THERE may not be lots of colour outdoors, but there can be plenty inside the house.
It’s nice to balance the profusion of glitter and lights with a bit of natural colour from some house plants.
There are a range of options from the blaze of colour that poinsettia or Christmas cactus can bring, to sturdy hyacinths with their strong scent.
Christmas cherry and pepper plants are options too.
Early bulbs in pots may be flowering now – look for early narcissi as the first hint of an approaching spring.
And then there are faithful cyclamen that will flower indoors or out.
Enjoy Brussels sprouts when they are at their best. (Photo: Ben Russell)
Many of these will only offer a display for one winter, but they deserve a little attention to make that one flowering the best that you can.
Some plants do best in a warm room and others in a cooler one.
Some like direct sunlight and others do not. Most prefer damp soil to being waterlogged.
Read online to find what is right for your plant or bring out the gardening books and relax for a while – it’s a pleasure to flick through a book of flower care and spot other plants that you might like to try next year.
Whatever you choose, do the best that you can and remember you can move a potted plant around until you find its best spot.
Frost damage
Most winter vegetables have a tolerance for low temperatures.
What most plants don’t like is the swing back and forth between low and high temperatures.
This seems to have been a bit of a pattern of late and, although we can’t change the weather, we can do some things to help winter crops do their best in the circumstances.
First, and most important, choose varieties with care. Some are more hardy than others.
Autumn leeks may turn to mush with the first hard frost, while later winter varieties won’t be damaged.
It’s worth peeling off the outer layers of any frosted leeks – the inner layers may be fine to use.
And it is worth covering any leeks still in the ground if there are sub-zero temperatures forecast.
A layer of horticultural fleece, or fine mesh crop cover, can protect plants.
Kale and sprouting broccoli, will survive temperatures down to –10C; they may lose leaves and look tatty but they will grow again and still crop next spring.
These plants are best left uncovered as leaves are prone to moulds and mildews if air can’t circulate.
Brussels sprouts growing outdoors can suffer in freezing conditions.
Outer layers can be peeled off if the inner part of the sprout is sound, but test for flavour as well as texture and discard any damaged ones.
You don’t want to be put off sprouts by trying to salvage spoiled crops.
You can cover sprout plants on cold nights and they can crop far beyond Christmas if the weather is kind.
I always grow a few plants in a polytunnel and these survive and thrive when the ones outdoors are done.
Again think variety when expecting cabbages to do well in the winter months.
Savoys will often survive a light frost, but it’s the hardy January King type that will survive a harder one.
Spring cabbage will stand through most winters, but they look fresher and healthier if they are grown under cover.
Peel outer layers off frost damaged leeks. (Photo: Ben Russell)
Treats to eat
Having talked about damage to vegetable plants, there are still plenty growing now that are healthy and cropping well.
A greenhouse or polytunnel will extend the number of things that you can harvest, with a range of salad leaves being high on that list.
Vibrant ruby chard adds colour to any dish and there’s a wide range of winter greens to keep you fed.
While it’s great to have lots of things to pick, don’t be overenthusiastic.
Everything grows slowly, if at all, at this time of year.
Take a few leaves from each plant and never harm the growing point if you want more leaves to grow.
Keep working away at your stored crops too.
There might be carrots parsnips, swedes, pumpkins, beetroot, onions, garlic, apples and potatoes in a frost-free shed.
Keep checking that all are sound and keep using them before they are past their best.
Then there are the jars of pickles, chutneys and jams; and maybe a freezer full of bags of fruit.
There are so many delicious treats that are stored from the summer and you don’t want to waste a bit.
Christmas is a time when we all maybe eat more than we should.
But you know that the food is the best you can get if it includes some of your homegrown harvest.
Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back if you have anything that you have grown yourself on the dinner table.
