What to do in January

In January, the UK winter garden typically requires minimal maintenance especially if the ground is frozen, but there are still some tasks you can do to prepare for the coming growing season:

Things to do in January:

Last Chance:

Getting Ahead:

The Weather

General Tasks

Check structures: Inspect fences, trellises and garden buildings for any damage caused by winter weather and make repairs if necessary.
Clear debris: Remove and compost fallen leaves, twigs and other debris from flower beds, paths and around plant pots to keep your garden tidy and reduce the risk of pests.
Mulch: Apply mulch to borders and beds where the soil is bare, particularly around hardy plants, to protect from frost and conserve moisture.
Maintain tools: Clean and sharpen your garden tools and store them in a dry place to prevent rusting, an application of oil will help.
Protect taps: Insulate or isolate outside taps before the freeze.
Ordering: Check out seed catalogues and online stores and order your seeds and plants now to avoid disappointment later.

Vegetables & Herbs

Harvesting: You can still harvest root vegetables like parsnips, carrots and leeks if the ground isn’t frozen and Brussel sprouts will now be sweeter after they have been frosted.
Start early sowing: Sow seeds for early crops of lettuce, leeks, onions, peas and broad beans inside under glass or in a heated propagator. You can also start some herbs like parsley and coriander.
Planting out: If you haven’t already planted your garlic or onion sets outside then you can get them started in pots in the greenhouse.
Prepare beds: If the soil is dry enough dig it over and let the frost break down the clods. If the ground is workable, you can prepare vegetable beds for sowing in spring, adding compost or mulch to improve the soil. Prepare seed beds using cloches or sheeting to cover the ground. Now is a good time to add a layer of manure as with the ground being frozen walking/wheel barrowing over it will do no harm.
Potatoes: You can start early potatoes by putting them in trays to chit.
Prepare for spring: Clean pots and seed trays ready for sowing in the coming months.

Fruit

Plant fruit trees: If the soil is not frozen, it’s a good time to plant bare-root fruit trees, especially apples, pears and soft fruits like raspberries and gooseberries.
Prune fruit trees: Continue pruning apples and pears while they are dormant. Make sure to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches. On stepovers, espaliers and cordons the spurs can be thinned out.
Prune fruit bushes: Blackcurrants can have their branches reduced in number by one third whilst red/white currents and gooseberries can be pruned to a couple of buds on each branch.
Raspberries: Summer fruiting raspberries can be tied in if this wasn’t done in the autumn, cut back any tall stems.
Force rhubarb: Force rhubarb by covering with forcing jars or large pots.
Protect fruit buds: If there’s a risk of severe frost, cover early flowering fruit trees (such as peaches or apricots) with horticultural fleece to protect emerging buds. Birds also like to eat emerging buds.
Protect fruit cages: Remove netting before any snow to avoid damage.
Stored fruit: Check stored fruit regularly for signs of disease.

The Flower Garden

Prune roses: Cut back roses to remove any dead, diseased or damaged wood, leaving healthy growth to encourage strong new shoots in spring.
Deadhead: Remove any remaining spent flowers from winter-flowering plants to keep the garden tidy and prevent disease.
Dahlia Tubers: Check stored dahlia tubers regularly for any signs of disease.
Sowing: Summer-flowering bedding plants can be sown now in the greenhouse. Also sow sweet peas in pots if you didn’t sow them in the autumn.

The Greenhouse

Prune grape vines: There is still time to prune grape vines, cut back to one or two buds from the main stem.
Ventilation: On milder days, open greenhouse windows to allow fresh air in and prevent the build-up of fungal diseases. However, be mindful of temperature drops at night.
Check heating: Ensure that your greenhouse heater is working properly, especially if you have tender plants or seedlings under glass.
Clean and disinfect: January is a good time to thoroughly clean and disinfect your greenhouse to reduce the risk of pests and diseases in the coming months.
Sow under glass: In a heated greenhouse you can make an early start on chillies, tomatoes and peppers.
Watering: Be careful not to over water during this time, most plants should only be watered sparingly.
Fuchsias: Established plants can be started into growth by watering more often and can be pruned back hard to encourage growth, they will also need repotting.

Containers

Protect pots: If the weather is harsh, move pots to a sheltered area to prevent frost damage. Alternatively, insulate the containers with bubble wrap or horticultural fleece.
Watering: Ensure containers do not dry out completely especially those at the base of walls where they are sheltered from the rain. Avoid over-watering as plants are in a dormant state.
Check drainage: Make sure the drainage holes in pots are not blocked by ice or debris, as this can lead to waterlogging.

Trees & Shrubs

Pruning: Prune back dead or damaged growth from trees and shrubs that have finished their flowering cycle (such as hydrangeas, lilacs or winter jasmine). Climbers can be pruned now including wisteria, ornamental vines, Virginia creeper and Boston ivy.
Check staking: Check that tree stakes are secure and in good condition to prevent damage from wind or frost.
Protect against frost: Wrap tender shrubs or newly planted trees with horticultural fleece or burlap to shield them from harsh frost and wind.
Remove snow: Brush heavy snow off trees, shrubs and hedges to prevent damage due to the weight.

Hedges

Trim deciduous hedges: January is an ideal time to trim back any overgrown or unruly hedges (such as beech, hornbeam, or privet) while they are dormant
Check for damage: Inspect hedges for damage from wind or heavy snow and re-secure any parts that need attention.
Control weeds: Use this time to remove any weeds or unwanted plants from the base of hedges before they can establish themselves in spring.

The Lawn

Service the mower: Now is a good time to send your mower off for its annual service before the Easter rush !
Clear snow: If there's snow on the lawn, gently remove it to prevent it from smothering the grass. Be cautious about walking on frozen grass as this can cause damage.
Drainage: Improve drainage using a fork especially in areas where water has collected.

Wildlife and the Pond

Check for ice: If the pond is frozen, make a hole in the ice to allow gas exchange for any fish or aquatic life. You can use warm water or an electric heater.
Remove debris: Clear any leaves or debris that may have fallen into the pond to prevent them from decomposing and reducing water quality.

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