From ordering seeds to planting trees there is still plenty to do during the festive season
- Deciduous trees and shrubs can be planted/transplanted now as long as the ground is not waterlogged or frozen.
- When pruning deciduous trees, shrubs and hedges look out for diseased growth and cut it out.
- Protect the trunks of young trees and shrubs by using chicken wire or tree guards.
- Clean ,sharpen and oil secateurs.
- Prune climbing roses between now and February.
- Prune established blackcurrants, remove up to a third of older branches at the base.
- Continue harvesting leeks, sprouts, winter cabbage and parsnips.
- Choose your seeds for next year.
- Mound up soil around tall Brussel sprouts or stake them.
- Consider building a raised bed.
- Order and plant bare root fruit trees and bushes.
- Check frozen ponds. Prevent a pond from completely freezing over by the use of a pond heater, running waterfall or fountain or floating a ball at the edge.
- Let hedgehogs through! To help stop the decline in hedgehog numbers cut a 13cm square gap in the base of fences to enable them to roam more freely.
- Clean birdfeeders at least once a month to help prevent the spread of disease.
- Choose the location of your birdfeeder carefully as they like to be able to scout the feeder before fying in so place near trees or shrubs but out of the reach of cats!
- Leave seed heads on herbaceous perennial so that invertebrates can shelter in there over winter.
- Provide a grain mix for birds aswell as high-fat feeds.
- Don’t forget to leave out a shallow bowl of water at ground level, invaluable for all sorts of creatures.
- Fill birdfeeders every day or even twice a day so that birds do not waste energy looking for food that isn’t there.
- Don’t use cooked fat from roasts etc in fat balls, these can damage the insulating property of feathers, use suet.
- Don’t leave fat balls in their nylon mesh as small birds may get their feet trapped.
- Make a log pile which makes an ideal home for invertebrates over winter
- Toads, reptiles and small mammals often seek out the warmth of a compost hep so take care when turning it, or leave the job until Spring.
- Always build a bonfire on the same day that you plan to burn it to prevent the risk of harming hedgehogs or other creatures who may take up residence when it is left to sit for a while.
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