BY SALLY EDWARDS
Now is the time to protect the ones you love! This might be Chertsey and not the Arctic Circle but some plants can suffer greatly from cold snaps, so pull on those wellies and give the gift of love to your garden.
Perhaps don’t just blow ‘em and throw ‘em? Clear leaves from lawns, borders and ponds but consider keeping some aside. You can make some incredible mulch (especially from maple, birch, beech, fruit and nut trees) and keep some aside for insulating pots: put the pot into a larger container and fill the space between with dry mulch. Top off the soil with lots of extra insulating mulch too. Or use old bubble wrap! If you still have leaves left – ask friends if they would like some to compost.
Raise a glass of Christmas cheer to your pots! To prevent pots from waterlogging, there are lots of hacks for pot feet: you can use wine corks (if you have lots of pots you may have a task ahead!), or saw up rings from plastic piping, paint stones or bricks and even make your own concrete moulds. I bought ‘Corgi’ feet from the Chelsea Flower Show. You be the judge. Move your pots to a porch or area sheltered from high winds and rain. Thin out any pot plants that are dead – it’s not very feng shui in your beautiful home so force yourself to change it now and you’ll feel the benefit later.
We all know the Spring Clean but remember the Winter Wipe. Clean everything to reduce damp and disease. Winterise ponds, fountains, outdoor taps and garden hoses. I had one frost crack (frack?) because I was lazy – never again! Prune roses to reduce ‘windrock’ and if you have holly, harvest it for Christmas garlands before the birds eat the berries! You can use holly to ‘ecorate’ your home (like decorate but planet friendly). Top giftwrap with a sprig of holly and make table centrepieces combining winter twigs, berries and decorations.
Exhausted yet? Take your time and recognise the worth of what you are doing. Soon you can truly batten down the hatches and have yourself a merry little Christmas. Gardening, on any scale, has been a truly wonderful refuge for people over this year of Covid and has created a feeling of usefulness, happiness and independence. And I know I am constantly learning and enjoying the challenges it brings. Merry Christmas and keep it growing!