Winter Gardening

Quick Answer: Moving Established Acer Trees Successfully The best time to move an established Acer is November through February, whilst the tree is dormant. Prune the root ball 6-8 weeks before moving by cutting around the tree with a spade to encourage fibrous root growth. Dig a root ball at least 40cm wide for every […]

Standing at your patio doors staring out at that wedge of green space narrowing away into a sharp point, you might be wondering what possessed the original planner to carve up gardens into geometric nightmares. Triangle shaped gardens are one of those design challenges that can make even experienced gardeners throw their hands up in […]

The Flamingo tree (Salix integra ‘Hakuro-nishiki’) is one of the most popular small ornamental trees in British gardens, and it’s easy to see why. With its stunning variegated pink, white and green foliage that resembles flamingo feathers, compact size, and RHS Award of Merit for reliability, it’s the perfect choice for small gardens, patios, and […]

Growing a wisteria in your garden can be one of the most impressive plants to welcome you home. In summer, wisteria has jaw-dropping pendulous (raceme) lilac flowers that hang down like purple pendants in mid-summer. These climbing giants can add a green vertical gardening layer to your home. Whether around a door to soften an […]

Quick Answer: What Can You Prune in January? January is prime time for pruning apple and pear trees, wisteria, roses, soft fruit bushes (gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants), grapevines, and most deciduous trees whilst they’re dormant. The bare branches make it easy to see the structure, and plants won’t bleed sap or suffer from disease as readily […]

Poinsettias are everywhere at Christmas, their vibrant red bracts brightening up garden centres, supermarkets and homes across the UK. But these festive favourites have a reputation for being tricky to keep alive, often ending up in the bin come January. The truth is, with a bit of knowledge about what poinsettias actually are and how […]

December might seem like an odd time to be thinking about rhubarb, but trust me Ninjas, this is actually the perfect month to start forcing for those gorgeous, tender pink stems that’ll be ready to harvest in February and March. Whilst your neighbours are still staring at bare crowns in their vegetable patches, you’ll be […]

December might seem like the month when gardens grind to a complete halt, with most folks convinced there’s absolutely nothing to do except watch the rain and count down to Christmas. However, as Garden Ninjas, you probably know that there’s always something to be done in or around the garden. So this month, let’s concentrate […]

Quick Answer: Winter pruning is best carried out from November to March on dormant deciduous plants. Prune fruit trees, roses, wisteria, and deciduous shrubs during this period to encourage vigorous spring growth, better flowering, and improved fruit production. Never prune spring-flowering shrubs, evergreens, or stone fruits in winter. Over my many years of gardening and 15 […]

Every single winter, I get messages from panicked gardeners who’ve woken up to find their gorgeous pots cracked like eggshells and their prize plants looking like they’ve made a break for it! It’s absolutely gutting, especially when you’ve spent good money on both the plants and the containers. However, most of this carnage is completely […]