Gardening in January – Tasks You Can Do Now
It’s really one of the coldest and probably one of the toughest months for gardening in January. Your garden seems dormant, however, the days are getting longer and there is plenty of preparation to be getting on with.
Gardening in January is more about maintenance and getting ready for the growing season than actually planting out, it’s too early for that. There will still be widespread frosts so planting is on hold for now.
Put your new year’s enthusiasm into cleaning up your tools, pressure washing pots and pathways, setting up and tidying water butts and cleaning greenhouses. Not the most glamorous jobs to undertake but you’ll be ahead of yourself in spring.
Recycle Christmas trees, cardboard and paper from presents by shredding for mulch. Remember to carefully check the paper and the finish, some use heavy-based inks and aren’t ideal for this.
Clear up leaves and other organic debris from paths and lawns and put them into the compost.
Gardening in January: Task 1 – Pruning
- prune apple and pear trees, roses, whilst they are dormant
- Cut back to ground ornamental grasses just above ground level
- Cut back wisteria side shoots to two or three buds
- Trim back old annuals such as sweet pea, but leave the roots in the ground
- smaller, soft cuttings can be added to your compost heap.
Gardening in January: Task 2 – Plants
- Check and remove emerging weeds especially under trees get them out before they flower
- Check hellebore for black spot and remove leaves – do not compost these leaves
- Check winter protection or tender plants
- Cut back old growth on perennials, the advantage of this is you do not run the risk of cutting back any new growth which will emerge in the next few weeks.
Gardening in January: Task 3 -Borders
- Dig over borders into clumps of soil allowing them to break up naturally over the next month making the soil easier to work with in spring. You can also add soil improver’s as soil is the food your plants and the soil needs to be kept topped up with nutrients.
- Cut back shrubs removing dead or unwanted branches
- Cutting back shrubs in the border will expose sheltered, emerging weeds a good opportunity to pull them up before they set
- Bare rooted shrubs, trees and hedging can be planted which often work out cheaper than potted plants
Gardening in January: Task 4 – Wooden structures
- Check on fences and repair fences – minor repairs now will save a lot of time and expense later in the year
- Also, sheds can be repaired especially check roof felt
- If its dry give your fence a coat of protective paint but only if it’s dry
- Leave greenhouse and shed doors open during the day to allow a flow of air
Gardening in January: Task 5 – Wildlife
- keep feeding birds and other wildlife
- Leave some areas of the garden uncut and little wild for sheltering animals
- Remember to melt away ice in birdbaths
As with a lot of the winter months, there is plenty to be getting on with in January. As the month goes by there is will be new gardening tasks to undertake in February helping you to prepare for Spring and to set you up for an amazing garden in 2020.
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Contact M&M Gardening Services Sheffield
M&M Gardening Services
94 Wollaton Road
Bradway
Sheffield S17 4LG
Telephone: 0114 3485221
Mobile: 07779 330638
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