Twelve gardening jobs for Christmas

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Christmas Day was everything it was supposed to be in the Pasco household – at home with family, relaxing banter, wholesome food (including home-grown parsnips), gifts, games and laughter.

And before you ask, no, I didn't escape into the garden to avoid washing up.

There was music too. I started learning electric guitar four years ago, wishing I'd started in my youth, and I love it. As always when learning a musical instrument, you only get out what you put in, so I do try and pick it up every day.

Local musician Richard Mackman is a great teacher, and at my last lesson he decided to teach me a Christmas classic, the Slade song 'Merry Christmas Everybody', with a galloping guitar line I've just about mastered. My son Luke is turning into a great drummer (and has started gigging ... at 15!), so all I need now is Noddy Holder to pop round for a sing-along.

Like many of the team at Gardeners' World, I’m enjoying a few days off this week – not the full twelve days of Christmas, but long enough to recharge before returning to produce the web and magazine pages to make 2012 another great gardening year.

To take full advantage of the free time, in addition to activities with family and friends, I've made a list of 12 things I really must get done - my gardening essentials for the 12 days of Christmas.

1  TIDY THE SHED  

It's a disgrace. No more excuses. It needs clearing out and reorganising, and to be honest it could take me the full 12 days on its own.

2  CLEAR THE PATHS

Leaves from a neighbours oak tree were late to fall, but do need collecting now. So it's out with the garden vacuum to suck-up and shred the leaves, before they’re composted.

3  PUT UP THE NESTING BOX

I took the old blue tit nesting box down a couple of weeks ago, to clean out old nesting material and sterilise inside with boiling water, but I must get it back in place. I will also look for a suitable site for another nest box.

4  EMPTY COMPOST BINS

Just how long does it take for the contents of compost bins to rot down? After a year, compost from one of my bins is ready to be used in the garden, making space for new waste to go in.

5  DIG THE PLOT

Although I've got green manures growing on some veg beds, I do have a couple that can be dug over. I'll mix in all that lovely homemade compost at the same time.

6  BUILD MY POTTING BENCH

I bought a wooden potting bench kit last summer, but it didn't come with the right instructions or screws, and has been sitting in its packaging. I must build it this week.

7  PRUNE APPLES

Some of my cordon-trained trees have grown too tall to reach the branches to pick fruit, so it's out with the loppers, and off with their tops!

8  CLEAN THE MOWER

Every mower needs a little TLC from time to time. I need to clean the underside, then spray the blade, metal parts and cables with oil. And should I book it in for a full service? Probably.

9  TAKE SOME HARDWOOD CUTTINGS

This is a great way to propagate many trees, shrubs, roses and fruits. It's really easy - do have a go.

10  PREPARE FOR PLANTING

I'm planning to plant some new fruit bushes (gooseberries especially). I’m going to prepare the soil at the planting sites this week.

11  WASH POTS AND SEED TRAYS

Never exciting, but if the sun shines I'll fill-up a large bucket with hot water and wash the growing pile of accumulated flower pots. This is a great job to do while listening to the radio. Shall I tune in to Gardeners' Question Time or Planet Rock?

12 ORDER SEEDS

Back indoors for my final job. What better time to relax with the latest crop of seed catalogues and work out what I'd like to grow in 2012.

Whatever you're doing this week, all the team at Gardeners' World send you our very best wishes for the festive season and year ahead.

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