Worplesdon Garden Club is a friendly and enthusiastic club which meets every second Tuesday of the month from 8-10pm in the Old Church, Emmanuel Parish Centre, Stoughton, Guildford, GU2 9SJ with doors open from 7.45pm.

November: David Standing – ‘Gilbert White the Gardener’, Tuesday 8th November.
December: Christmas Social Evening, Tuesday 13th December.

Gardening hints and tips for November & December

• Cold nights and frosts will be making an appearance soon so this the last chance to protect any tender perennials by moving to a sheltered spot or by applying a thick mulch of compost.
• It is important to gather up leaves regularly – fallen leaves will smother lawns and small plants and will become a dangerous slip hazard on paths.
• Collect leaves into their own bag or leaf bin and leave for about a year to decompose into beautiful leaf mould.
• Carefully lift any remaining dahlia and begonia tubers, trim off the dead foliage, label, then store in dry sand or compost in a cool, frost-free place. Alternatively, apply a thick layer of mulch over the plants in situ to protect the tubers from deep frosts over the winter.
• Plant out any last remaining winter bedding.
• It’s still a good time to sow sweet peas for an early show next summer.
• Plant Narcissi and tulips. Tulips are often quite short lived and can do better in pots or tubs. Pots are also easier to move to a different location after flowering to allow the leaves to die down naturally.
• Maintain home-grown Poinsettias so they receive at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness every night to encourage formation of the characteristic bracts and coloured leaves in time for Christmas.
• If you’re buying a Poinsettia, remember that they don’t like draughts or being overwatered. Give them lots of light during the day and don’t trap them behind a curtain on a cold windowsill overnight or they will drop all their leaves.
• Tie in wall trained shrubs and climbers to prevent wind damage and lightly prune roses to reduce root damage by wind-rock where top-heavy plants are pulled out the ground by the wind over the winter months.
• Start to prune and maintain most deciduous trees and shrubs – the main exceptions being evergreens or tender shrubs, and cherries, plums and other stone fruit which should be pruned in the summer.
• Bare rooted roses, shrubs, hedging, and some trees can also be planted now through to end of February. Bare-rooted plants without a pot or soil are a very cost-effective way to buy new plants.
• Avoid walking on frost-covered grass to prevent damage and the appearance of brown patches.
• Harvest and enjoy root crops and brassicas from the vegetable garden. A frost on parsnips will help turn more of the starches in the roots into sugars, making them even sweeter.
• Stop watering any succulents or cacti and reduce watering of most houseplants – with the light levels being very low, plants will not be growing and will not need regular watering.
• Tidy perennial grasses and bamboos and continue to clear the top stems of faded perennials where appropriate.
• Whilst it’s harder to be motivated to get out in the garden when the days are so short and it’s cold and damp, doing a bit of work on the brighter days will pay dividends later.