The past few weeks have lulled us into thinking that spring is here.. hopefully it is. There are lots of jobs you could be getting on with in the garden this week…
• Snowdrops are looking brilliant everywhere at the moment. If you are like me, you’ll be wishing you had more of these fabulous bulbs in your garden. Snowdrop bulbs can be planted in the autumn. However, the best way to establish snowdrops is to plant them ‘in the green’, after flowering, with their foliage intact. Now is also a good time to divide snowdrops.
• To begin getting ready for your vegetable gardening year, now is the time to begin to ‘chit’ your seed potatoes. Chitting means sprouting the potato tuber – you should do this in a cool but frost free place – ideally a cool greenhouse or close to a porch window. It’s important that light levels are good. I always sit them in egg boxes to keep them upright. By chitting potatoes you will get better establishment once planted and I always think it gives a much better harvest.
PLANT OF THE WEEK: VIBURNUM TINUS ‘EVE PRICE’
Looking great at the moment with its glossy green leaves, Viburnum Tinus ‘Eve Price’ is a great winter flowering shrub. It begins to flower in October and can still be flowering in April. The flowers are white and pink tinge and can be slightly scented. These are then followed by small blue coloured berries. Viburnum Tinus ‘Eve Price’ is a great plant for living in a pot or container, where its growth will be restricted by the pot – however planted in a border it can grow to 2 metres. It grows in full sun or partial shade, is completely hardy and grows successfully in most well
drained soil.
Colin Barrie, Caulders Garden Centres
Colin has been working in the gardening industry for over 30 years and owns 7 Garden Centres across central Scotland and is passionate about Scottish plants.
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