DIARMUID GAVIN
Growing your own veg can be a real joy
Onions are just one of many veg you can try
Prepare soil now and you’ll be ready to sow
■ If you haven’t sent your Christmas tree for recycling yet, you can cut the side branches off as these make useful covers for tender plants outdoors, protecting them while allowing them to breathe. ■ If the weather gets cold don’t walk on frosty lawns as this will damage them. If ponds are icy and you have fish, break the surface with a stick to allow oxygen in but be careful as it’s easy to slip in this weather. ■ If you’re weeding your borders, it’s best to put a plank of wood down to stand on so you’re doing less damage to the soil.
■ In the veg garden, protect your cabbage plants from pigeons with netting or fleece. Remove any yellow leaves as these are dead and may harbour disease or pests.
■ Cover your veg patch with some polythene now to warm it up so you can sow veg early. You can start sowing some veg indoors such as broad beans. ■ Sow begonia, lobelia and salvia seeds in a heated propagator.
■ Prune one third of blackcurrant stems to ground level to encourage new growth.
Italian arum is an unusual perennial as, unlike most, its leaves die down in summer to re-emerge in winter. This makes them a valuable winter/spring groundcover. Their favourite position is in moist, well-drained soil in the shade.
Exotic arrowshaped leaves in a glossy green are heavily marbled with cream marking, and in spring they push up small green spathes which are flower-like structures. After their summer dormancy, vivid red berries appear in autumn. We have a native version, Arum maculatum, also known as Lords and Ladies, whose fruit and leaves you may have spotted in woodlands.