Christmas in the Garden

A 1/2 wine barrel filled with plants/herbs/flowers is an excellent gift idea.  A garden cook book as a gift for the keen gardener means they can transfer what they have grown into delicious dishes or even gifts they can give away too.   See below for more Christmas gift ideas.  When you are really stuck, a Garden Gift Voucher is a great way to go.

Sometimes weeds are not weeds and STINGING NETTLE is one of those I have discovered that can be transformed into a delicious dip/spread for the summer bar-b-ques

Stinging Nettle Pesto

6 cups of fresh stinging nettle (suggest you use gloves to harvest this) – boiled in a little water for 2 minutes – drain and hold back the liquid (I use this to make a smooth paste if needed)

1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 x Garlic Cloves

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Pine nuts or Cashew Nuts

Salt/pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into blender.  This is fabulous for pasta, with crackers and cheese, as a dip.  Refrigerate until ready to use or I usually make a double mixture and freeze in small containers.

Edible Garden

• For those who protected their potatoes and other vegetables from the late frosts – start digging up and eating (once flowers start to die off on the potatoes)
• Keep planting lettuce, spring onions and radish
• Pick beans every 2 – 3 days, keep watered
• Tomatoes and corn will be ready late January in a good season or warm site
• Sow sprouting broccoli and cauliflower etc. mid December for planting out in late January – Beware grey aphid and white butterfly
• Stop harvesting asparagus in mid December to allow for root reserves for next season – support with stakes and twine

Prepare Garden For Christmas

• Give flowers from your garden to friends and family
• Enjoy the fruit of your labour on Christmas day – Potatoes, peas (sown mid September), beans, lettuce, carrots, spring onions.
• Enjoy the raspberries, strawberries, black currents for desserts and juice
• Christmas Gift Ideas for the keen gardener: Gloves are a great stocking filler, Pruners, sprinklers, trowel, weeder, stainless steel spade or fork

Irrigation

• Watering systems should be installed to conserve water
• Trickle irrigation is the most economical,
• Time clocks will avoid over watering
• If you have automatic irrigation set for early morning e.g. 5am or late evening e.g. after 9pm

Holiday Care for your Garden

• If going on holiday give the garden a good soak before you take off, or make sure the irrigation system is working well and not leaking, or have sprinklers on a timer system and ask neighbours to turn the timer around  if summer is particularly dry
• Mulch is great for keeping the moisture in
• Place potted plants in  cool shade behind the house
• A good idea to have lawns mown by family/neighbours – makes the property look lived in.
• If you have a full vegetable/fruit garden, invite friends etc to enjoy rather than waste

Trees/shrubs

• Ensure any newly planted trees/shrubs have sufficient water to help get them established

Lawns

• Water just enough to keep green, browntop and fescue are fairly drought resistant and survive even if browned off

Roses

• Prune to 5 leaf after flowering, watering will encourage flowering
• Fertilise roses with Evergreen Rose Fertiliser to encourage new growth for  second flowering

Flowers

• Plant your summer annuals now and enjoy the bright colours this brings to your garden
• Dead head/cut down and fertilise to encourage flowering
• Provide support for Dahlias and Christmas lilies
• Lavender:  After flowering, cut back about 1/3, but make sure not to cut back to hard mature wood with no re growth potential.