Gardening Tips
Your fortnightly gardening tips for indoors and outdoors |
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Taps and Pipes. Lag all outside pipes and taps and drain
if possible to prevent freezing damage in winter. Drain the hoose pipe and take it into a
frost-free shed for the winter.
Hedges. Deciduous hedges can be planted between now and March, but the soil for new
plantings should be prepared as soon as possible. Dig two spits deep and incorporate
plenty of organic material such as old manure or well-rotted garden compost.
Christmas Gift. Shrubs make great Christmas presents, but may not be very festive. Dress
them up by potting into an attractive tub. They will thrive in pots for several years and
can then be planted out in the garden. Most evergreens are ideal gifts, especially
aucubas, skimmias and hollies, but deciduous shrubs such as winter honeysuckles,
callicarpas, witch hazels and corkscrew hazels, can be dressed up with gold bells and
bows. Choose a frost-proof container. Use loam-based compost such as John Innes. No 3 and
place crocks over the drainage holes. Then add compost. Soak the plant in its pot in a
bucket of water, and allow draining. Position the plant so that the top of the rootball is
about 1in (2.5cm) below the rim. Add more compost around, firming gently as you fill. Give
the pot a good watering and place it in a sheltered place, out of cold winds. You could
add extra colour with some winter pansies and bulbs. It is too late to buy and plant most
bulbs, but you can still plant dwarf tulips. A planting of ivy or other ground cover
disguises the bare compost.
Pruning. Shorten the shoots of fast-growing, late-summer flowering shrubs such as
buddleias and lavateras to prevent the stems being broken in the winter.
Cacti. These will need little water at this time, but do need good light to thrive. Most
prefer cool conditions in winter to help stimulate flowering and 45f (7c) is ideal.
Chrysanthemums. Early, outdoor varieties should be lifted and stored in a cold frame, in
boxes, or trays, over winter to prevent cold damaging the crowns and to protect them from
slugs. |
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| Embarrassing
Stories |
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| I once mentioned in conversation when I was at Windsor
Castle, to a chap sweeping the floor, that it would be good to see one of the Royals doing
it. I was later informed that I had been talking to Prince Edward! |
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Cubs
Cake Stall
13 Dec
at
Whistlestop
Raising funds for the Scout Group |
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RENTED
SHERINGHAM £380 pcm
Unfurnished 1 bed brick & flint cottage close to Beeston Common with parking
GRESHAM 420 pcm
Unfurnished single storey barn
conversion in peaceful village setting. Oil fired central heating, garden and parking
SHERINGHAM £475 pcm
3 bed house with gas central heating, double glazing, garage & garden
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