January Jobs For The Garden
January can feel like a very long and dark month, and we all catch a case of the blues at some point or another. I used to think after summer it would feel like a very long time before I’d be able to be back in the garden again, but actually there are quite a few jobs you can do this month. So don a few extra layers and get stuck in to these January jobs in the garden.
Remove dead autumn leaves from beds and pots. Either with a leaf blower or just your hands (in gloves), give your plants a bit more light and drainage by removing brown leaves that have landed on top of them. Removing the debris means things will be less damp and soggy, and you might even begin to see new growth starting at the soil level.
Prepare for frosts with fleeces and frost bags. It’s important to keep an eye on the weather forecast daily watching specifically for the lowest predicted temperatures, and the duration. Anything below 0 might mean you need to talk action, especially if it looks like the lowest daytime temperature doesn’t go above freezing. Protect any buds or delicate plants in the event of a hard or long frost. Similarly, blanket over any early growing veg that has popped up or if you are planting out any seeds they will definitely need a layer of fleece.
Look after the birds! Keep bird feeders topped up, and washed out, and any leftover cooked pasta is always well received by hungry birds this time of year. On frosty days, break any ice on the water in your bird bath if you have one so they have access without breaking their beaks! I also like to put out the cat hair I brush off our cats as this is excellent for nest building and keeping birds and eggs warm. If you have a bird box keep a look out for anyone flying in and out, it’s not the time to check inside, but you might be able to spot birds popping in and out building up their nests now.
Sweep your decking or patio area is usually a quick and easy job to keep things looking as neat as possible, and keeping it clear means it will be less slippery too. You could even jet wash it, but I'd be minded to wait a little longer as they are likely to still get muddy again before the warmer weather comes and you might feel you have to do this job all over again!
Organise your seeds, whilst there isn't much you can plant out just yet it is a great time to work out what you do want to grow this year and write a schedule for when and where you will do it. Think about starting things off on windowsills for 3-4 weeks minimum, and then which containers or beds you will transfer things in to. I mark my diary with the week to plant seeds indoors, the week to plant outside, and the expected harvest month. Don’t forget to think about how you will rotate your beds - try to alternate where you grow root veg so your soil isn't drained of nutrients.
Dig up any summer flowering bulbs you've not got round to clearing yet. Store them somewhere dry and dark (wrapped in paper in the shed is great). Top up your containers with some fresh soil so they are ready for new spring bulbs. If the weather is mild, and set to be mild for some time (i.e. no pending frosts), then you can plant out spring bulbs now.
Sharpen your tools and give things a clean. Once spring is here the garden jobs increase fairly rapidly, so being ready with clean working tools will make life much easier in the coming months, so use your time wisely to get ahead now. Don't forget your pots too, if you are reusing containers you can give them a good wash out in no time so they are ready to use in the spring.
Do a spot of weeding, especially if you’ve got a persistent patch where weeds crop up. Spending some time now will make a big impact on how nice the garden looks, and the soil now is likely to be soggy and softer than it is when the weather is warmer, so digging them out properly is easier now.
What garden jobs are you doing this month?
