Stepping out into the garden in January for me, brings hope and expectation, even in the midst of the dark days. Spring will awaken the sleeping garden in a matter of weeks and the bare bones of the garden will be covered in the lush green foliage that was snatched away last autumn. The weather, of course, plays a huge part in this. January and February can bring frost and snow, giving little opportunity to get anything meaningful done in the garden, but there’s nothing that can’t wait until later on in February and early March when there are more opportunities for good weather.
This year, the mild, wet winter has left many parts of my garden and lawn in particular, very boggy, and I haven’t ventured out with my wheelbarrow too much for fear of creating a mudbath. I have pottered about with my secateurs, pruning some shrubs and small branches off some trees, and whilst these only seem like small jobs now, it will free up more of my time in the coming weeks for me to focus on other areas.
Hellebores are in bud and I’m eagerly anticipating their arrival – they provide a great source of colour at an otherwise grey time of year and their long flowering period is a bonus!
January Jobs
- Protect any tender plants if there is a cold spell
- Clean the glass on your greenhouse or cold frames if you have them
- Tidy up leaves
- Inspect stored bulbs and tubers
- Plant bare root trees, shrubs and hedging
- Prune trees and shrubs if needed
- Take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs such as viburnum or forsythia
- Clear away any soggy, collapsed stems of perennials
- Start forcing rhubarb as new growth begins to appear, using terracotta forcers
