MORE TOP TIPS FOR CREATIVE GARDENERS IN DECEMBER

December and winter is officially here which means fewer jobs to do in the garden although tidying up never stops. As cold nights bring the final leaves tumbling from the trees, its time to rake lawns, sweep paths and patios, and pick up leaves from borders and rock gardens, where their soggy mass can smother tender alpines. Leaves also provide shelter for slugs and snails, so clear them up without delay, taking care not to disturb any nesting hedgehogs.

It is especially a good time to see how soil can be improved in time for the next growing season, where areas have been cleared, start digging over and conditioning the soil using our range of peat free soil conditioners and composts. It is worth carrying out a soil test now to check its acidity or alkalinity level (PH). Most plants grow best in a neutral soil, so make adjustments if necessary.

If the weather conditions remain dry, continue planting evergreen shrubs, conifers and hedging. Even when it's cold, soil still retains a little heat, especially deeper down, which encourages root growth and helps plants get established. Always take time to prepare the soil well when you are planting long-lived shrubs. Be generous with the compost that you dig in to improve the soil.

Repair fences, garden sheds, trellises and wooden features. Once annual climbers have died away and perennial ones have lost their leaves, treat timber with wood colour or preservative. Replace loose posts and those rotting at the base before they collapse and cause greater damage.
Removing pumps and filters from ponds and water features will help prevent them being damaged by freezing water during the winter. Keep ponds covered with netting to prevent fallen leaves blowing in.

Lining the inside of your greenhouse with bubble wrap will keep it warmer and reduce energy costs if you're providing additional heat. Large sheets of white polystyrene can also be used to line the sides below staging level. Make sure you wash the glass inside and out before you start lining to maximise light levels

This is the month when many of us start to look forward to next year and the postman is already delivering seed catalogues by the hundreds – remember, the 2009 edition of Creative Garden Ideas catalogue will be available early in the New Year so contact us now if you want to be sure of receiving a copy.

Many of us will being seeing early morning frosts, so keep an eye on the weather forecasts and protect tender plants with fleece or, better still, move them into a greenhouse if you have one, if not, now is a good time to start looking for one, we still have some bargain buys left in our Garden Buildings Section.

On the Veggie patch………..

December is another quiet month on the vegetable patch, with crops such as brussel sprouts, parsnips and celery ready to make a home-grown contribution to the Christmas table. During December hardy leaf vegetables, such as chard make a valuable fresh addition to the recommended five portions of fruit or vegetables a day. Remember to protect early sowings of broad beans with cloches or fleece.

Ensure your greenhouse is clean and make sure that any compost in containers for early spring sowing does not dry out. Insulate with fleece or invest in a heater if growing seedlings for next season or to protect vulnerable plants stored in the greenhouse over winter.

December is the time to put a halt to any pruning and to bring houseplants back into the warmth – check carefully for any hitchhiking pests that may be hiding on them! Start cleaning up the flowerbeds and remember to put down mulches and soil conditioners for weed suppression and to put some goodness back into the soil.

There are quite a number of Christmas events at selected RHS gardens this month, most notable are; Magic of Christmas 21st December at Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire. Winter Wonder Weekend, 6th-7th December, Hyde Hall, Essex and Father Christmas will be appearing at the RHS Gardens at Wisley, Surrey on December 13 and 14th.

Remember, we deliver to your door so no added transport and fuel bills to worry about and no carrying heavy and cumbersome items from the garden centre!

Finally, CPL are the UK’s largest coal merchants delivering a range of new environmentally friendlier coals and solid fuels to homes across the country. For details and further information on our range of solid fuels including, soft and hardwood logs, visit our new website – www.coals2u.co.uk