Garden jobs to do in January

January is a certainly a quieter month for gardening in the UK, but there are still plenty of tasks to get to grips with to keep your garden healthy and prepared for the coming spring. Here’s a list:

General Maintenance

1. Tidy up: Remove fallen leaves, twigs, and debris from lawns, beds, and borders.
2. Tool maintenance: Clean, sharpen, and oil garden tools. Check mowers and other equipment.
3. Repair structures: Fix fences, trellises, greenhouses, and other garden structures.
4. Composting: Turn the compost heap and add any suitable organic waste.

Lawn Care

1. Avoid walking on frosty grass: Prevent damage to the lawn by staying off it when it’s frosty or waterlogged.
2. Rake moss: If conditions are mild, lightly rake moss from the lawn.

Pruning and Cutting

1. Prune fruit trees: Tidy up apple and pear trees by removing dead, diseased, or crossing branches.
2. Cut back wisteria: Prune summer-flowering wisteria shoots to about three buds from the base.
3. Trim deciduous hedges: Finish any hedge trimming before birds start nesting.
4. Remove dead growth: Clear away dead growth from perennials and ornamental grasses.

Plant Care

1. Check for pests: Look for signs of overwintering pests on plants and in greenhouses.
2. Protect plants: Use cloches, fleece, or mulch to protect tender plants from frost.
3. Water sparingly: Only water plants in pots if necessary, as they need less during dormancy.

Planting and Propagation

1. Plant bare-root Trees and shrubs: As long as the ground isn’t frozen, it’s an excellent time to plant bare-root varieties.
2. Divide snowdrops: If snowdrops are already blooming, you can divide and replant them “in the green.”

Vegetable and Fruit Gardening

1. Prepare beds: Clear and dig over vegetable beds, adding organic matter.
2. Force rhubarb: Place a large pot or forcing jar over rhubarb crowns to encourage early growth.
3. Sow early crops: Start sowing seeds of early varieties, like broad beans, under cover.

Wildlife-Friendly Tasks

1. Feed the birds: Keep feeders topped up with seed, fat balls, and water.
2. Build or clean bird boxes: Get birdhouses ready for nesting season.
3. Leave shelter: Avoid clearing all leaves and logs to give shelter to hibernating wildlife.

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