December Tips in the chilly North!

With Christmas and New Year celebrations the leading events on the agenda, it’s not many people’s idea of a time to be spent in the garden; not to mention the lack of sun and the chill in the air! That said, there are still plenty of things that can still be done that will enhance your enjoyment of your garden and will set you up for a stunning New Year display.

Lawns

· Once the temperature hits about 5C, most lawns will go dormant and stop growing until the spring. If it does need a final trim, make sure that it’s not cut as tight as in the summer by raising the blades on the mower and cutting on a dry and frost free day.

· Any leaves that are still falling will need to be removed from the lawn to stop bare patches next year.

· Have the lawn edges re-cut and any damaged areas repaired.

Landscaping

Most plants are dormant now so the garden can cope well with any major moves or redeployments of your favourite specimens. As a lot of the summer foliage will have died back or been cut back by now, it’s a good time to think about any landscaping or hard maintenance that you’d like your gardener to do.

· If it’s dry you can touch up the fence in areas that were under foliage in the summer.

· Pressure wash decking or stone slabs to remove any green algae as this can get slippery in the ice and wet.

Pruning, Weeding and Overwintering

The flush of autumn colours has taken the last of the summer display so December is mostly a ‘tidy-up’ month. Tender flowers such as tuber begonias and dahlias won’t survive outside in British conditions so will need storing inside over the colder months.

· Any spring hard pruning shrubs such as Buddleja can be trimmed by half to prevent wind damage.

· Any corms or bulbs that are sensitive to waterlogged or cold conditions such as gladioli may also need lifting and storing.

December might not be the most rewarding or pretty month in your garden, but there’s still plenty to keep your gardener busy to make sure that you have the longest display season next year. If you need help with any of the above, or more specific advice on any of the points, please feel free to get in touch.