Chris Palmer
There are some expressions in the new year that cause me considerable alarm. The family have all left, the diary that last month was so full, is now virtually empty, and the long quiet days stretch ahead. Maybe you have heard one of the expressions recently:-
“We could make better use of the spare room. You can use the kitchen table, can’t you?”
“Why don’t we paint the bedrooms? We’ve got time on our hands now, haven’t we? You used to be a dab hand with a paint brush, and it will save money.”
“Do you really need all those books?”
“We should watch that programme on TV… you know the one, by whatshername… she was a reality star… made millions just by being dead ordinary… and now tells everyone how to make their house seem bigger by getting rid of loads of stuff they don’t need.”
“It’s really about time we started to declutter. Don’t you remember, you agreed before Christmas?”
Domestic deafness doesn’t always work. A useful response can be along these lines:-
“I’ve got to declutter the garden first. It’s a disgrace and everyone must see it. I’ll get on with that. Don’t touch any of my stuff. I’ll sort it later.”
If it’s cold but dry outside, this is a good time to take stock. To be completely honest, however, this might have been tackled before Christmas, but, hey ho, why not put something like this off to those blank days in the new year?
There is, I suggest, a subtle difference, between decluttering in the home and in the garden. One is getting rid of things we no longer use, can’t remember ever using, or never used and puzzle over why we still have them. Why, for example, do I still keep that suit I used to wear for work? It stopped fitting years ago. I will never go on that diet that I said I would, and, in any case, it will never be back in fashion, or apparently, never was.
In the garden, there are several potential problems to address. Some plants have become tired or never really took off, like shrubs in pots. A couple of years ago I was given a hydrangea plant. It was described as a Giant Blue Mophead. I was really pleased but had nowhere to plant it. I read that normally hydrangeas do very well in pots but this one, despite my best efforts, never thrived. It was a disappointing dwarf rather than a giant. I gave it a couple of years.
I decided to be ruthless. I emptied the pot and put the sad shrub in the garden bin. I gave the pot a good clean and it’s now full of tulip bulbs that should give the garden vibrant colour In April or early May. The process feels, to me, like reading a book that has never fulfilled the promise of the reviews that persuaded me to buy it. I give it 70 or 80 pages. If the book hasn’t convinced me I stop, pass it on to someone else, having expressed my reservations, or add it to the pile for the charity shop.
I also have a bad habit of keeping damaged garden equipment that ‘might still be useful in the future’. A watering can with a small leak or a hose that has a slight puncture. Along with damaged or just surplus clay or plastic pots, these items sit in the ‘clutter area’ that I pretend does not exist or I choose to ignore. Do you have a similar area? This is your chance to tackle it. It can be painful or therapeutically positive. You might uncover a spot of ground where you can plant something new.
Something new might be a fruit tree. Last year was an exceptional year for garden fruit. Most gardeners and allotment owners I have spoken to report outstanding yields. Of course, there is no guarantee that this year will be the same, but it is certainly worth having a go if you now have some space that is reasonably sheltered, in full or at least semi-sunshine, and has fertile well-drained soil. Have you room for one? If it is an eating apple you are after, ‘Discovery’ appears to do well in south-west Scotland. It ripens early and has a classic deep red appearance.
Based on the experience of our garden, ‘Katy’ is another to look out for. As for a cooking apple, our ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ has been a great success. It took a couple of years to get going but is now prolific. The large green-yellow fruit is a classic baked apple variety. Before making your choice, read up about rootstocks. You should find the rootstock number on the plant label. M27, for instance, is good for a small, sheltered garden or even a large well-drained pot.
Apples aren’t for everyone. A pear tree is worth considering, although, as they flower early, they are susceptible to frost damage. The ‘Conference’ variety is the most popular and can often be purchased in discount stores and supermarkets in early spring.
This is the time to buy new seed potatoes. The garden centres have emptied all the Christmas decorations and are looking ahead to spring. The choice for potatoes in recent years seems increasingly sophisticated. I believe that is a good thing and encourages experimentation. I will buy my favourite ‘Charlotte’ which is a great salad potato, with yellow skin and firm waxy flesh. As an experiment I will try ‘Blue Danube’. According to the blurb in RHS Plants, who stock it, it has purple-black stems, blue-skinned tubers but bright white flesh.
Once you have bought the seed potatoes, keep them in a bright but cool frost-free place away from direct sunshine. I rely on a windowsill in a north-facing spare bedroom. A garage would work as well. The individual tubers should be placed eyes pointing upwards in a seed tray or ideally an eggbox.
There is a tipping point in winter when the end suddenly seems in sight. There may be snow and ice still to come but there is something about a particular day when the sun seems to linger longer, the air is fleetingly warm, insects emerge from nowhere and suddenly dance in the air. An energetic gardener discards a layer of clothing and hangs it on a nearby fork. It might only last an hour, but it is a positive sign of the lengthening days ahead. Let’s hope for some of those days soon. Best wishes for your gardening year.
