A month-by-month guide to tasks
A gardening writer steps into dangerous territory when writing about month-by-month gardening jobs. That’s no wonder – every task and when it should be done depends on where the reader lives!
This is really good advice for new gardeners – there are very few hard-and-fast rules to follow in gardening. Common sense is the greatest asset you can have.
However, everyone likes to have a vague idea of what to do and when, so I split my gardening jobs into months. Every month is then split into four weeks (I know there are 52 weeks in the year but it is a rough guide. Spend the spare four weeks with your feet up). By all means, follow the jobs for the week you’re in but check out the dates before and after, especially in winter when the soil is often frozen or waterlogged.
Gardening jobs – Inclement weather alert
When I first created this page, it was National Gardening Week and the National Gardens Open Day (April 15). In Gateshead, sleet was hammering against the window and we hadn’t seen the sun for five days, with a prolonged bout of wet weather. My weather app said it was 4°C outside and would drop to 2°C.
Yet in London that week, the temperature had hit 17°C – as a colleague of mine used to say: “The sun was cracking the flags!” In Braemar, Aberdeenshire, the temperature fell to -2°C; in Manston, Kent, it was 14°C at almost 5.30pm. We live in a funny old country and it’s vital you know your area and its little foibles.
Every garden is different
My garden doesn’t get as much frost as others, as one side is a black-painted brick wall, which gives out stored heat overnight. However, it gets battered by swirling winds from any old direction. The soil, being clay you can make pots out of, takes a long time to heat up in spring, especially the bits shaded by the hedge.
The best thing to do if you feel you’re falling behind with jobs is DON’T PANIC. You and the plants will catch up. Go out (if you can) and get inspiration from other gardens, such as RHS Harlow Carr.
If you feel you’re really behind or have just taken up gardening, it’s no crime to cut corners. Pop to your local garden centre and invest in ready-grown annuals or veg if you haven’t time to grow them from seed.
Gardening jobs – plants will save the day
Similarly, plant up a few pots near your outdoor seating area where you can enjoy them. There’s always next year! Even though I’ve been gardening since I was a kid, I constantly make mistakes. Don’t trust a so-called ‘expert’ who never seems to fail!
We had a terrible March in 2013, which was absolutely freezing, following on from a really cold December, yet there was no delay in perennials. What DID delay matters was trying to battle the elements, putting out plants that couldn’t stand the weather. They died and then had to be resown. A lesson for us all. Enjoy your month-by-month jobs in the garden!
