January can feel like a rather quiet month in the gardening calendar, with not much happening and the weather doing little to encourage you outdoors in your wellies. Still, it’s worth making the most of the brighter days when they appear, because there is work to be done—so don’t put the tools away just yet.

This is a good time to tackle those small tasks that have been lingering at the bottom of the list all year, the ones that are easy to overlook once spring gets busy again. A little attention now can make the months ahead run much more smoothly.

Jobs to be done in January include:

Ornamental Garden

• If the ground is waterlogged then keep off the soil to avoid compaction and worsening the conditions.
• If snow falls – Do not let the snow sit on the shrubs, gently shake off to prevent damage.
• Prune bush or standard apples and pears, aiming to create an open framework of about 5 main branches.
• Sweet Peas can be sown this month and those sown in the autumn can be potted on. Place them in a sunny greenhouse, coldframe or windowsill.
• Plan annual cut flowers for the borders.
• Mulch borders if not already done in autumn.
• Plant deciduous hedges.
• Move deciduous trees and shrubs if necessary.
• Ensure protective coverings such as fleece / mulch have remained in place over frost tender plants.
• Avoid walking on turf when the grass is covered with frost or is waterlogged.

Veg Garden

• Protect brassicas from pigeons with cloches, netting or fleece.
• Harvest Winter Veg such as parsnip, swede, sprouts, leeks and turnip.
• Remove one third of the oldest stems of blackcurrants at ground level to encourage new basal shoots.

Alex Bell is an award winning Garden Designer based in Steyning West Sussex. If you wish to discuss your garden project please feel free to contact on the details below:

Enquiries

alex@alexbellgardendesign.co.uk  07866 747 849