Judy's Garden Calendar January
Happy New Year, and welcome to 2010, another great year for gardening!
Flowers to sow in January
Forget me nots are aptly named because, once they’re in your garden, they’re with you forever – ensuring you can never forget them. Sow seeds now, ready for transplanting later. Some people think forget-me-not plants can look weedy but, if cut back after flowering, they won’t get to that scrappy stage (but always leave a few plants to self-seed for next year!).
Vegies to sow in January
It can be hard to think about winter vegies in January’s heat but, if you’re planning to sow from seed, this is the time to start broccoli, Brussels sprouts (don’t waste your time in warm areas), cabbages, leeks, swedes and turnips. Most can be sown into pots or trays for transplanting when it’s closer to autumn, but seeds of swedes and turnips need to go in direct where the plants are to grow. Sow in rows so that you can follow the time-honoured technique of creating a water-holding trench alongside the row. The trench will release water slowly into the root area.
Feed in January
Vegetables and herbs respond well to liquid manure and it’s easy to make your own by filling the foot part of an old stocking with Dynamic Lifter pellets, suspending it to soak in a bucket of water for at least a week, and then diluting the resulting liquid (to the colour of weak tea) and pouring it onto plants as desired.
January pest watch
Cycad Blue Butterfly causes major problems for those popular cycads in warmer areas. Grubs eat in the centre of the plant, spoiling new frond development, and graze their way up open fronds, leaving a trail of brown-tipped leaflets. Treat with Success or pyrethrum and feed with Dynamic Lifter to encourage new growth.
Earwigs are becoming more of a problem. These nocturnal munchers can be trapped in pots filled with screwed-up newspaper but, if the problem persists, spray with Baythroid synthetic pyrethroid.
Plant of the month
Geraniums, also called pelargoniums, are wonderful for summer colour. They can produce endless waves of flowers, especially if trimmed occasionally and fed with Thrive Flower & Fruit. Keep a Yates Rose Gun Advanced on hand to treat fungal diseases (like rust and powdery mildew) and warm weather pests such as caterpillars.
