Horticulturist and gardener David Domoney is our new Daily Express weekly columnist (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster / Daily Express)
AFTER THE STORM
Storms have caused chaos up and down the country, giving us unexpected work in our gardens. And it’s wise to have a plan of action with the clear-up job.
First, check trees and hedges for broken branches and, if necessary, cut them off cleanly. Broken branches may have exposed and ragged tissue that can allow infection into the plant, so cut this to the next outfacing bud on a tree or shrub.
Rake up any large dumps of leaves on the lawn, too. One or two are fine, as the worms in your lawn will make short work of them. But larger dumps of leaves will have a detrimental effect on the lawn, stopping sunlight reaching the grass, so it goes yellow. Compost the leaves though – fill hessian bags with them and store them somewhere in the garden for a year to make beneficial leaf mould – it’s great for your soil and its microorganisms.
Check your pond to make sure pumps and filtration systems haven’t clogged with debris, says David (Image: David Domoney)
Check your pond, if you have one, as the filtration systems or pumps may become dislodged, or electricity sources might have been affected. Fully operational filtration systems are essential for the health of your pond, and pond wildlife. Keep an eye out for wind rock on your roses. This is where the wind has rocked the plant back and forth, resulting in a hole near the base of the stem. You can resolve this by firming in the plant gently with the heel of your shoe. Climbing roses, and other climbers may have been dislodged by winds, so tie them securely back again.
Next, check your fencing – panels or posts can be loosened by the strong winds. Check and fix these as soon as it is safe, as future storms could have a much larger impact on previously damaged fencing. While doing this, if you have a shed, check the felt on the roof is still secure. Strong winds have been known to lift shed roofs that aren’t completely secured or have been damaged by previous storms.
Finally, after a storm, you may need cheering up. Plant up colourful containers to bring Christmas cheer. Outdoor cyclamen, violas, winter-flowering pansies, skimmias and more will add plenty of vibrancy for yourself and visitors to enjoy.
Check fences after high winds (Image: PA)
TOP FIVE JOBS OF THE WEEK
1: Now’s the time to dig organic matter or soil conditioner into your ornamental borders and vegetable patches. It will help with the health of the soil and will work itself in over winter as the frost expands and contracts the ground.
2: Ensure your pond does not freeze over by popping a tennis ball in the water. Its flexibility will enable you to lift it out of the pond if it freezes over, leaving an air hole for your fish.
3: Put up bird boxes in your garden. Your resident birds are not nesting at this time of year but can still use them for shelter and will know where they are in spring.
4: Buy an amaryllis bulb from the garden centre for your family to enjoy growing. It usually comes with a pot and compost so you can grow them indoors.
5: With frost over winter, terracotta pots are porous and will take in water. To stop them freezing and potentially cracking, wrap them in bubble plastic from your Christmas gift orders.
Christmas cacti aren’t actually cacti at all, they’re a tropical succulent (Image: Getty)
DID YOU KNOW?
Christmas cacti aren’t technically cacti, they are a tropical plant and classified as succulents. It’s super easy to take cuttings from Christmas cacti, making them an ideal gift. Visit my website daviddomoney.com for a guide on how todo this.
Holly was believed by the druids to be a symbol of eternal life. They would bring clippings of holly into their homes to protect them from supernatural forces.
Christmas trees were introduced by Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert in 1840. He brought a tree into the palace, stood it on a table, and surrounded it with gifts. This was then featured in a newspaper, and the fashion soon caught on.
Kissing under the mistletoe is believed to be associated with the plants’ symbolism of virility. This is because the plant, which is a parasite, grows on the branches of trees which lose their leaves in the winter. Because mistletoe is evergreen, it appeared to bring the tree back to life. It also produces its berries during the coldest months, adding to the superstition.
Keeping a wreath on the door during Christmas represents a ‘wheel of time’, summarising the year coming to a close.
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