This Month in Your Garden - January

‘The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies’ – Gertrude Jekyll

If you’re so inclined and the weather isn’t too inclement there is plenty to be getting on with in the garden in January. For many of us the long range weather reports are indicating above average temperatures and even some sunshine but we shall see, won’t we?

We can put our trust in time-worn tasks for this month and first on the list is: have you had your garden tractor or mower and power tools serviced in readiness for the spring? If you have a non-heated greenhouse it’s good to ventilate it ready for sowing, assuming it has already been cleaned and disinfected. If the ground is not frozen you can still plant new fruit bushes, bare root roses, shrubs, hedging and trees. Prune apple and pear trees, dig over vacant borders and let the frost help break down the soil to a good tilth. It is actually the last chance to sow native tree and shrub seeds as well as alpines.

The Lawn Care Guide - January

Life begins the day you start a garden  – Chinese proverb

We tend to think there’s nothing much to be done to the lawn in January but if the weather is mild it’s a good time to repair bumps and hollows by making cuts in an H shape in the turf with a spade. Peel back the grass and fill the hollow with loam or remove what’s causing a bump. Press the turf back into place bringing the cut edges together. If there is an area needing a larger repair you can lay a new turf, but again only do this if the weather is mild.

If it’s frosty, needless to say, keep off the lawn if you can. Walking on it causes ‘frost burn’ which may leave blackened foot impressions on the surface. In dry weather generally tidying up edges with an edging tool or edging shears is another job well done. Picking out weeds each time you see them is a help towards having a weed-free lawn come spring, without the need for herbicide.