IRIS unguicularis

Algerian Iris

Unusual Iris, as it flowers in winter from December onwards.
It is a rhizomatous or bulbous perennial with narrow leaves to 30 cm in height. It has very fragrant flowers, deep violet marked with white and yellow at the base.
Maybe it’s worth collecting seed from this Iris for plant breeding.
Looking for different colours, flower size etc.
You must keep records of any crossings you make. Be critical when making a selection, be prepared to be strict when discarding plants.
Pictures are important so get the camera ready to take photos to record your work.
For developing your new plant breeding selection or new plant discovery I can offer full training and new plant development service. More details are available on my website.
Also pictures can be taken, recorded and stored if needed.

‘GOODY’S GARDENING’ – MONTHLY GARDENING ADVICE
DECEMBER GARDENING

Now the weather has changed to colder conditions the clocks have changed, we had the first frosts of the season, December has started quite wet and windy, having just gone through storm Dierdie, with strong winds and heavy rain the weather has now turned milder, looks like this will be the pattern over Christmas, with a colder spell for January.

There is still work to be carried out in the garden.

Plants to look for in December

Clematis cirrhosa
Helleborus
Heathers
Hyacinthus
Iris unguicularis
Ophiopogon planiscapus – good foliage colour

If you have planted autumn bedding you will still need to keep all baskets and tubs watered and checked each day but reduce amount of watering keeping them moist and not wet.
Raise these up on pot feet or bricks to improve drainage.
Planting tulip bulbs, Daffodils, try some in tubs and patio plants mixed in with bedding to give early colour, still time to do this.
Look out daily for slugs and snails check your local garden centre for best controls, an idea I have seen is to place an old roof tile on ground, snails go under here during daytime just turn over and pick them off each day.
Continue to trim back and tidy garden, clearing weeds, while weather is open lift, divide and move perennials.
Regular weeding and hoeing whenever you can will keep weeds under control they will continue to grow during periods of mild weather.
Tidy and remove any fallen leaves from borders add them to your compost heap.
Good time still to move shrubs and trees if needed.
Now is a good time to carry out soil improvement works by adding compost , good to add also bark to heavy clay soils to improve drainage, frost will help break down soil.
Bring in any tender plants if not already done so, put in greenhouse or conservatory.
Pruning deciduous trees and shrubs can start during this month. Evergreens are best left now until the spring.
Good time now for seed collection now, storage is important, remember cultivars will not come true to type.
Continue mulching borders when its not frosty or snow on the ground.
Continue to mow lawn when needed, while weather is open and temps are above 5°c grass will keep growing but do not cut as short as you would in summer, keep edges neat,
Keep clearing leaves off lawns as they will block light, hold in moisture increasing risk of disease, moss and algae.
Avoid walking on lawn when frosty.
If you have a pond, put some net across to stop herons stealing your fish.
Good time to clean filters, skim leaves off pond surface and rake out of pond.
Drain down any pumps.
Break ice on the pond by holding a saucepan of hot water on it until it melts through.
Trim back marginal plants.
In the Greenhouse, finish cleaning.
Poinsettia are available now keep in a warm draught free room, don’t buy from outside stalls, keep protected when transporting home.
For vegetables there is still time to plant broad beans, Garlic, and spring cabbage plants if you can find them, look in local garden centre.
You can grow herbs over winter if you dig some up and move indoors, they will need good light, don’t overwater.
Sow peas – Meteor sown outdoors will give an early crop next year.
Time to paint fences and sheds carry out any repairs, in the greenhouse replace any broken glass needed before winter.
Pressure wash decking, put away furniture.
Patio heaters and chimineas may still be needed for those bright clear nights!
Good time for planning any new hard landscape projects to carry out over winter.
Build a compost heap for leaves and grass clippings.
Digging over soil will expose pest larvae to birds and improve soil structure, do this for all vacant vegetable garden soil in readiness for next year. Add plenty of organic compost from your own compost if you have it.
Put out food and water for birds during cold periods.
If you have a bonfire remember to check that you do not have a hedgehog in side! – they need gardeners help right now as populations are decreasing.
Clean tools and drain any petrol out of any power tools you will not use over the winter.
During these dark days, its is a good idea to get out those seed and plant catalogues and start planning for next year.
Check through the seed you have collected, see if any plant breeding projects spring to mind.

