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Sow Sweet Peas
The very best sweet peas come from those sown in early autumn
but so often this is forgotten at that time of year. The second
best time to sow sweet peas is now in early January. Soak sweet peas in water for 24
hours before sowing them. This will help speed up the germination process and give
you healthier and stronger plants.
This should be done under some form of cover at this
time of year such as in a greenhouse, under a cold frame or even on a
windowsill or conservatory.
As soon as the seedlings emerge (check every day), remove the
cover to ensure they have good light and ventilation. When the plants are around 10cm (4ins) high they
should be planted in their final growing positions. This is normally around March
or April time. When you do this, at the same time pinch out the growing
tip just above the top set of leaves. This will encourage bushier and
healthier plants. Check Shrubs and Roses Vegetables One of the great lazy gardening tasks at this time of
year is looking through the seed catalogues. If you haven't ordered them
them simply browse through the internet, the really, really lazy way to
order seeds!
Click here for our recommendations for vegetable seed in 2007. Now is a very good time to apply manure to soil for the
coming year's growing season. Dig it in well now and it will have partly
rotted by the time you come to plant vegetables. GO TO NEXT
WEEK'S "WHAT TO DO"
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN IN JANUARY
JANUARY 1st to 7th
Sow two seeds per small pot using standard potting compost.
Just cover the seeds with a small layer of compost. Make sure the
compost is damp by placing each pot in a bowl of water for 3
minutes. It's best to cover the pot to exclude light at first.
Strong winds can easily loosen plants and shrubs, especially
those planted last autumn. Check them and re-firm them into the soil if
they have become loosened.
Using cloches or frames extends the growing
period for many vegetables by around three weeks at both ends of the
season. Click here
to go to our article on how to use these valuables forms of plant
protection. Now is the time to order cloches if you don't already own
one.