080 GARDENING
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PLANT A TREE & help save the planet
£50 million scheme launched to help combat the effects of climate change by planting trees, cut in local student placement funding, plus discover Bedgebury Pinetum & jobs to do this month
Caroline Knight T
rees have finally made it towards the top of the political agenda. Since the highly visible protests by Extinction Rebellion last year and the protesting voices of teens including Greta Thunberg, the world has taken note. Of course, it never feels fast or good enough, but we must all appreciate the fact that any progress represents a major step forward – at least in terms of understanding of the problems and willingness to act. The Woodland
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Trees are the longest living organisms on the planet and one of the earth's greatest natural resources.
Carbon Guarantee is a new, £50 million scheme to help boost tree-planting rates. It encourages farmers and landowners to plant trees in return for payments as the trees mature, and the scheme will operate over 35 years and will provide an income stream for landowners and farmers who will, hopefully, be encouraged to help combat the effects of climate change by planting the right sort of trees. But you don’t need to own several acres in order to make a difference. Every garden tree is valuable. Just be sure to plant the right tree in the right place so that it can stay there for its lifetime.
A tree is able to lock in carbon from the atmosphere, as well as absorb water, the roots anchor the soil and help to stabilise the ground, while the leaves filter the air and absorb pollution. Trees provide shade and shelter whilst boosting biodiversity, and many attribute the terrible effects of worldwide flooding and climate heating to the cutting down of huge amounts of trees, many of which were within ancient rainforests. Winter is the perfect tree-planting time, just wait until the ground is frost-free then fetch your spade and plant your UK-grown tree so it can act as a climate-change warrior!
4 THINGS TO DO IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH
1. Try to resist being a “tidy garden” type of person. Leave your perennials with their spent foliage and seedheads for as long as possible as these provide fodder and shelter for small creatures and wildlife.
2. Pruning apple and pear trees is a
greatly warming January task. Aim for an open, goblet-shaped tree so that the air can circulate between the twigs.
3. Prune wisteria now so that you control all the whippy growth. It’s also a great time to clip your Buxus hedges and topiary. Now that box blight is so
common, it’s important to avoid clipping during warm, damp summer days when the problem can easily be spread.
4. Tempted to open your garden to the public this summer? January is the perfect month for making resolutions to try new things.
Image licensed by Ingram Image
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