Enjoy the garden, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to you all, see you next year.

DENDRANTHEMA ‘Pumpkin Igloo ’

Perennial Mum

Truly hardy garden mums, flowers for over a month, flowering in the UK normally begins around September and continues into November the flowers only being spoiled by the Autumn frosts and rain.

Low growing mounded habit ideal for front of border, ground cover near pathways and border edging, ideal also in containers and patio planters and the other good thing is that you do not need to throw these out, tidy up and they will come back for next year.

Available in a range of colours, from Aris Horticulture USA. Distributed by Must Have Perennials.

So when selecting subjects  for plant breeding you can see it’s important to select for colour and height and also take into account today’s market trends in plants.

Having a series that has variations in colour, flowering either singles and doubles is good and makes it easier to get a take up commercially if there are more to follow.

So if you have different selections of  Dendranthema / Chrysanthemum growing in your garden its worth taking some seed from each, germinating these and growing on to see if you get anything different, imagine a shorter whole new range with different colours, flower size etc.

As you can see from the picture above new cultivars can be created be from plant breeding and crossing. It’s a long process, its good to look at plants in your own garden, looking for improvements that may be possible.

You see with the Dendranthema by getting a shorter flowering plant it makes the plant more fitting for todays market and also for growers more plants can be transported on a lorry in flower as its shorter so it’s a good growers plant.

You must keep records of any crossings you make. Be critical when making a selection, be prepared to be strict when discarding plants.

Pictures are important so get the camera ready to take photos to record your work.

For developing your new plant breeding selection or new plant discovery I can offer full trialling and new plant development service more details available on my website.

Also pictures can be taken, recorded and stored if needed.

‘GOODY’S GARDENING’ – MONTHLY GARDENING ADVICE

NOVEMBER GARDENING

Now the weather has now changed to cooler conditions the clocks have changed we had the first frosts of the season, November has started quite bright, but with clear skies comes the likelihood of frosts at night.

The monthly forecast is looking still quite mild with a chance of high pressure at towards the end of the month which will lead to cooler temperatures and frosts at night.

There is still work to be carried out in the garden.

Plants to look for in November

Alstroemeria

Chrysanthemum

Dendranthema

Geranium Rozanne®  – will continue flowering until frosts.

Hedera – variegated forms

Ilex

Mahonia

Ophiopogon planiscapus

Saxifraga fortunei

If you have planted autumn bedding you will still need to keep all baskets and tubs watered and checked each day but reduce amount of watering keeping them moist and not wet.

Planting tulip bulbs, Daffodils, try some in tubs and patio plants mixed in with bedding to give early colour.

Look out  daily for slugs and snails check your local garden centre for best controls, an idea I have seen is to place an old roof tile on ground, snails go under here during daytime just turn over and pick them off each day.

During this month as the Dahlia finish it will be time to lift and store, lift, and put in a tray to dry out somewhere cool and dry but frost free, when dry plunge in sand or compost and store for winter in frost free shed or garage, keep cool not warm or the tubers will start to shoot.

Begonias should also be brought in, dried out and stored in similar way as Dahlia.

Good time to plant new perennials they will establish before the winter and get a good start in the spring and be ready to have some resistance to drier conditions as they will be more established.

Divide perennials and alpines looking tired and not flowering as well, like Crocosmia.

Regular weeding  and hoeing whenever you can will keep weeds under control they will continue to grow during periods of mild weather.

Start winterising the garden insulating plants like Tree Ferns and Banana’s.

Ideal time now to plant Roses but not where they have been planted before.

Good time to move shrubs and trees if needed.

