Happy New Year
By: Steve Ott
Many people hate the winter, preferring to stay inside and to ignore the world outside until the spring arrives. But for others – gardeners in particular – the winter months are a time of great excitement.
I love January; there is still plenty to do, but it can be done at my pace – which is pretty slow at the best of times. Nature, at least the nature outside of my heated propagator, is in a state of suspended animation and I can potter about safe in the knowledge that I can keep up! The weeds won’t get away from me, the hedge and lawn have stopped growing and I can prepare for the day when the ground thaws, plants spring into life again and all the energy that has been locked away in the soil (I’m convinced you can feel it under your wellies – or maybe that’s just the manure), can be released.
Not just gardens but gardeners too will have recharged their batteries and be raring to get the new season underway, and with that in mind we haven’t been sitting back on our laurels in the KG office. We gave you a taster of some of the great new features we have in store for you in last month’s edition, well they are unveiled in this issue... and I really hope you enjoy them.
I’m really pleased to be able to welcome Toby Buckland back onto the pages of KG this month. I know his regular appearances on our TV screens have been sorely missed, so fans will be able to get their ‘fix’ here instead. I visited Toby on his new plot in the wonderful walled garden of Powderham Castle in Devon a few weeks ago and was amazed at how much he has achieved in such a short time. You can follow his progress every month and take his top tips back to your own plot.
Joyce Russell has been busy too and starts her new series of ‘proper’ tool tests this month with a look at secateurs. Never mind what the catalogues tell you a tool or product will do – if it doesn’t meet expectations, Joyce will let you know. This very practical gardener will also be bringing you hands-on advice on an essential aspect of veg growing every month starting with the vexed question of how to change your soil’s pH.
As many of you will know, Bob Flowerdew is a long-time panellist on BBC Radio Four’s Gardeners’ Question Time, so it’s appropriate that he takes up his position as ‘chief problem solver’ in this issue. If you have a question for Bob send it in care of us here in the KG offices and we’ll do our best to include all his answers on these pages.
Happy New Year from all at KG.
Steve
PS: There is still time to take out a subscription as a great Christmas gift for a gardening friend. Order by December 31, to take advantage of our great seasonal offer which includes a FREE KG calendar and seeds.
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