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*GARDENING TIPS FOR JANUARY 2012*

ON THE GARDENING FRONT JANUARY IS A VERY QUIET MONTH.

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MICK’S TIPS

GENERAL JOBS    REPAIR AND PAINT ANY WOODEN STRUCTURES AROUND THE GARDEN AREA. THE WINTER IS A GOOD TIME TO TREAT FENCE PANELS WHEN THE PANELS ARE DRY AND ANY FOLIAGE BY THEM HAS DIED DOWN IN THE WINTER.

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WINTER HARVEST     LEEKS, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, PARSNIPS, WINTER CABBAGE E.C.T. THESE WILL NOW BE HARVESTED, PICK, CUT OR DIG UP AS REQUIRED TO HAVE THEM NICE AND FRESH.

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POTATOES   CHECK ANY STORED POTATOES FOR ANY ROT BEFORE IT SPREADS , ALSO IF STORED IN A WARM PLACE OR IN MILD WEATHER IF POTATOES ARE STARTING TO CHITT KNOCK THESE CHITTS OFF.

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SEED POTATOES   START BUYING SEED POTATOES FOR THIS SEASON, PLACE THEM IN TRAYS IN A LIGHT, COOL, FROST FREE PLACE AND LEAVE THEM TO CHITT.

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BRUSSEL SPROUTS   PULL EARTH UP AROUND THE STEMS AND STAKE TO AVOID THEM BEING BLOWN OVER IN WINDY CONDITIONS.

RHUBARB   START FORCING EARLY CROPS BY PUTTING AN UP TURNED BUCKET OR POT OVER THE PLANTS OR CROWNS. NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO PUT MANURE OR STRAW OVER THE TOP, THIS WILL KEEP IT WARM AND ENCOURAGE GROWTH.

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CHICKWEED   THIS CAN FLOWER AND SEED ALL YEAR ROUND, SO HOE OFF ANY SEEDLINGS, AND REMOVE LARGER PLANTS BY HOEING OFF AND REMOVING THESE FROM THE AREA AS THESE WILL ROOT AGAIN IN WET WEATHER.

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CHECK TREES   GO ROUND AND CHECK STAKES AROUND YOUNG TREES, FIRM AND TIE IN. TALL WALL SHRUBS AND TREES SHOULD ALSO BE CHECKED SO TO AVOID GETTING DAMAGED BY STRONG WINDS AND RAIN IN WINTER MONTHS.

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CLEANING PATHS & SLABS   CLEAN ANY SLIPPERY PATHS OR SLABS WHEN WEATHER PERMITS WITH A POWER WASHER OR SCRAPE OFF AND BRUSH OFF WITH A GOOD STIFF BROOM.

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LAWNS   AVOID WALKING ON THEM WHEN THEY ARE FROSTED AND WET, THIS WILL STOP ANY DAMAGE TO THE TURF.

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MOWERS   CLEAN AND CHECK MOWERS OVER FOR ANY FAULTS, AND IF NEEDED HAVE THEM SERVICED READY FOR THE COMING SEASON AHEAD.

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DECIDUOUS SHRUBS   IF ANY REQUIRE MOVING NOW IS THE TIME TO DIG THEM UP, PLANT IN A NEW AREA FIRM IN AND STAKE THEM IF NECESSARY, ALSO WATER IF THERE IS A DRY WINTER SPELL.

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SNOWFALL   IF WE GET SNOW IN ANY QUANTITY DISLODGE SNOW FROM SHRUBS AND TREES, TO AVOID DAMAGE TO BRANCHES.

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SEED CATALOGUES   CONTINUE LOOKING THROUGH SEED CATALOGUES AND ORDER YOUR ITEMS FOR THE COMING SEASON.

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TEN COMMON GARDEN FLOWERS WITH STRONG SCENT

    BUDDLEJA
    ESCALLONIA
    FREESIA
    HELIOTROPE
    HONEYSUCKLE
    HYACINTH
    LILAC
    NICOTIANA
    PHILADELPHUS
    ROSE

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TRADITIONS

PLOUGH MONDAY   THE DAY ON WHICH WORK STARTED AGAIN AFTER TWELFTH NIGHT WAS KNOWN TO COUNTRY FOLK AS * PLOUGH MONDAY * THE DAY ON WHICH LABOURERS HAD TO RETURN TO THE FIELDS.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOOD HEALTH IN 2012

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LOOK OUT FOR MORE FROM MICK’S TIPS IN FEBRUARY

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A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

WINTER DIGGING
CONTINUE DIGGING, WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FAVOURABLE, LEAVE ROUGH AS WEATHER WILL BREAK DOWN THE SOIL.

PROTECT
CONTINUE PROTECTING WINTER BRASSICAS WITH NETTING, TO DETER THE PIGEONS.

REMOVE
WHEN UNDER FOOT CONDITIONS ALLOW, REMOVE DEBRIS FROM VEGETABLE PLOT.

CHICKWEED
THIS CAN SOON OVERWHELM PLANTS PARTICULARLY ON RICH SOILS, IT CAN GROW, FLOWER AND RIPEN SEED ALL YEAR ROUND. HOE OFF SEEDLINGS AND PULL UP ANYTHING LARGER, AS THE PLANTS CAN ROOT AGAIN IN WET WEATHER.

SEED CATALOGUES
CONTINUE LOOKING THROUGH SEED CATALOGUES, AND ORDER FOR THE COMING SEASON.

POTATOES
SORT THROUGH ANY STORED POTATOES FOR DISEASE, ROTTING OF TUBERS E.T.C.

WATCH OUT
FOR MICE, WHERE VEGETABLES ARE BEING STORED OVER WINTER.

GARDEN TOOLS
MAINTAIN GARDEN TOOLS BY CLEANING, REPAIRING AND OILING BLADES.

SNOWDROPS
ARE THE FIRST FLOWERS OF THE YEAR. THEIR SCENT ATTRACTS EARLY INSECTS, INCLUDING BEES. WHEN CLUMPS GET TO THICK THEY CAN BE LIFTED AND DIVIDED IMMEDIATELY AFTER FLOWERING. IT SOMETIMES TAKES 2 YEARS BEFORE THEY FLOWER AGAIN.

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THE GARDENERS HYMN

chorus all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,

all things wise and wonderful, the lord god made them all.

but what we never mention, though gardeners know it’s true

is when he made the goodies, he made the baddies too.

alternative chorus all things spray and swattable, disasters great and small,

all things paraquatable, the lord god made them all.

the greenfly on the roses, the maggots in the peas,

manure that fills our noses, he also gave us these.

the fungus on the goose-gogs, the club root on the greens,

the slugs that eat the lettuce and chew the aubergines.

the drought that kills the fuchsias, the frost that nips the buds,

the rain that drowns the seedlings, the blight that hits the spuds.

the midges and mosquitoes, the nettles and the weeds,

the pigeons in the green stuff, the sparrows on the seeds.

the fly that gets the carrots, the wasp that eats the plums,

how black the gardener’s outlook though green may be his thumb.

but still we gardeners labour, midst vegetables and flowers,

and pray, what hits our neighbour’s will somehow by pass ours !

all things bright and beautiful all creatures great and small,

all things wise and wonderful, the lord god made them all.

WATCH OUT FOR MORE FROM MICK’S TIPS

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