December : deep freeze food

                       

One of the joys of having frosty, sunny days in December is seeing the tall grasses and seed heads back-lit by the sun. The illuminated cobwebs have extraordinary patterns. 

Whilst some grasses have become greatly over and badly used there are a huge variety to choose from. Some will come from dry, exposed steppes whilst others originate from damp, temperate climates. Naturally the steppe plants tend to be more drought tolerant and shorter and the damp tolerant ones are thicker stemmed and often taller. There is however something for every garden and every soil type. Understanding their natural habitat is the key to success.

Pruning them at the correct time of year makes a huge difference. The label or a good gardening book should tell you all you need to know. Don't do what I did last year and prune a short evergreen grass too early in the year. It took nine months to recover and still isn't quite right!

It is common gardening practice to cut back all herbaceous plants in autumn, but plants such as Sedum, Dipsacus (teasels) and Verbascum that have exposed seed heads are good news for wildlife. Shrubs such as Phlomis, Spirea and Berberis are some of the many bird convenience stores. The berries of course are irresistible to birds and at this time of year it is a question of who gets their first in suburbia; the birds or the Christmas wreath makers.

So when the ground is not frozen solid and you are not wistfully humming to yourself  "In the bleak mid-winter", there are a number of things to be done in December:

• Cover any outdoor taps with something to stop the frost penetrating. Traditionally hessian cloth is used but any thick plastic or old cloth will work.
• Fish can suffer if their pond is covered with thick ice. Whilst it is not very sightly, a football in a pond that can be safely plucked out or even better, some thick timber lifted out will create some clear space in the ice. 
• Some plants have very sappy branches that "bleed" heavily when pruned. Now is the time to prune your Vines, Birches and Acers as the sap will have stopped flowing.
• Prune apples and pears ( but not those growing against walls) bearing in mind the ground rules of cutting out dead, diseased and crossed branches and creating space for light and air circulation. Further pruning will be necessary in the growing season to produce the best results.
• Stay off lawns in frosty conditions as it damages the structure of the grass. Getting the last of the leaves off the lawn will make for healthier lawn.
• Everyone will be hungry at this time of year including little furry creatures. If there is anything edible in your shed or greenhouse then make sure it is well sealed.

And why not give your local bird life a treat with some fat balls or other high protein winter feed? 

After all, they will not be the only ones swaying around near food at Christmas and checking out what is on offer.