Jobs for January

January is the coldest month of the year, but it is the month the garden starts to grow again and preparing it to come out of hibernation and ready for spring is essential this month. There are lots to do this month from maintenance to planting and, the crisp January weather is the perfect condition for it.

Seed Organisation January is the perfect time to plan and sort out your spring and summer crops. Go through any seeds you have from last season and, get rid of any out-of-date packets and shop for new seeds and crops. This will give you a head-start when it’s time to sow them later in the year.

Winter Cleaning Clean pots and greenhouses create better environments for your plants to grow as there won’t be any leftover soil or plant matter from previous crops and flowers. Doing this also helps control pests and diseases and reduces the chances of your plants being infected by anything.

Frost Protection January is cold and frosty nights come and go throughout the month. Make sure to maintain any frost protection put in place during November and December to ensure your plants don’t suffer. This can be done using garden fleeces and cloches to protect the plant.

Soil Cultivation The ground is a lot harder in January, due to the cold weather but if doing this make sure the ground is not entirely frozen or waterlogged. Cultivating the soil will help plants grow better as oxygen is equally distributed throughout the soil.

Bare-root Shrubs January is a great time to plant bare-root shrubs. However, this should only be done if the ground is not frozen. They should be planted deep enough for the roots to grow, approximately 16in (40cm) deep and 16in (40cm) wide. This may vary depending on the plant size. Stakes should also be placed before the root to avoid damage and provide further strength and support to the plant.

Planting Lily Bulbs Lily Bulbs can start to be sown into borders and pots during milder days of the month. This is likely best in late January as the days get lighter, and the temperatures start to rise again. Their positioning in the garden is also important as they thrive in full sun.

Sowing seeds Greenhouses are a great resource in winter as you can control the climate and temperature and start sowing beautiful flowers and crops. Begonias, Lobelias, Geraniums, Pelargoniums and so many more are great plants to sow in warm greenhouses in January.

Prune fruit trees Pruning fruit trees during January whilst they are still dormant will help and ensure a healthy re-growth in the summer. Make sure to cut back any dead, diseased, or over-crowded branches and roughly a third of last year’s growth. This will allow the tree to grow truly flourish again.

Recycling your Christmas Tree There are many ways to recycle and continue benefitting from your real Christmas tree even after Christmas. Shredding the tree greatly speeds up their decomposition and make for good mulch to use around your garden. Small tree shredding’s and needles can also be added to compost bins. This will help upcycle the tree.

Bird Feeders Winter is a difficult time for birds to source food. It is always great to hand bird feeders and leave out fat balls for them to feed on over the winter months.

British Garden Centres, Winnersh Garden Centre, 656 Reading Road Winnersh Reading RG41 5HG

This new and exciting travel company is pleased to offer you a selection of Day Excursions and UK Short Breaks

DAY EXCURSIONS

Picking up from a point near you l Coastal Tours l Theatres l Gardens l Lunch Drives l Christmas Markets l Historic Houses

And many more to choose from

DOOR2DOOR SHORT BREAKS

Including our Taxi Service Home/Coach/Home Scotland - Wales - Southern Ireland Cotswolds - Norfolk - Yorkshire - Boppard St Anton - Channel Islands And many other destinations

For further details check out the website, email us or telephone our office for a copy of our brochure.

www.seekerstravel.co.uk Email - info@seekerstravel.co.uk Telephone - 01252 761047

Chris Walters Office: 01183 044 310 Mobile: 07909 937 419 Email: enquiries@walterworksplumbingandheating.com www.walterworksplumbingandheating.com www.facebook.com/walterworksplumbing