davos sledges and snowball makers to winter gloves and wellies! These also make wonderful gifts.

BE PREPARED FOR THE ICE

Rock salt, snow shovels and windscreen protectors are a must if you want to be safe this winter. We have many snow shovels available, but if you are short on space, we would recommend the telescopic emergency snow shovel. This shovel is perfect to keep in a cupboard or in the boot of your car.

PROTECT PONDS DURING WINTER

Cover the pond with a pond net to protect from autumn leaves and hungry herons and don’t forget a pond heater. Pond heaters are recommended for protection against the frost. If your pond freezes over completely, gases and toxins will build up under the ice causing harm to your fish. A pond heater simply leaves a small area of water unfrozen for these gases to escape. See – Bermuda pond heater, Oase IceFree 20 and Hozelock pond heater.

CLEAN WATER BUTTS

Now is the time to give your water butts a clean. Empty out the old water, scrub the inside to remove any algae and clean with a suitable disinfectant such as Jeyes fluid. If your water butt gets filled up with rainwater from a greenhouse or gutter, it is worth giving these a good clean as well. Don’t forget to clean the greenhouse glass so the fresh water is free of dirt and algae. Doing this now will allow enough time for the water butt to fill up over winter. Once full, it is a good idea to add a biological additive such as Refresh or even Jeyes fluid to prevent algae and to stop unpleasant smells.

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Come down to the Garden Centre and visit our Christmas shop for gifts, decorations and winter fun! We have fresh and bushy real Christmas trees and a large selection of lifelike artificial trees.

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Published December 4th, 2013 by Joshua. Article ref 1727

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