Gardening: A worm's eye view of the world

Most people seem to be under the impression that just because all the plants have gone to sleep (or died) and the weather is intent on battering us with as much sleet, snow and rain as it can possibly muster, that gardeners have to go into hibernation.

The truth is quite the reverse. Spring and summer are when all the 'nice' jobs get done.

They are seasons of hoeing and gentle weeding, of dead heading, tying in and watering, of mowing and edging. You are surrounded by fragrance and beauty while undertaking pleasurable chores.

The weather is far friendlier and encourages you to spend every hour basking in its radiance.

The winter, however, brings with it the heavy, more physical tasks.

This is the time when gardens can be jigged around and re-designed; when paths can be put in place and when fences can be erected or mended. This is the time when the really heavy digging is done, when borders and vegetable patches are turned over.

It is the best time to plant trees and large shrubs. It is also the time to deal with the monster that lurks at the bottom of every good garden, the compost heap.

Our compost heap at Natures World is not tucked away neatly but is on full display.

This is because it is the centre of all the workings in the garden, and because we like actively to encourage people to see what goes on in the world of the compost heap.

In fact we even have a reinforced tunnel running under some of the heap, which gives the visitor a worm's eye view of the process.

The tunnel used to run the length of the 15m compost heap, but it was set alight three years ago (discarded cigarette, whether by accident or intent we will never know).

It took four days to dampen down the blaze, but the soil that was eventually taken from the heap was beautiful stuff, and the vegetables that were propagated from it yielded masses of produce.

The only trouble with the soil was that having the tunnel running beneath the heap meant that the heat couldn't build up sufficiently to kill off all the weed seeds.

There were seeds that had lain dormant for ten years in the compost. As soon as it was put down on the borders, the change in conditions activated the germination process, and the weeds suddenly sprang up everywhere.

If possible, it is always better to cover the heap with something like an old carpet, or polythene sheet, just so the heat can really build up and the 'nasties' can all be cooked into oblivion.

It is now time again to scrape away the top couple of feet and dig into the brown gold underneath.

The soil that is coming out this year is a deep colour and crumbly in texture. It has no odour other than earth.

It can easily be sieved for using as a sowing medium, or shovelled straight onto the flower or vegetable borders. This has all been done for no monetary outlay, and using only the natural process of decay (i.e. without any chemical activators).

So this year, we can truly state that our vegetables will have been grown using sustainable and organic methods.

JOBS THIS WEEK

*l Cut back dogwood

Now that you've enjoyed the dramatic colours of your winter dogwoods, they can be cut back hard, almost down to ground level. This will encourage fresh young shoots for the coming year and ensure a bright display next winter.

* Layer rhododendrons

Low branches of rhododendrons and azaleas can be pegged down to the ground to encourage them to form new plants. Wound the shoots' undersides and dab with hormone rooting powder (or seaweed powder if you are growing organically) to assist rooting.

* Winter washes

If pest or disease problems including woolly aphid have been severe on fruit trees, a forceful spray of tar oil (or mild Jeyes fluid) winter wash over the trunk and branches should help. Make sure mind that you don't spray on a windy day.