January Planning
Although the weather may not be inspiring you to get out in the garden, you might have a touch of cabin fever and fancy getting out in the fresh air so here are a few jobs to get on with this January…..
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Planting potted spring bulbs. If you missed the boat with planting spring bulbs in the autumn, now is a good time to buy some potted spring bulbs to brighten your pots and borders.
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If you have plants fleeced from frost and wind, ensure that the fleece is still secured after any windy weather. Or if you have not fleeced or moved things to a more sheltered position, now is a good time to do so. Things like Bay trees, Cordyline, Tree ferns, Salvia, Lemon verbena, Rosemary (especially if they are grown in pots) will benefit from receiving some shelter from cold northerly winds. They will also benefit from adding some compost to the top of the pot as a mulch if there’s room.
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Clean out your greenhouse. If you haven’t done so already, now is the perfect opportunity for giving that greenhouse a spring clean. Getting rid of any dead foliage, remove any rotting leaves, cleaning out old pots and if you have had any disease in it last year, then give it all a good wash down with something like Jeyes Fluid (be careful not to touch any overwintering plants with it though!)
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Prune apple & pear trees. This can be done anytime between November and early March. Using a sharp pair of secateurs, loppers or pruning saw remove crossing, rubbing, weak, dead, diseased, damaged and dying branches. Aim to keep the centre of the tree open.
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Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs such as Cornus, Buddleia, Forsythia, Philadelphus, Ribes (ornamental and fruiting).
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It is also a good time of year to have a look over your tools and check if any need any repairs or maintenance work.
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If your garden is looking a little sad at this time of year a few plants you can use to brighten it include: Snowdrops, Skimmia, Hellebores, Winter heathers, Cornus (Dogwoods), Hamamelis and if you would like a little scent then winter flowering honeysuckle (Lonicera purpusii), Christmas box (Sarcococca confusa) and Daphne odora will all give your nose a treat!
