Garden Jobs for January
It's the season of grey skies and cold days but that doesn't mean there aren't garden jobs for January you could be working on. Most of the plants may be sleeping but there is lots of planning, pruning and maintenance you can work on. Get your garden ready for the new year with these January gardening jobs
January Garden Jobs
There are plenty of Winter garden ideas on our blog, but here is our list of must-do garden jobs for January.
Planning
Who wants to go outside when you can do the garden from in front of the fire? Use January to plan your gardening year ahead. You can plan out which seeds and plants you are going to buy and when you will plant them. Creating an overall plan for the year can help you organise your schedule and make sure you buy your seeds in plenty of time. Many gardening companies send out catalogues in January, so sign up to a few and dream of everything you are going to grow this year. If you are planning on growing vegetables and fruits, make sure you plan out your crop rotation so you are not planting the same varieties in the same place as last year.
Planting
There may not be much you can plant in January but there are some varieties that are perfect for winter sowing. Pelargoniums, Sweet Peas, Dahlias, Delphiniums and Begonias are all flowers that can be sown in January. Some can be sown directly while others would work better in a seed tray undercover. If you'd like to start some vegetables in January, starting seeds for Aubergines and Chillis is a must. These need plenty of warmth though so they are best done indoors using a propagator. Start them early and you'll be thanking us come summer when they are delicious.
This is also a good time to clean and sterilise any pots you plan to use in the coming season. Mould, bacteria and disease can be present from the last season, so a good clean out is a garden job in January you shouldn't miss. Give your seedlings a fighting chance.
Pruning
Prune your fruit trees such as apple and pear varieties so they produce stronger growth in the Spring. This is also an excellent time to prune fruit bushes such as gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants. Clear back any dead and decaying leaves and stems from perennial bushes that will not resprout till Spring. Plus pull up any vegetable crops that have finished and add more compost to these areas. Although there is not much growth, January is still a great time to do a bit of weeding. The little bit done now could save you a lot of time as growth starts to ramp up in Spring.
Maintenance
January is a good time of the year to get repairs done in the garden. Although it can be less pleasant than later in the year, you will have more time to dedicate to it than in the height of the growing season. Repair wobbly or damaged fences or purchase new fence panels. As it's a quieter season, you can normally get great deals on garden fences at this time of year. You can also treat wooden structures with preservative during dry spells in Winter, just check the forecast beforehand. Clean and sharpen your tools, including spades, secateurs and shears, and coat metal tools with oil. You can also clean and oil any larger electronic tools such as lawnmowers and hedge trimmers. Make sure they are stored in a dry environment to ensure electrics are maintained.
Don't forget the animals
It may appear quiet but there is still plenty of life in the garden. For the birds, make sure you still top up water baths and break any ice that may have formed. The same goes for any ponds, break the ice every day to maintain wildlife. Keep topping up the birdseed but ensure you clean it out frequently to avoid mould growth. If you have any bird boxes, and you are sure there are no birds currently nesting in them, clean them out. Creating piles of logs, bricks and other garden debris can create warm burrows for mammals and insects alike. You can also use any piles of leaves you've gathered to create homes for animals. Just sweep into a corner and they'll do the rest. Even if you don't have any areas specifically for animals, always check before carrying out any work in the garden to avoid disturbing nesting spots and dens.
We hope you found our garden jobs for january article helpful. If you'd like more garden inspiration, tips and tricks, check out the Contemporary Garden blog.