Bare root  deciduous hedging, trees and shrubs will become available for planting during this month.

Pruning deciduous trees and shrubs can start during this month. Evergreens are best left now until the spring.

Good time now for seed collection now, storage is important, remember cultivars will not come true to type.

You can sow sweet pea seeds now for early flowers next year, sow more in spring for later flowering.

Look out for Vine Weevil damage, damage shows when plants start to wilt, on inspection roots will have been badly eaten

you may also see white c shaped larvae, apply a biological control, plants in containers are unlikely to recover.

Sedums and Geraniums can be badly affected.

Start mulching borders.

Leaf clearing will start now as trees and shrubs start to turn and loose leaves.

Continue to mow lawn regularly, while weather is open and temps are above  5°c grass will keep growing but do not cut as short as you would in summer, keep edges neat,

Keep clearing leaves off lawns as they will block light, hold in moisture increasing risk of disease, moss and algae.

If you have a pond then still keep water circulating, using waterfalls and pumps, fountains etc, until cold weather has started.

Good time to clean filters, skim leaves off pond surface and rake out of pond.

Reduce fish feeding and stop altogether when cold weather starts.

Trim back marginal plants.

In the Greenhouse, clean out all old plants and clean and disinfect greenhouse with Jeyes fluid or citrox.

For vegetables there is still time to plant leeks from leek plants and onions from sets.

Time to plant broad beans, Garlic,  and spring cabbage plants if you can find them, look in local garden centre.

You can grow herbs over winter if you dig some up and move indoors, they will need good light, don’t overwater.

Sow peas – Meteor sown outdoors will give an early crop next year.

Plant Rhubarb crowns, Raspberry canes, Blueberry, Black and red currents.

Time to paint fences and sheds carry out any repairs, in the greenhouse replace any broken glass needed before winter.

Pressure wash decking, put away furniture.

Patio heaters and chimineas may still be needed for those bright clear nights!

Good time for planning any new hard landscape projects to carry out over winter.

Build a compost heap for leaves and grass clippings.

Digging over soil will expose pest larvae to birds and improve soil structure, do this for all vacant vegetable garden soil in readiness for next year. Add plenty of organic compost from your own compost if you have it.

Put out food and water for birds during cold periods.

If you have a bonfire remember to check that you do not have a hedgehog in side! – they need gardeners help right now as populations are decreasing.

Now is the time to think of log fires and presents round the tree.

But there is still time to think of gardening and plants.

Now is the time to look through the seed and plant catalogues for new and interesting plants and plan for new plantings next year.

From seed of course you can get new and interesting plants and also think of interesting crossings and plant breeding projects for the new season.

Remember if you are thinking about plant breeding projects I can provide a full plant development service

If you have a new plant and want further advice, my contact details and further advice can be found on my website.

DECEMBER GARDENING

Most leaves are now down from trees good time to clear either compost or take to local recycle centre

Trimming of deciduous trees and shrubs can be carried out now but avoid doing during very frosty weather.

Continue trimming back perennials clearing weeds from beds

Root cuttings can be taken now and seed of alpines sown

Raise pots on the patio for winter to aid drainage bring in tender plants if not done so already

Clean leaves from lawn you may need to cut also as it will continue to grow if temps are above 5°c but do not cut as short as in summer months

Re-cut lawn edges look for wet areas and carry out aeration where needed

Do not though work on your lawn in frosty weather

Dig over the veg patch and work in some manure or soil improver

You can plant Rhubarb, Raspberries, Blackberries, other currents and strawberries now

Still time to plant garlic

Inside you can herbs and grow on the windowsill

Hardy salads can sown undercover.

If you have a pond net it to keep away herons, remove fallen leaves and debris from pond regular

Good time to remove any pumps and filters and clean ready for new season

Pressure wash paths and patios to prevent algae and mould building up

Clean and sharpen tools

Don’t keep too much fuel for your petrol tools over winter as it will not keep

Finally Happy Christmas