January & February in the Garden

Write an article on what readers should be doing in the garden during January & February, she said – I didn’t have time to answer, the phone went dead.

Working in the garden this time of year, they must be masochists! The men in white coats will be along soon! I suppose we could all light a bonfire, put our chairs around and all sing carols – bit early in the year for that I know! Lets all sit on our chairs, be very still and the first one to freeze is out. Better still lets all go indoors, sit in front of the fire, glass in hand and talk about anything but the garden.

I sat thinking, should I remind her, even bears sleep through the winter, I know for sure I’ve never seen one in my garden at this time of year. Anyway, down to business . . . . . . . . .

We hear a lot of talk of global warming and if this really is happening we can help, in our own small way and counteract emissions by planting – especially trees.

Of course there are hundreds of spectacular trees, but substantially less for the standard, modern garden due to size restrictions. The Malus or Crab Apple has wonderful springtime flowers followed by the fruits in autumn which colour up from yellow through orange to a deep red. The Prunus or Flowering Cherry has an abundance of beautiful, delicate springtime flowers; many species having coloured foliage in spring and again in autumn. Lastly, the Sorbus or Mountain Ash also known as Rowan is a spring flowering tree with wonderful autumn colours to the leaves, and coloured fruits ranging from white yellow, pink to red. Many of these remaining on the tree long after the leaves have dropped. Ancient folklore recommends one in every garden to ward off witches!

Listed below is a selection of trees ideally suited to the smaller garden:-

•    MALUS FLORIBUNDA or JAPANESE CRAB – flowers pale blush, fruits red and yellow.
•    MALUS JOHN DOWNIE – this is the best fruiting crab apple, good for jelly. Flowers white, fruits orange/red.
•    MALUS RED JADE – Weeping tree with pink & white flowers and red fruits.
•    MALUS GOLDEN HORNET – White flowers with bright yellow fruits
•    PRUNUS ACCOLADE – Graceful habit with a profusion of pink flowers in April.
•    PRUNUS KIKU SHIDARE ZAKURA “CHEALS WEEPING” – Bronze young leaves with rose pink flowers.
•    PRUNUS SUBHIRTELLA AUTUMNALIS – Semi-double white flowers from November to March.
•    PRUNUS PANDORA – Shell pink flowers. Coloured foliage in spring and again in autumn.
•    SORBUS CASHMIRIANA – Pink flowers in May with fruits white or pink flushed retained long after leaf drop.
•    SORBUS EMBLEY – Leaves copper when young, bright red in autumn, white flowers and red fruits.
•    SORBUS JOSEPH ROCK – White flowers, yellow fruits, leaves with beautiful autumn colours remaining long after leaf fall.
•    SORBUS VILMORINII – Fern like foliage, turning to red in autumn, fruits pink, then white – a charming species.

Add a tree to a garden and the eye is immediately drawn to it. There aren’t many sights more beautiful than a tree in bloom and now is the time to plant. Most garden centres will have a good selection of container grown trees, and if you look for one 2-2.5 metres high (about 6-8 ft) this will create an instant impact and is just manageable to manoeuvre into place unaided. For those of you brave enough to visit an old fashioned nursery, you need to ask for a 6-8cm girth tree, and you will get more of a bargain if you buy bareroot or openground, meaning they have been grown in the ground ( as opposed to a pot) and more often than not, lifted directly for you! Remember you will also need a stake and tie, and then you are all set to go.

When ready to plant, lay a sheet of polythene on the ground alongside the planting hole or tree pit and put the soil onto this as you dig out. Break up the bottom of the hole and extend the sides to accept the rootball with plenty of clearance all round. Remove the container and place the tree in the hole, making sure it is at the same depth as it was previously growing, and backfill with soil, heeling in firmly all round the trunk. Bang in the stake, fix the tie, and you’re done.

If the ground is frosty you can still plant, just remove the frost crust 5-7cms (2-3”) and set to one side, plant as directed and replace frost crust on top again. We can always topdress with a fertiliser in the spring. This is the ideal job for this time of year and will give pleasure for years to come.

The men at the front door in white coats – they must have the wrong address!!
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Written by John Odell