Maggie Baldwin shares seasonal tips for preparing the garden for winter, from caring for hibernating wildlife to choosing festive greenery and keeping Christmas trees looking their best.
Another gardening year is almost over and it’s time to sit back and take stock of the successes and failures of the season and plan for next year. A quiet afternoon sorting through your seed packets can be rewarding. Parsnip and lettuce seed have a short storage life and for best results buy fresh seed each year. Open packets of seed can deteriorate and lead to mixed results with germination, although there are always surprises. I’m sure I can’t be the only one who has emptied the dregs of a seed packet on to the soil, only to find seedlings happily growing a few weeks later!
If you are tidying up in the shed, greenhouse or garden, look out for hibernating frogs, toads and ladybirds. Be careful not to disturb them; they’ll be helping to eliminate pests in your garden or allotment in the spring.
Whilst tidying in the garden, keep an eye out for snails which cluster together at this time of the year under water butts, close to sheds and in crannies, and remove them. The common garden snail is a speedy creature and can move 55m (60yd) an hour, but I doubt you’ll be chasing them around your garden!
With Christmas approaching, it’s time to think about festive greenery and a tree. If you decide on a growing tree, don’t bring it indoors too early. Leave it in the shed or garage until nearer the day, place it away from direct heat and hopefully there won’t be too many needles to vacuum up.
Holly, ivy and other seasonal greenery are best brought indoors a few days before the big day so they still look fresh through the holiday period. A pot of narcissus or hyacinths is beautifully cheering and the scent can fill a room.
Thetford is lucky to have a long established gardening club that meet at Thetford Methodist Church. Thetford Garden and Allotment Club holds various annual shows including handicrafts and baking throughout the year. New members are always welcome. It’s an excellent opportunity to share ideas, learn from experienced gardeners and meet like-minded people. For information on Thetford Garden and Allotment Club please contact Yvonne at: yvonnerout@gmail.com
Merry Christmas! Maggie Baldwin
