Unpredictable weather means being alert

After all the excitement of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, January can be sort of a let down! Not a lot to look forward to unless you are a gardener and then you will enjoy seeing the first narcissus start to flower in the gardens. J

By: cyprus-mail.com

Jan 05 2025
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Unpredictable weather means be

January is one of those months when you are not quite sure what the weather will be doing. Average daytime temperatures around the island can be in the range of 10C-23C but night temperatures may between 0-13C, so you will have to keep an eye on any tender plants.

We could have sunny or cloudy-rainy days (according to those who predict the weather), but of course it all depends where you live. There may be snow on the Troodos, but you wouldn’t expect that lower down.

However, some gardens that are surrounded by high fences or hedges become known as ‘frost pockets’ where cold air is trapped and the winter sun cannot warm up the air. A ‘frost pocket’ situation can also occur if your garden is at the bottom of a valley or slope when the cold air tumbles down and chills the gardens there. At 300 metres where I live, we have been known to have frosts during the winter, so we always hope for no damage to new growth on trees and shrubs!

Some trees are still shedding their leaves, so that there should be some clearing up to do, which will ensure that any rain reaches the roots of the trees. It’s a good idea to make a small ‘bund’ around the base of each fruit tree, so that any rainwater doesn’t escape into the rest of the garden or orchard.

Snails sometimes hibernate amongst old leaves or are tucked away inside cactus plants, like aloes, where they are difficult to dislodge. They can live for a very long time and lie dormant for up to 3 years, so it’s better to remove them and encourage them to live somewhere else!

I sometimes find that any early seedlings have little chips in the edges. I used to think it was snails but it is the sparrows, of which there are a lot around here, looking for some green to help their winter diet. This leads them to any bright yellow crocus flowers as well.

And, of course there are always weeds and wild flowers to remove, which may look wonderful in the pastures and forests but are not so welcome in gardens.

I always look forward to what are known as ‘Halcyon Days’ here in early January, when we can have a period of brilliant blue skies and lots of sunshine. According to Greek legend whilst the seas are quiet and the sun shines, this is the time that kingfishers would build their nests in the cliffs.

Unfortunately, we can’t all bask in the winter sunshine as there are other jobs to do in the garden, especially if you didn’t finish pruning your fruit trees last month. It’s good to keep the trees to a height so that you can pick the fruits easily without having to climb ladders, which can be hazardous. The aim is to remove any diseased branches and those that cross in the centre of the tree, so that the air can blow through the branches and not allow mould to appear on them.

If you didn’t manage to prune some of your shrubs and small trees before Christmas it is not too late to do so now. A favourite South African shrub, now called Plumbago auriculata, meaning ears (it used to be known as Plumbago capensis, which indicated where it was first collected), is commonly known as the Sky Flower. It can have several metres of growth in a season and really benefits from annual pruning. I used to prune my several bushes down to around 8 inches but am not quite so severe these days. Watch out for any cut hard stems left behind as you prune, as they can give you a nasty jab in the arm, as I know to my cost, so wear some arm protection.

Lantana, originally from Central and Southern America, can also put on enormous growth. We had one which didn’t do well for ages and then this summer spread its wings and grew over other plants, so much so that we had to severely prune it back just before the cold weather set in.

Another South African medium-sized tree is polygala, from the Bokkeveld mountainous area of South Africa. They have the most interesting flowers, which the bees love to delve into and feast on. However, as you might find, the resulting seeds are very fertile and new seedlings will sprout up everywhere in the spring-time.

I am sure that you would have removed the big seed pods of Caesalpinia gilliesii, as the weight of them can break the brittle branches. When the seed pods are ripe, they explode and scatter the large flat seeds everywhere, where they will germinate easily. This tree also benefits from a prune at this time of year, which should result in abundant flowers later on.

The same goes for Tecoma stans, that lovely medium-sized tree that grows so well along the roadsides in coastal towns during the summertime. The seed pods that appear after the bright yellow flowers, are also quite large. It really doesn’t need too much pruning but I watched to my dismay workmen in Larnaca hacking them nearly to death just before Christmas. They really don’t need such harsh treatment!

Not all trees and shrubs wait for summer sunshine to burst into colour. A favourite I always look forward to seeing is Photinia ‘red robin’ when its vibrant bright red leaves appear in the early days of spring. This small tree started life in New Zealand where it is seen in many gardens, and is sometimes used as a wind break from the cold Antarctic winds there.

Viburnum tinus is also an early flowerer whose pretty flowers open up from the tight pink flower buds.The evergreen shrub has dark green, glossy leaves and the clusters of flowers eventually produce blue-black berries, which the birds enjoy. It prefers to be planted in well-drained soil, in full sun to partial shade.

This native of the Mediterranean, ideal for hedges, screens, or as a specimen plant, is easy to grow and adds interest to the garden all year round. It requires minimal maintenance but pruning after flowering will encourage bushier growth.

I have several prostrate rosemary plants, which at this time of year trail their bright blue flowers down a wall and look so attractive. They are very easy to propagate and do not grow too big and unattractive like most upright rosemary bushes.

The early flowering Jasminum mesnyi bushes are starting to flower too and the bright yellow, usually single flowers will brighten up your winter garden. Known as the ‘primrose jasmine’ or ‘Japanese jasmine’, it belongs to the olive family and is a native of Vietnam and Southern China.

It can put on a lot of growth in a season, so some judicious pruning may be in order. They look best growing over an umbrella-type support, so that their long stems trail downwards and sometimes you might find that they have rooted in the soil beneath the plants.

The first pink or white almond blossoms are appearing and what a lovely sight they are each January. It’s a pity that they flower so early here, as they can be rained on heavily at this time of year, resulting in few nuts.

Plant of the Month Strelitzia reginae

This striking low-maintenance plant, originally discovered in the Cape Provinces and South Africa, is an ever-green perennial and closely related to the banana family. Coming from the Southern Hemisphere it usually flowers here in late winter or early spring, depending where you garden of course.

Generally speaking, this is not a plant for a small garden as it can grow to around at least two metres high and the leaves can be as long as a metre plus.

It has no trunk and the tall leaves rise directly from the base. ‘Bird of paradise’ flowers prefer high humidity and generally last for about three weeks before drooping and dying.

The best way to propagate these very attractive large plants is by division and it is best to use mature plants that have previously bloomed for at least three years.

Remove the new growth or offshoots at the base of the plant with at least three leaves and divide the rhizome below the ground.

It may be necessary to use loppers, hand pruners or a pruning saw to prise any divisions away from the main body of the plant.

After flowering, you can cut all old leaves and stems down to just above the ground. If the plant remains too crowded, you may have to use long-handled pruners and remove selected stems and leaves.