Gardening Tasks for January

It’s a New Year in the garden, and lots to do in terms of planning, tidying and preparing. You can even get planting if the weather permits.

  • Plant bare-rooted hedging plants such as hawthorn, sloes and beech remembering to use Rootgrow in the planting hole to give those roots a boost. Protect newly planted plants with rabbit guards as necessary
  • Plant new clumps of early flowering bulbs such as Snowdrops and Iris reticulata. These establish well from planting them as growing plants in colour, and you get to see the flowers too, allowing you to pick the varieties you like best
  • There’s usually a good choice of Hellebores (Christmas Roses) at this time of year in the plant centre, many of which are in flower now, so pick shades that suit your garden. Cut back tatty old foliage of established Hellebores to allow for new fresh growth and for the emerging flowers to be seen
  • Keep tidying up perennial borders if you didn’t get it all done in the autumn. All soggy old growth can be cleared away and put on the compost heap
  • Continue to clear fallen leaves off lawns and groundcover alpines and herbs so that they don’t get smothered
  • Keep dead-heading winter flowering bedding plants such as pansies and violas to prolong their flowering
  • Now is a good time to move any deciduous shrubs that may be in the wrong place. Lift them with as much root-ball as possible and remember to water regularly once growth restarts to allow the roots to re-establish
  • Plant new plants as long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged
  • Prune climbing and rambling roses by cutting out all the thick woody stems and leaving the healthy green ones
  • Prune apples, pears and plums by cutting back the new growth to two or three buds on established trees, and shape up younger trees
  • Prune gooseberries and red currants by cutting side shoots back to three buds from the base
  • Sprinkle fertiliser at the base of hedges and shrubs, and around the drip-line of trees to encourage healthy spring growth
  • Trim back climbers such as Virginia Creeper, and Ivies before birds start nesting
  • Sort out your seeds and throw away any that are out of date as they won’t germinate as well as fresh seed. Store in the fridge once sorted so that they experience a “winter” and so that you don’t lose them!
  • Plan your vegetable garden, taking into account crop rotation, and make a shopping list of what seeds you need to buy
  • Weed and dig over your vegetable plot incorporating manure or fertiliser as required
  • Check that any winter growing brassicas are protected with netting to prevent pigeon damage and feed spring cabbages and kale with a nitrogen feed to encourage leaf growth
  • Cover rhubarb crowns with an upturned bucket or dustbin to force an early crop of sweet succulent stems
  • Decide what varieties of potatoes, onions and shallots you’d like to grow, and look out for them in the plant centre from mid-January onwards
  • Sow Basil seeds on a sunny window-sill for some early fresh herbs
  • Keep an eye out for slug and snail damage and treat accordingly – they seem to be active all year round
  • Tidy up the greenhouse and get rid of any debris that could provide a home for pests or disease. Use a greenhouse fumigant to give it a good clean in all the nooks and crannies
  • Set mouse traps to protect over wintering bulbs and corms, and any stored onions and potatoes
  • Keep an eye on plants being overwintered indoors for pests and diseases and treat accordingly if necessary
  • If you’re overwintering tender plants in a greenhouse, or planning to sow early seeds, make sure that your heater is working correctly, and remember to open vents or doors on sunny days to prevent humidity building up
  • Scrub clean any seed trays and pots planned to be used in the spring and purchase fresh compost ready for sowing and planting
  • Melt frozen water on birdbaths as required and keep water clean and topped up
  • Feed birds with high calorie food such as sunflower hearts, peanuts and suet balls. Robins and blackbirds will appreciate mealworms too.
  • Put up bird boxes and roosting pouches in sheltered spots in the garden
  • Clean and service garden machinery such as strimmers, hedgecutters and lawn mowers
  • Clean and sharpen tools such as hoes, secateurs, shears and spades and give all metal tools a rub down with oil
  • Keep paths, patios, decking and steps clear of slippery and unsightly moss and algae and clean with Jeyes Fluid, testing a small patch first for discolouration
  • Continue keeping ponds free of fallen leaves, and if needing cleaning out completely do it now before frogs start spawning
  • Plan new garden projects and source all materials needed
  • Plan visits to gardens open with Snowdrop walks