Poole in Bloom Gardenig Hub - December Jobs by David Bassil

Start to force a crown on Rhubarb now, by placing a layer of loose straw over the plant and then covering with an upturned bucket. 

Move Blueberries growing in pots to a sheltered place in the garden and wrap the pot in hessian or straw to protect the roots from any prolonged frosty spells which may occur from now on.

Grapevines can be pruned now when they are fully dormant (all leaves have gone). Pruning now or in January will prevent “bleeding”.

Check over any stored fruit and vegetables on a regular basis to check for rotting and remove urgently before the others become infected.

Brussels Sprout plants can be severely weakened by strong winds, so if yours are in an exposed site staking each plant will improve the situation no end and prevent the plants from being uprooted.

Make sure that plants growing in containers do not dry out, especially if against a wall. This is often neglected at this time of year. 

Keep gift plants such as Azaleas and bulbs cool to prolong the display. 

If you had an Amaryllis last winter and it has been rested, it can be given a first watering now to start it back into growth.

To control Brown Rot on fruit trees, cut away all mummified fruits from the trees at this time to help prevent infection next year.

Spray small fruit trees now while they are dormant with Vitax Winter Wash to lessen the number of over-wintering pests.

Keep over wintering Brassicas covered with netting to help prevent damage by pigeons. An attack will certainly occur as soon as the first cold weather arises.

Chives and Mint can be potted up now and kept on the kitchen window sill to force for winter use.

Dig up some Parsnips and Carrots and store in moist sand near to the house for winter use before the ground gets too frozen to lift them. 

Clear away all plant debris from the vegetable plot and compost, except for Brassica roots etc. 

Dig over the plot and leave rough for the winter. Incorporate manure and/or compost in early Spring.

Plant bare root trees and shrubs as soon as possible while the soil is still relatively warm. 

Remove fallen leaves which can collect among the roots of Herbaceous Perennials and cause rotting. 

Shorten the long shoots of Hybrid Tea and Cluster (Floribunda) Roses to reduce wind rock. 

Complete the planting of spring bulbs as soon as possible. 

Before the first real frosts start, protect vulnerable plants with straw or bracken and wrap around the stems with Hessian or fleece. Do not use polythene as this will cause sweating and dramatically increase the chance of losses. 

Several hardy herbaceous perennials can be successfully propagated by root cuttings taken now. Dicentra spectablis (Bleeding Heart) and Phlox are two examples.

Question 1: “Can I grow Blueberries in pots and are any varieties better than others for this purpose?” 

Blueberries do very well when grown in pots but you must have an ericaceous compost to pot them up into, also a ready supply of rainwater to water them at all times. Tap water, which is basically alkaline will severely damage or kill Blueberries if used over a prolong period An occasional watering if the water butt runs dry will do no harm, however, only use as a last resort. Among the best varieties to select from are Duke, Patriot, Spartan and Sunshine Blue. 

Question 2: “Can I fertilize and mulch my plants with manure and garden compost in the autumn or should I wait until spring?” 

Fertilizers should only be used in the spring and summer months when the plants are growing and able to take up the available nutrients produced. If applied in the autumn or early winter so much of the available nutrients will be leached out with the winter rains so by spring very little if any will still be available to your plants when it is really needed. 

Even slow to breakdown fertilizers such as Blood Fish and Bone meal or Chicken pellets are best left to late winter before applying. Mulches in the form of manure, leaf mould, garden compost are best applied in early spring because of the leaching out effect mentioned earlier. All mulches should always be applied to moist ground, never on the top of dry soil.

Make the final cut of the lawn this month but remember to keep off the lawn in frosty weather. 

Oil and grease the mower before it is stored away for the winter.

Pot plants: Reduce the amount of watering and feeding as the plants prepare themselves for winter. However, houseplants in your warmest room should be watered as often as it is necessary but feeding can now be reduced to once a month.

Check over Apples and Pears in store regularly for signs of decay before they start to rot their neighbours in the tray. 

Now is an ideal time to put Grease bands around the trunks of Apple trees to help reduce the attack of “maggots” in the fruit next year.

Check the foliage of over wintering Geraniums in the greenhouse for signs of Rust and Botrytis and remove all affected leaves urgently. 

Many other plants can be affected at this time of year with Botrytis especially if the greenhouse ventilators are not opened on every possible occasion to keep the air moving..

Plant up containers with Pansies, Violas, Polyanthus, Bellis and Wallflowers and mix with the coloured leaved forms of Ivy to trail over the edge and Spring bulbs to grow up through the display. 

Towards the end of the month we could experience the first frost, which will blacken the growth of Cannas, Dahlias and other tender perennials. 

When this occurs, cut off the growth at just above soil level and dig up the roots with some soil still attached and store away for the winter in a dry and frost free place in an upside down position. This will drain moisture away from the crown as the stems decay and the drying out process continues. Do not be tempted to cover the roots at this stage and certainly never cover the roots with polythene at any time. Alternatively, some people prefer to leave the roots in the soil particularly if you have a well-drained soil. If this is so, cover over the crowns of the plants with a mulch of straw, bracken, leave mould or old potting compost to a depth of 10cm (4”). The plants should then come through the winter unscathed. 

 Plant new trees and shrubs now while the soil temperatures are still relatively warm, this will greatly aid their establishment. 

Propagate ornamentals such as Roses, Cornus, Forsythia and Philadelphus by hardwood cuttings. Cut a piece of this year’s growth and trim to approximately 9 to 12 inches in length. 

Remove the top section and cut just below the leaf bud at the base of the cutting. Insert about two-thirds its depth in the soil where it can be left undisturbed for the next twelve months or insert several cuttings around the edge of a deep pot and leave outside in a sheltered position.

  Pick the last of the apples as they ripen and plant any new fruit bushes required now. 

Prune out the old fruited canes of Blackberries and other hybrid berries and tie in new growth to supports.

Apply grease bands around trunks of fruit trees to protect from winter moth damage in spring.

Finish the planting of Onion sets and Garlic. 

Continue to harvest Pumpkins, Squashes and Marrows. 

Lift the last of the Potatoes before frosts start.

  Rake up fallen leaves around Roses to limit the spread of Black Spot and other fungal diseases next year.