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January is here again and although we are in a new year, your garden is more than likely still looking exactly how it finished last year! Whilst it can seem like the longest month of the year, why not take advantage of all the ‘extra time’ and complete some tasks in the garden which could really make a difference to your results later on the year and to wildlife during these much colder weeks.
The jobs have been separated into four categories. You can read them all by scrolling through or skip to a certain section by clicking below:
Before starting on any type of growing or planting tasks, some general maintenance is encouraged to ensure your space is ready for the upcoming year.
Whilst these aren’t crucial (or applicable to everyone) like the tasks mentioned further on, it is recommended that you look as possibly carrying out the following jobs;
Here are a number of tasks that are generally applicable to most UK gardens. These help keep your garden or outdoor space clear and prepared for further January tasks or some later on in the year;
Look to repair broken or unsteady fences, trellises, gates and any other similar structures. Weather permitting you can also treat wooden structures.
Get ready for the sowing season by taking any empty pots and trays and thoroughly cleaning them to save you a job in an already busy part of the gardening year.
Take care of your garden machinery and tools! Give your lawn mower a basic service (or if needed take it to a dealer for maintenance and repairs). Clean all of your tools before sharpening if required and spray your metal tools with oil to prevent rusting.
Look after your gardens feathered visitors. Clean out and scrub bird feeders regularly before re-filling with high-energy food to keep birds going through the winter. Keep your bird baths topped up each day with fresh water and on frosty days, melt the ice in the baths with warm water.
Check over your sheds and greenhouses to ensure they are still in good condition before removing any leaves or debris from the guttering systems to prevent overflowing and starting filling up your water butts.
With birds now looked after through the winter, its time to prepare for nesting season. Put up bird boxes in good sheltered spots such as on sheds, walls or tree trunks. Trim back any climbing plants such as ivy which may have outgrown their space. Do these tasks well before nesting season.
Help your existing hedges and shrubbery with a sprinkle of all-purpose fertiliser which should be spread at their bases. You could also use well rotted manure or soil improver.
Begin to dig over any gaps you find in borders. Whilst you are digging over gaps, be sure to remove all of the perennial weeds including the roots or they will return.
Providing you with just a little shelter from the elements with the next collection of tasks, a Greenhouse can be your best friend throughout the year, allowing you to grow a wide range of plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables which would not be possible without one!
Whilst most people would think your Greenhouse and garden may be out of action during winter, this couldn’t be further from the truth and by completing as many of these tasks as possible, you are both physically and metaphorically planting/sowing seeds that will come to fruition later on in the year.
To start, tidy up your greenhouse ensuring surfaces and floors are as clear as possible with all broken pots, old compost and debris removed as they could be hiding unwanted guests.
With temperatures remaining low through January, it is recommended that you keep your greenhouse frost-free with the installation of a thermostatically-controlled fan heater.
On days where the sun does come out, take advantage and ventilate your greenhouse which will, in turn, prevent humidity from building up.
In preparation for spring, begin improving the ventilation, shading and heating of your greenhouse. This will ensure your greenhouse is ready once the growing season arrives.
Check any overwintering plants regularly. You are looking for mealy bugs, aphids and other pests, hopefully you won’t find any but if you do take action to remove them.
If you have any potted strawberry plants, now would be the time to move them under cover as this encourages early fruiting.
To avoid leaf curl disease, bring your potted peaches into your greenhouse.
With any potted Camellias you may have, these should be moved to encourage early flowering, a greenhouse or an unheated porch are ideal.
Moth orchids after flowering may look as though they’re going to burst out of their pot, if this occurs, repot the plant.
Winter salads should now be sown within a greenhouse, on a sunny windowsill or in a conservatory. These will be ready to harvest within just a few weeks.
If you’re wishing to grow any Hippeastrum plants, you should do so in pots before standing the pots on a warm windowsill
Hardy annuals including ammi, cornflowers and cerinthe should start being sown in modular trays to give you early flowers.
Finally, any root cuttings of perennials such as Japanese anemones and phlox should be planted in free-draining compost.
Plants and flowers can be one of the most important parts of a garden, adding some much-needed character and colour to your outdoor space. By carefully choosing your plants depending on the time of year and planning ahead you can have a constantly flourished garden and/or greenhouse.
In this section, you will find a wide range of tasks from the removal of old plants, to maintenance of existing ones to the planting of new ones ensuring your garden is kept up to date ready for a few months of colder weather.
Keep an eye on all of your small alpines, you need to ensure they don’t get smothered by fallen leaves and other types of debris.
Take a look at your stored bulbs and tubers to make sure they have not rotted, if any have they should be removed.
You should also begin taking root cuttings of certain perennials with fleshy roots such as Acanthus, Verbascums and oriental poppies.
You should also ensure any Dahlia and Canna tubers you have stored haven’t dried out too, if they have they should be removed also.
Look for black blotches which may have marked your Hellebore foliage, if you discover any blotches, remove these and put them in the bin to limit the spread of leaf spot disease.
Winter Pansies and other bedding plants should be deadheaded regularly, whilst any foliage affected by downy mildew should be removed as soon as it is discovered.
If you have any dormant plants not currently in the optimum position, they should now be moved to more suitable sites.
Now is the time to begin taking hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs which include willow, viburnum and forsythia
Review your perennials and if you find any collapsed or soggy stems they should be removed and composted.
Buy the prettiest blooms of in flower Hellebores and Snowdrops to allow you to establish your own new colonies within your garden.
Got any mistletoe berries laying around after Christmas? Press these berries into the bark of apple trees and you will then be able to grow your own mistletoe plants if they establish.
As long as the ground is not frozen at the time, you can begin planting bare-root ornamental trees, roses, hedging and shrubs.
Any climbing roses around your garden should continue to be pruned whilst they are dormant to help them thrive.
Winter is a challenge for most crops meaning your choice for growing can be quite limited. But who doesn’t love a challenge? We have compiled a list of jobs for you to complete in January which will provide you with both immediate results and fruition later on in the year.
Whilst most tasks in the Winter months are forward planning, they are vital to ensuring a great growing season later on in the year. Follow these steps (if they apply to you) and you should yield the results of your hard work later on in the year.
To start, ensure all of your old crops have been cleared along with any unwanted weeds from the veg plot.
With the area clear, begin digging over the soil and as you go, mix in new compost.
Blackcurrants should also be pruned now, it is recommended that around a quarter of old stems are removed.
Pigeons can be a nuisance, if you have any brassicas planted such as cabbages, kale or Brussels sprouts, ensure a netting is used to cover and protect them.
Regularly check any stored crops you may have. If you notice any signs of deterioration or rotting they should be discarded.
If you have any apple or pear trees, now is the time to Winter-prune them and remove any damaged, congested, diseased or dead branches.
Redcurrants and gooseberries are ideally pruned at this time of year too, sideshoots should be cut back to three buds from their base.
High-nitrogen feeds should now be used on spring cabbages, this will encourage a leafy growth.
Rhubarb plants should be covered using a terracotta pot or bucket. This will in turn help to force an early crop of tender long stems.
Go through your current collection of seeds, checking the date and throwing away any that are out of date. From here you can plan the seeds that need to be bought for the upcoming year.
Now is also the time to begin planning ahead for this year’s crop rotation. It is highly recommended that a different bed is used to grow each type of crop to previous years.
As long as the ground is not frozen at the time, January is the time to plant any bare-root canes, bushes and trees but they need to be planted into enriched soil.
In spring you will begin planting onions, potatoes, garlic bulbs and shallots, now is the time to order these in preparation.
