Many People think that when the winter arrives that the Grounds and Garden have nothing to do with plants that lay dormant, but nothing can be further from the truth.

My team of gardeners have dusted their Christmas turkey off and are getting their teeth back into it. Over the past week our college Orchards have received maintenance with the fruit trees being pruned. This has also included the Actinidia deliciosa (Kiwi) based at Kybald and the many types of Malus and Pyrus (apple and Pear) trees based at Stavertonia and Harberton Mead.

Beds have been weeded, Paths sprayed for moss and algae and glasshouses stocked up and propagation starting in readiness for spring and summer planting. We have being doing much tree work across our sites and the Chipper at full capacity clearing the branches and deadwood across our sites. These chippings will be utilized across all college.

The wet weather and strong winds have caused plenty of havoc and mess for us to deal with, at the time of writing this we have already had 47mil of rainfall, causing beds, borders and lawns to become saturated.

With the rainfall experienced our sites are being well looked after with the Sports Ground being vertidrained to a depth of 12 inches to aid rainfall, gas exchanges and aid root development. Our wonderful Harberton Mead garden also getting spiked and fed, whilst the other lawns on Main site and at Stavertonia are due this same maintenance regime shortly. Aeration is key people!

This past week we have also experienced our first hard frosts (so stay off the lawns please), it’s worth mentioning that by walking on grass you bruise the grass (black footprints), this causing leaf tissue damage on the cell wall of the plant damaging and causing issues when the grass photosynthesis so avoid if possible.

Monthly Gardening Tips

Now is the time of year to grow your own potatoes, if you have a polytunnel or greenhouse at home we recommend sowing seeds now as this will allow you to be eating them earlier.

Robbie Eason, Head of Grounds Maintenance

Find out more on our Gardens page.

Published: 29 January 2020

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