January may feel quiet on the gardening front, but there’s plenty you can do to set yourself up for a brilliant year ahead. Whether you're planning your first veg patch or fine-tuning your well-loved borders, this month is all about preparation and protection.
Flowers 🌼
Plant shrubs and hedging as long as the ground isn't frozen.
Continue pruning climbing roses whilst they are dormant.
Deadhead winter pansies and other bedding regularly.
Garden Maintenance 🌿
Top up bird baths with fresh water daily and melt ice with warm water on frosty days.
Put up bird baths in sheltered spots, on tree trunks, sheds or walls well before nesting season begins.
Sprinkle all-purpose fertiliser along the bases of hedges and around shrubs.
Provide high-energy food for birds to help them through the winter months.
Clear soggy leaves from paths, patios, decking and steps.
Remove debris from the shed and greenhouse guttering, so winter rain can fill up your water butts.
Greenhouse 🌱
Sow winter salads in a greenhouse, conservatory or sunny windowsill for harvests within a few weeks.
Tidy up the greenhouse, removing any broken pots, old compost, or debris.
Ventilate the greenhouse on sunny days to prevent humidity from building up.
Fruit and Vegetables 🍎
Clear old crops and weeds from vegetable plots, dig over the soil and mix compost as you go.
Winter-prune apple and pear trees to remove any dead, damaged, congested and diseased branches.
Sort out your seeds, getting rid of empty or out-of-date packets, and note any new ones to buy for the coming season.
Ensure netting is over brassicas like kale, brussel sprouts and cabbage to protect from birds.
House plants 🌵
Water house plants less frequently and move them off particularly cold windowsills.
Plant amaryllis bulbs in pots for spectacular flowers over the festive season.
Repot any houseplants that have become top-heavy or pot-bound into larger containers.
