Wishing you all a very a Happy New Year.
Looking over the white landscape it really is hard to believe that this week temperatures will plummet to minus 7/8.this cold really does cleanse the garden from pest and disease. The main problem of permafrost in the soil is that the soil water is cut off to the plants, this puts extra stress on the weaker plants in the garden and we can just hope that they will survive. In the horticultural industry soft fruit growers spray their plants with fine mists of water throughout the day and night to protect them from frost. Straw or horticultural fleece can ensure the plant stays insulated and soil warming cables ensure the soil water is available to feed the plants, this is used on allotments and for growers who want to protect their breeding stock.
The frosting of snow really does show our trees and shrubs as wonderful architectural specimens. I always try to take as many photographs of my garden in the winter as it acts as a starting point when I try to redesign my borders. Whilst it is a hard winter in the garden there are still many jobs to be done, paths need regularly gritting, hedges need to be smartened up with a clip and leaves can be collected. The soil can be turned over and if you have any large lumps of clay these exposed to the frost will break up the clay and create lovely soil. Clay soil is one of the most nutrient rich soils for our plants and its great water holding properties allow us to grow a wonderful range of plants.
Remember there is one advantage to all this cleansing, the slug population is diminishing as we blog.
Happy Gardening
