Norfolk School of Gardening: Christmas Gardening Tips
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas, no matter where you were or what you did.
By the time you read this, you might be feeling a bit over the festive treats, but there's still plenty to do in the garden.
Here's a list of tasks to keep you busy and your garden looking its best during the quieter days after the holidays.
The First Day of Christmas: Tidy with Care
Start by removing any dead annuals, rotting stems, and diseased plants. But remember, less is more! Seedheads, hollow stems, and fallen leaves provide shelter for insects and food for birds, so leave them as natural winter homes.
The Second Day of Christmas: Protect Your Garden
Check your winter protection measures. Strong winds and heavy rain can damage covers, so inspect plants like tree ferns, bananas, salvias, and newly planted shrubs. Ensure your covers are secure but allow air circulation to prevent rot. Remember, a little protection goes a long way!
The Third Day of Christmas: Soil Maintenance
Frozen or waterlogged ground needs your respect. Walking on it can damage soil structure. On milder days, add compost or well-rotted manure to empty beds. This simple act of surface mulching nourishes soil organisms and enhances fertility without the need for digging.
The Fourth Day of Christmas: Pruning Fruit Trees
Now is the time to prune dormant fruit trees like apples, pears, currants, and gooseberries. Remove crossing branches and create an open, balanced structure for better air circulation. Leave stone fruits like plums and cherries for summer pruning.
The Fifth Day of Christmas: Bird-Friendly Garden
Birds are your friends! Clean feeders regularly to prevent diseases and offer a mix of seeds, fats, and fresh water. Feeding birds brings life to your garden and ensures their presence in the spring, helping with natural pest control.
The Sixth Day of Christmas: Garden Walk and Observe
Take a leisurely walk through your garden and notice the subtle changes. Where does the frost settle? Where does water accumulate? Identify plants that provide structure and interest during winter. Winter reveals hidden patterns, offering valuable insights for the coming year.
These initial six days focus on maintenance rather than major changes, tending to the quiet beauty that will support your garden's growth when spring arrives.
Upcoming Gardening Courses
- Introduction to Garden Design: Starting January 8th
- Certificate in Practical Horticulture: Starting January 9th
- Advanced Practical Gardening: January 14th
- Chainsaw Use & Cross Cutting: February 25th
Plant of the Week: Mistletoe
This week, we highlight mistletoe (Viscum album), an evergreen, semi-parasitic shrub. It feeds on both the host tree and sunlight. Common hosts include apple, lime, poplar, and conifers. Mistletoe is harmless, so no need to remove it. You can even grow your own by harvesting seeds from fresh berries in spring and placing them under bark flaps on suitable trees.
For more gardening tips and updates, visit www.norfolkschoolofgardening.co.uk or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
