Gardening through the year

Lots of households have a garden, but not everyone enjoys gardening. For those that do, a garden is both a blessing and a challenge. For those that do not it can be a burden and a misery. But it needn't be - a garden can be as complicated and time consuming as you want, and if time is at a premium then you can have a garden that is relatively maintenance free, the choice is yours!

A garden is an expression of your personality. Don’t be constrained by the tasks that you are supposed to do according to the book, choose your tasks according to your mood. Plant in a way that you like, and as long as you enjoy the garden that you have created, that’s all that matters.

A garden isn’t just a place of work, but somewhere to enjoy, a place of peace and rest. You will always be able to find jobs to do in a garden; but sometimes you need to relax, and there's nothing wrong with that- the weeds can wait for another day!

We've listed some monthly gardening tasks on this website, but they're only suggestions - the most important thing is that you enjoy your garden, the seeds you sow, the shrubs and trees you plant and the fruits of your labours.

Don't leave it until Spring to start gardening!

It's cold outside now, but there's still plenty to be done to prepare for the year ahead on the edible plot.

Start planning: The seed companies will be sending out their 2010 catalogues now, and these are a great place to start looking at what you want to grow next year.

Prepare soil: Although you need to stay off your plot if it is soggy wet, when it dries out, get out and start digging it over, spreading organic matter and incorporating green manure. The more you can do now, the better off you'll be in spring.

Clear away old crops: It's a good time to pick over the plot and remove any old, decaying crops. Throw the debris on the compost heap, or if it is diseased, burn it or dispose in some other way.

Plans for next year's cropping can be drawn up and seeds and other planting material ordered in good time. It is also worth getting in sufficient canes, stakes, netting, fertiliser and pesticides to save time later. Mail order suppliers and gardening clubs and societies can offer significant savings over retail outlets.

When seeds arrive make a seed organiser and store the seed in cool, dark dry conditions. Potato tubers can be laid out to sprout or 'chit' in late winter. Clean out and wash seed trays, pots and other containers ready for seed sowing in the spring.

Try something new this year!

If you are not used to growing your plants from seed, then why not buy plug plants this year. One of the best reasons to develop a vegetable, fruit or flower garden using plug plants is simply because you are able to produce earlier blooms and earlier crops. For instance, using strawberry plug plants might mean additional fruit harvests from one planting.

Using a cucumber plug will likely result in more produce from your garden. Using flower plugs means earlier blooms for a longer season of color around your home. This is especially true when you are planting flowers that typically take longer to develop in a typical season. It might even allow you to plant flowers that do not typically grow well in your region.