Late Winter Plans for 2013

Well after finally getting some dry weather I have managed to get in the garden and start getting something done. Lots of tidying to be done, but made a start yesterday by cleaning up the patio area and then I moved down to my 'perennial' corner and chopped back some of the dead growth from last year as new growth is already emerging and quite advanced in some cases (I have left dead growth on a couple of slightly tender things to help protect against any frost that we might get).

In the coming days and weeks I have a bit to do;

• finish cleaning up around the perennials and removing dead growth
• fertilise and mulch perennials and shrubs with the compost from last year's growbags
• dig in the rotted horse manure that's been piled up on the veg patch since last autumn
• hopefully create an area for my tropicals (cannas etc) in a sheltered spot on the patio
• start sowing seeds (indoors)

Now please Mother Nature be kind and hold off with anymore rain for a few weeks so I've got half a chance of getting the garden ready for the spring/summer

 

Had another couple of hours out there yesterday, managed to finish tidying up the perennials and dug the rotted horse poop into the veg patch. Good sign there was the abundant number of worms present below the manure; there were hundreds of them

The not so good sign was that one side of the veg patch was still very soggy and squelchy, where as the other side had clearly drained away a lot better and was no wetter than expected for the time of year. Still plenty of time for it to dry out a bit yet.....providing we don't have lots more rain that is

 

Hi all and Happy New Year 2013!
It's a great and inspiring thread, Bilbo!
Though writing about all I have on my mind will take me no less than two days...
We have been under snow here from early December onwards, so it makes a month since I did all I did in the garden.
I must admit it was done in desperate rushes between my routine jobs, BUT, to a satisfactory degree nontheless. Only I had no time to describe the process.

1. I lifted and tagged dahlia bulbs, which are already safely stored in a cool cellar.
2. I lifted all the annuals and harvested seed. I'm still waiting for some seed orders to be delivered and I will make a full inventory of what stocks I have (it'll be a mess! )
3. Trimmed some late-flowering shrubs, and, oh, a nasty detail: shrubs, which had established had shed lots of leaves (where I never had to clean them before! );
4. Planted the newly ordered roses, which arrived on time. However, there were 28 named bare root roses, which I received too late to plant. I had to dig a ditch in the summer greenhouse, water, lay the roses at a slant, spread the roots carefully (without trimming ends) and cover with cow manure, sand and soil. Then I watered again, piled up additional soil to cover the graft knots and most of the canes, and wrapped the entire ditch with two layers of polythene, pressing the edges with more soil and some stones.
I have 'cemented' them, hope they don't flower in mid-February!

5. Planed about 1000 bulbs. I was almost too late with that as I was back from abroad and it had rained like hell here, so I waited and hoped for some dry weather, but only to hear that snow was on the forecast. What saved me, was that I had tagged all of my tulips for colour, height, flower shape and flowering time, so I had an idea where I wanted them. For the newly ordered bulbs, next to their varietal name on the list, I had the position for planting.

As I ran with the sheet of paper in my hand and a packet of bulbs in the other, it began to snow heavily and the place was covered with a 3-cm layer in about half an hour! I planted the last batches of bulbs digging snow and soil (and I lost one of my little shovels, it's under the snow somewhere... ).

One of the combinations, for which I'd wait impatiently this spring, will be a tuft of heucheras and heucherellas laced around a bunch of large electric-blue and yellow crocuses. I've also ordered additional heucheras, ferns and brunneras, which will be here in March.

6. I piled soil, manure and dry leaves or capped (if needed) with large 10-litre plastic bottles all plants/rosettes/seedlings which need to be overwintered.

7. Earlier, in September, I painted the children's slide, which my husband had made for our daughter, when she was a kid. It has been my improvised toolshed for a while and now I've promoted it to that function officially, but it will also be a support for climbing plants.



8. I think I arrived at the 'final concept' of the garden as I wish it to be. But now this has to be worked into practice. With all the digging, paths, fence decorating and, eventually, a watering system, it will take a couple of seasons to complete infrastructurally. And a lifetime to enjoy and maintain.

9. I gave myself a Christmas treat by ordering 20 new varieties of rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas. My local climate of cool summers, the acidic soils, lots of natural water and pine-overgrown shady forestland is just perfect for them. They will arrive in pots in early spring. If all is right, they have to be in bud and you have no idea how irresistibly beautiful they are! I'll show and share...

 

So good to hear from you Angelina, it all looks and sounds very exciting - once your snow has melted
did the oxalis corms that I sent you arrive safely?
Happy New Year,
Jenny namaste

 

Hi Jenny, awfully and wholeheartedly for the oxalis. I wrote you a comprehensive PM on the subject.

I'd gladly read about your gardening PLANS for 2013.

I also find it very exciting to plan. (Once we escaped the end of the world..., my potential to plunge into the future is now unleashed).

 

I wrote you a comprehensive PM on the subject.

Sorry Angelina,
I can't remember getting your PM. Please can you re send?
Jenny