Page 38 - Phonebox Magazine January 2007

A Month in the Garden
Linette Applegate
www.applegategardens.com
GFS
Garden Clearance
and General Tidying Up Cutting Back and Pruning Fencing, Turfing, Hedge Clipping Patios and Paths Jet Washed Rubbish Removed
All Carried Out Professionally and Courteously at Sensible Rates
Mob: 07740 715158 Tel: 01234 721146
What soil do you have?
Every garden soil is different. All are mixtures of sand, clay and silt, but in differing quantities.
To determine what your soil is, take a piece of soil about the size of a golf ball and roll between your fingers removing any large stones. Now try to roll into a ‘worm’ shape.
A sandy soil will not form this shape, it simply falls apart. If you can form this shape easily and when rubbed, the surface turns shiny, this is clay soil. However, if the ‘worm’ can be crushed in the palm of your hand, then you have a loam soil, perhaps the most desirable of soil types. Very similar is a silty soil, which posesses a silky feel.
You can improve every soil by adding organic material
such as compost or manure. This helps bind particles together in a sandy soil, or helps clay soil become more workable.
Knowing your soil will help you choose the right plants for your garden and enjoy more success growing healthy and happy plants. n
J. D. Landscapes
Landscape Design &Construction
Qualified professionals carrying out
PAVING PRUNING WALLING DECKING
FENCING PONDS PLANTING TURFING
HEDGE/TREE/SHRUB PRUNING
Call 01234 711681 - 07768 621234
38 Phonebox Magazine
The start of the gardening year doesn’t really kick in until springtime, you may think, but venture into your garden during January and signs of growth are all around you.
Most of the winter berries have disappeared as birds enjoy their tasty treats, but these are replaced by catkins dangling from garrya’s and hazels, the first signs of bulbs pushing their way through the cold soil, and buds swelling on bare stems.
If the soil is frosty or wet, try to keep off the beds as walking over them can easily destroy the soil structure. Continue planting dormant shrubs and trees when the weather allows, and check that any newly planted shrubs have not been lifted up by the winter frosts. If so, use your heel to firm them back into the soil again. If we have heavy snowfall, carefully brush it off conifers and evergreen plants to prevent the weight breaking any branches. And continue looking forward to longer, warmer days! n
SHERINGTON NURSERY
BEDFORD ROAD, SHERINGTON
We sell and accept National Garden Gift Tokens – the ideal Birthday gift
We have a good selection of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers in stock
Ornamental Pottery, Ornaments, Tubs and Troughs
WINTER PANSIES READY
WOODLAND BARK 100 LTRS £3.99
TOP SOIL, FARM MANURE AND COMPOST AT DISCOUNT PRICES
OPEN DAILY 10 AM TO 5PM
Stockists of Bradstone Paving Products
We also offer a complete Garden Landscape Service and undertake Garden Maintenance and Renovation
A509 OLNEY
SHERINGTON
BERNARD CROOK GARDEN
SERVICES LTD
SHERINGTON NURSERIES
CHICHELEY
Tel 01908 610236
A422
Bedford Rd