Tasks for December

Daffodils are blooming all over the country in the unseasonally warm weather this December. Weather forecasters say it’s the warmest December in nearly 70 years, with temperatures widely in the mid-teens – about 10°C above the seasonal average and more like what we’re used to in May. Tropical air from the Azores blowing in from the south-west is behind the [...]

Give the greenhouse a good scrub and you’ll not only work off all that Christmas overindulgence – you’ll also get a warm glow of satisfaction from getting a job done which really pays dividends later in the year. You'll winkle out overwintering pests from their nooks and crannies, and by washing off all the algae and dirt you'll also let [...]

The nation’s four finest trees have been chosen and will now go forward to compete with trees from all over Europe for the title of European Tree of the Year. The four trees beat 230 rivals for their titles in a public vote run by the Woodland Trust. Flying the flag for England is a 250-year-old wild pear tree – [...]

Bring in strawberry plants for forcing to enjoy your earliest-ever juicy, sweet berries this summer. You’ll find everything you need at our garden centre, from potted strawberry plants to containers, compost and feed – and while you’re here, why not treat yourself to a brand new greenhouse to put them in! An early variety of strawberry, like ‘Honeoye’, is best [...]

Lift and divide rhubarb while it’s still dormant to keep it producing those long, sweet stalks for many more years to come. It’s also a good time for planting new crowns, so pop down to our garden centre and take your pick from our great range of varieties from super-early cropping ‘Timperley’s Early’ to productive traditional favourite ‘Victoria’. Rhubarb grows [...]

It’s nearly Christmas and we’re in holiday mode! Time to get outside and pick festive greenery for wreaths and decorations. While you’re out there, there are a few more jobs you can be getting on with too: General tasks Cover empty soil with clear polythene to warm the soil and keep it workable Cover compost bins with cardboard to prevent [...]