Featuring gardening tips for January 2019 No Images? Click here THE TROWEL Gardening wisdom delivered straight your inbox Welcome to The Trowel. The Trowel is Paskett Public Relations' monthly newsletter, providing you with information and resources for any gardening related articles and features you might be working on at the moment. This issue features tips for January 2019. We hope that you find this to be a useful resource when planning your January content, and we would welcome any feedback, comments and suggestions regarding how we can help further. All of the product images that have been used in this issue can be downloaded via WeTransfer here: https://we.tl/t-2rjvSGRLs3 What to do in the Garden in January The garden in January is dormant as most plants have stopped flowering and are storing up energy ready for spring and summer. Tasks this month involve preparing for the growing season ahead, ordering seeds and getting a head start to ensure you have a wonderful summer flower display and healthy vegetable crops ready to plant outside. Borders & Beds Start thinking about summer-flowering bulbs that you can plant in January or February. There are many different varieties of Agapanthus (pictured left), for example, ranging from brilliant white, to lilac and deep purple. Start these bulbs off in containers under cover to give winter protection. When the frosts have passed, they can be moved out in to a sunny spot. Although they are wonderful winter flowers, pansies may take a bit of a battering in frosty or windy weather in January. Regularly remove dead and faded flowers from the plants to keep them looking their best and flowering for as long as possible. ...and it is not too late to plant spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, which will still perform well if planted in January.
If the ground is not too waterlogged or frozen, a handy task to do in late January is forking over beds and borders ready for planting later in the year. Add in some good quality organic matter as you go which will improve the fertility of the soil, and strengthen your chances of getting a good crop of fruit and vegetables. Wilkinson Sword's Digging Fork and Spade are both made from polished stainless steel with a guarantee of no rust, so they will become trusty garden tools to have around for years to come! Whilst you're out and about in the garden this winter, protect your feet and clothing with a sturdy pair of wellies. Town & Country's new Buckingham Wellington Boots are durable, comfortable and warm thanks to a combination of PVC and a 4mm neoprene sock. When you brave the cold to take the bins out, the Eva Fleecy Cloggies are ideal for keeping in the porch or by the back door, so that you can slip them on and off with ease. In the Greenhouse Sow seeds of cauliflower, lettuce and radish in a glasshouse now. Use individual cell trays for this, as it will make it easier to transplant them later on. In late January and early February, you can sow seeds of gazanias and snapdragons (pictured left) in a heated propagator. Sweet peas can also be sown, and these will do well in either a heated or unheated greenhouse. Griffin Glasshouses produces bespoke glasshouses with cutting-edge heating and ventilation technology systems, as well as a collection for the National Garden Scheme. Houseplants Continue to grow your favourite herbs indoors to pick off as needed. A self-watering planter from Lechuza keeps plants watered for up to 12 weeks at a time, and this compact Cube Planter is perfect for the kitchen windowsill. Wildlife Garden It is no secret that UK hedgehog numbers are falling. Consider leaving out food and water in the garden for them - hedgehogs normally hibernate through the winter, but if they haven't been able to find enough food to survive, or the weather is mild, they will come out in search of more! The Posh Shed Company has created its Hedgehog House to provide a safe (and stylish) environment, complete with cedar roof. Like hedgehogs, birds can also struggle in winter when food is scarce. Hillier offers advice for how to look after garden birds all year round, which you can read here. Start thinking about how you are going to tackle pests this year. A biological control which does not pose a risk to non-target wildlife, pets or children, is Nemaslug and Nemasys. These products contain beneficial nematodes from BASF, and an entire season's worth of them can be ordered online via stockists, so you can rest assured knowing that your pest control is taken care of for another year. Winter Tidy Up If you haven't already done so, collect fallen leaves from the garden. If left, they will become a slipping hazard when damp or frozen. Use a leaf blower, such as Cobra Garden's Petrol Powered Blower Vac, which has a handy collection bag, so no painstaking raking or bending down! It will also make the garden look much neater.
For an occasional tidy up, WOLF-Garten's multi-change® 4-1 Leaf Rake can be adjusted to three different widths, allowing you to easily sweep up lawns, as well as around narrow spaces.
For rockeries, containers and balcony gardens, the Small Sweep from WOLF-Garten comes into its own, neatly sweeping up fallen leaves and petals from even the tightest of gaps. Keep gardening tools dry and rust-free over the winter period to ensure they're in tip top working order. For a compact solution, the Shiplap Pent Large Outdoor Store from Forest Garden is smaller than a conventional shed, but is still large enough to house bulky items such as a lawnmower.
For heavy duty clean up jobs in areas such as public parks, industrial properties and car parks, Billy Goat offers a range of tough Leaf & Litter Vacuums, capable of picking up leaves, litter and even small tree branches. They are also ideal for use in bigger gardens and large residential properties too. Dates For Your Diary 11th January: RHS Wisley Winter Walk and Talk 25th January: Burns Night - get those neeps and tatties ready! 26th - 28th January: Big Garden Birdwatch Get In Touch You can keep up to date with what's happening at Paskett PR via social media and our blog. Don't hesitate to get in contact if you require any further information on any of the products or companies mentioned in this newsletter; press releases, specification details and photographs are available upon demand. Additionally, we are always open to providing products for trials, competitions or offers. Get in contact by clicking here, or by emailing georginamackintosh@paskett.co.uk Who We Work With |