Well it’s now February and the worst of the winter is hopefully over. So, time to survey the mess and start thinking through what planting strategies and changes I am going to be making in the fast approaching Spring.
Two things are in my mind here. Firstly having time to rearrange the plants to give me enough space to plant this season’s bulbs and tubers Secondly getting it ready in time to avoid a late planting out. Last year I was lucky winter came so late or I would not have had much of a growing season at all.
The front garden looks quite sorry for itself as the debris from the previous season mixes in with leaves blown in off the street and the weeds that are getting a head start on the growing season. Fatigue sets in just looking at the work ahead!
My best little purchase of the year so far. A little electric rotovator from Qualcast. At just 750W it won’t move mountains but it turns the topsoil over nicely and saves my back in the process. Not a bank breaker either at £75.00. Beginning to quite like Homebase in this vid 🙂
Dismal, dark and damp. The past summer seems almost as far away as the one to come. There is work, nevertheless, and it will make next season’s plans a possibility if I get the main tasks done now while the garden is a mess anyway.
The Dahlias have only just been lifted, and unbelievably at this time of year, we haven’t had a frost yet. Some of the Dahlia tubers are actually still in the ground and come up in good condition. The leaves are making a big soggy mess and I wish I was somewhere sunny.
Final trimming of the tubers and tidying up before laying in boxes of vermiculite and storing in the garage. Many people have completely different approaches.
The Dahlias are all in bloom and winter is coming late, which is rather lucky considering I planted them out so late. The main purpose of this part of the garden is to identify what varieties I have as I didn’t manage to label them at the end of the previous season.
