'Garden Column - January 2008'

Transform Bleak Areas With Winter Colour.

Now that 2008 has started it is time to regain control of the wondrous wilderness outside the back door.
Gardens can look so bleak and depressing at the turn of the New Year. Though you have the power and hopefully the money left on the credit card to do this. Several plants can transform the garden giving winter colour and improving the garden.
Which plant to consider can be a tricky question?
If your patio looks bleak then why not get some Camellia�s and place them into containers. Camellia�s prefer to grow in ericaceous compost and will grow in any sheltered aspect as long as it isn�t east facing.
If your borders look dull then why not place some Hellebore�s, winter flowering heathers, winter pansies or Viburnum tinus (Laurustinus) to gain some extra colour.
Wall spaces can also need something exciting happening to them, why not plant Jasminum nudiflorum (Winter Jasmine), Garrya elliptica (Tassel bush) or even one of the many varieties Clematis cirrhosa (Winter flowering Clematis).
One thing to consider if planting at this time of the year is ensure that there is no, I repeat no frost present in the soil as this can damage the plants. Also break up the soil as much as possible and add plenty of organic matter to give your plants a good start.
So stop reading this article and get out in the great outdoors and work off some of those extra calories gained over the festive period.

Sterilise and repair greenhouses.

If you tend to only use your greenhouse for growing on a few bedding plants and for growing your crop of tomatoes then whilst its quiet empty out all the junk you�ve shoved into the building for winter and make sure that the whole greenhouse is sterilised and scrubbed using Jeyes Fluid or Citrox.
In all the nooks and crannies removing the dirt can seem an impossible task but it can easily be solved by using a plant label and hopefully ping the dirt and grime into oblivion.
Once the glazing has been scrubbed clean check all clips, nuts and bolts are secure and tightened. If any glazing panel is cracked or damaged remove and replace as you don�t want the panel to give way later on in the season and damaged your hard earned toils.

Start sowing.

It�s time to blow the dust of the propagator and give it a good clean and start sowing.
There are various seeds which can be sown this month. Everything from half-hardy annuals like Petunia�s and Salvia�s to hardy annuals like Sweet Peas through to hardy perennials like Aquilegia and Hollyhocks, as well as vegetable seeds such as lettuce, onions and greenhouse tomatoes.
The main thing to remember for good germination is to insure that the seedlings have some bottom heat. So for better germination insure that you use a heated propagator. Also make sure the chill is taken off the compost so bring in your bag of compost inside the night before as there is nothing more infuriating than having opened your packet of seed and finding the compost is frozen solid.
Also read the packets before sowing as some seeds need a spell in the fridge before sowing and some may need no bottom heat at all. Sow thinly so it is easier to prick out.
As soon as seeds have germinated and are large enough to handle then waste no time in pricking out and transplanting on.
It can be a fiddly job. Take care in handling your new additions to your stocks, pricking out into sterilised pots or trays depending on the particular variety and size of seedling.
Some seeds will germinate sporadically but prick out the ones which are ready and wait patiently for the rest to germinate.