This Week in the Garden: move tender plants under cover

December’s heavy rains and flooding have left garden soils very vulnerable to compaction and erosion, so don’t attempt to dig/plant or even walk on waterlogged lawns and sodden beds until the ground has had a proper chance to dry out a little. Even then, it’s best to prevent further damage by using wooden planks as a crude walkway as a way of dispersing the weight of heavy footsteps.

So far it’s been an unseasonably mild winter but colder conditions will almost inevitably set in soon, so if you haven’t already done so, then move tender plants under cover. This could be a glasshouse, polytunnel, porch or bright windowsill.

If the plant is too big to move, then mulch it generously and invest in some good quality garden fleece to have on standby for those frosty nights to come.

The recent wet weather has made it almost impossible to garden out-of-doors, but that’s all the more reason to tidy out the glasshouse or give the polytunnel the once-over by clearing away the remains of old crops, washing dirty plant pots and checking for any storm damage/ necessary repairs.

Now is also a good time to consider any alterations or additions to such structures, such as the installation of watering systems, automatic roof or louvre vents, new paths, soil heating cables or heated propagating benches.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Wednesday, January 13th:

Carmel Duignan, gardening writer and former television producer, will give a talk “The Making of a Plant Anorak” on behalf of South County Dublin Horticultural Society (8pm, at the Kill O’The Grange Parish Centre, Kill Lane; admission €5).

Thursday, January 14th

: A View from the Palm House, a talk by Dr Matthew Jebb, Director of the National Botanic Gardens on Greek education, plant evolution, the 1801 Act of Union, St Patrick’s flag, Dublin’s two names, Viking agriculture, alien invasive plants, and climate change (8pm, National Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre, organised with the Irish Garden Plant Society)