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The Garden in February

 

A cold winter, such as the one we have just had, has its benefits. The longer and more extreme the cold weather the greater the intensity of the arrival of spring. The mild winters of the last couple of years have meant that spring entered with only the smallest of fanfares: a bloom here, andother there, but no sudden rush of energy. This year, with each passing day and night of cold weather we can expect a more intense rush of sap when the warm weather does eventually arrive. So this is a time of anticipation and long may it last. However, there are stirrings in the soil. Hellebores have already raised their dainty flowers and snowdrops are well and truly up. Plants need to be careful: come up too soon and you could later on be zapped by a late frost or blast of easterly wind. Come up too late and you have an awful lot of catching up to do. But this year plants will be cautious.

Chop down your grasses. Ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus have a very graceful winter shape, and can add structure to your garden all through the winter. At this time of year, we can expect growth to recommence soon. Growth will be from the base of the plant, so any cutting down hould be done before this happens. Simply chop the plant down to three to four inches above ground level, and be sure that you are not cutting into new growth (which will be green and non-woody). The plant can alos be divided atthis time of year. Simply dig it out of the ground and, with your spade, chop the root ball into sections - each of these is now a viable plant. After removing all this plant matter from the bed, it's important to replanish the soil. That's why you top-dress the soil with compost or manure. You must give back what you take away, and compost or manure fulfils this role.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miscanthus in winter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miscanthus after cutting down in late winter.

Making raised beds: If you have a small garden and want to have a small space to 'grow your own' a raised bed is one of the best ways to go. Raised beds allow you to focus on the soil, to improve it and enrich it with compost or manure. They have good drainage because they are above ground level, and you don't need to bend down too low in order to reach them. They shouldn't be walked upon, so the soil remains friable and healthy. The best raised bed should use thick pieces of wood of the proportions of a railway sleeper. However, railway sleepers themselves should not be used as they are treated with creosote and other chemicals which are not healthy for the soil and which can make their way into what you grow. Similarly, many pressure treated woods use unpalettable chemicals, and the best material is untreated, oil-rich wood such as Douglas fir or Larch such as in the raised beds below. We supply these wide boards, along with suitable, untreated stakes, which are grown in well-managed forests around Co Wicklow. These timbers last for many years in contact with the soil and are free from any worrying additives. A raised bed should be of a size that you can reach all parts of it without standing on it - a maximum of 1.2 metres wide. Position your box in an area which receives plenty of sun. If it is overshadowed or in an area which receives very little direct sunlight, plants will not thrive. It should be located on an area which is already soil. If you want it in an area which is currently paved or impermeable, some drainage will need to be made into this surface, and the bed will need to be a minimum of 40 cms high. Finally, make sure that the soil is good soil: high quality screened topsoil which has plenty of organic matter mixed in with it such as Gee-up manure.

Raised vegetable beds supplied by dyg from untreated larch and topped with Gee-up manure (Dublin city centre)

Raised wooden beds in Creagh gardens, Skibbereen, Co Cork.

 

Make your own compost heap. In anticipation of all the growth and die-back in the months ahead, this is agood time to prepare by making a compost heap. For food waste, or in a suburban area, you are more advised to buy a compost maker or Green Cone (both available from us). But is you have plenty of space, combined with the need to tidy leaves, grass, foliage and so on, here are a few images of compost heaps which we have made or used over the years.

A very simple compost heap made by us from bamboo and chicken wire. It's really no more than a tidy pile which we layered with grass cuttings, leaves, straw an seaweed. The heap on the right is covered to increase breakdown. The compost from these heaps can be spread around plants - it will improve the growth of trees, keep back grass and weed growth and improve the soil.

A very basic (and pretty ugly) compost pile made from old wooden pallets. It worked well for us for disposing of foliage and plant materials from a busy polytunnel.

A much larger compost area for a large garden in Co Cork. You need at least three piles in order that one is in use for receiving material, one is curing and another is ready for use in the garden. A good balance between nitrogen-based material (such as grass and green leaves) and carbon-based materials (such as dry leaves, cardboard and straw) makes the best compost.