Looking After Your Flowers
We’ve been feeling a little glum this week, what with the weather being so chilly and all.. Christmas is a distant memory now and we are well and truly into January.
Us ducks have been doing everything we can to quack a smile though and have decided to plant some pretty flowers, as well as give those already planted some TLC! We know what you are thinking, we must have gone quackers... flowers don’t grow in winter!
But hey, did you know, there are some really hardy flowers that can be planted in January and others that can make it through the winter with a little bit of care?! Flowers like bright and cheery daffodils, the beautiful snowdrop, and the delightful carnation and crocus can all be seen flowering in January, you just have to make sure you look after them.
Many of you will know these tips already, but just to be safe we've asked some of our Flower Ducklings to help tell you how!
Prune
No, we're not talking about the edible variety, although we'd prefer peas anyhow. Although you shouldn’t prune too much in winter, it's important to make sure you're keeping on top of any dead stems. You can do this by cutting these back and removing any faded flowers and old leaves too.
Be sure to remove any debris that may have landed in the flower beds too from all of this crazy wind we are having (us Ducks are not enjoying it!).
(Don't) Let it Snow!
It is getting chilly, and you never know we might be in for a bout of snow! Although it may be fun to play with, if it does come, be sure knock any excess off your plants. The weight, and a lack of sunlight, can cause damage!
Keep the cosy and dry
Just like us, flowers get very cold in the winter, and like to be kept cosy, warm and dry! There are a few things you can do to keep your flowers toasty and out of the wet. If you lift your pots up off the ground using pot feet (or corks left over from your Christmas prosecco!) it will stop them getting flooded.
To keep them nice and toasty, you can wrap your plants up in bubble wrap (avoid covering the compost area though!), this should keep the soil warm and from freezing over.
Much Mulch
Make sure your flowers have a lot of mulch, straw leaves or bark around stems to help protect roots from the cold. Some organic mulches also contain nutrients, which help to act as slow-release plant food!