There is no need to abandon the garden just because it is Christmas, writes GINA

PARKINSON

IF YOU can't stay away from the garden over Christmas and the weather is kind, then December is a good time to take root cuttings from perennials like hardy geraniums and Japanese anemones.

Carefully lift the plant and trim back any remaining top growth. Put it into a bucket of water and gently wash away the soil, then remove the roots one at a time, making a straight cut at the top of each section and a slanting one at the base. Thick, fleshy roots need to be about 5cm long and should be planted the right way up in pots of compost, with the top of the cutting just below the surface.

Thinner roots are planted horizontally in trays of compost and potted up individually once shoots have developed. Label, water and stand in a frost-free propagator or cold frame, or in a heated propagator for faster rooting.

If it too cold for outside activities an afternoon's work in the shed should satisfy the urge to be busy in the garden - there are always tools to clean and pots to wash out ready for use next year.

Good quality tools will last a lifetime and beyond if they are treated well. Wash off any mud or soil and tighten loose handles or replace broken or rotted ones. Rub linseed oil into wooden handles and shafts - the shed will smell lovely after this job - and oil metal blades to keep their surface clean and free from rust. Clean and service the lawn mower, or find a supplier who will do this for you. Wash plant pots and trays in soapy water and rinse in dilute bleach or disinfectant, then sort into sizes, getting rid of any that are not needed.

If there is mistletoe in the house over Christmas and an apple tree in the garden try growing your own. Once the festivities are over put the mistletoe berries in a plastic bag and keep in a cool place until February or March. Then slit the berries open and smear the seeds into a crack or cut in a branch of an apple tree.

Be patient: mistletoe can take several years to establish and both a male and a female plant are needed to produce berries.

Seasonal Task

If you want some extra fairy lights in the house but don't want another Christmas tree, cut some bare stems from the garden and use them instead. Coloured dogwood branches are ideal, especially seasonal red varieties, and as they are cut hard back in early spring it won't do the plant any harm to lose two or three now. Take the stems back to between five and eight centimeters from the ground and bind them together near the base. Put them in a pot filled with sand or gravel to give stability and decorate simply with a string of lights, or add a few small baubles to give some movement and reflected light.

Homemade decorations using herbs such as cinnamon sticks and whole star anise can be strung together with thin ribbon or raffia and hung from the branches for a different look.

Updated: 09:45 Saturday, December 21, 2002