IN THE GREENHOUSE PREPARE FOR GROWING

January is one of the least productive months in the greenhouse and polytunnel, when it comes to harvesting crops, but it’s a time when there is lots of preparation to do ready for the new growing season.

Making sure the glass in the greenhouse or polythene on the polytunnel is clean is something that needs doing before the main growing season. A bucket of warm, soapy water and a car-washing brush is ideal to scrub o dirt and algae which will instantly allow more light to new crops in spring. While you’ve got the bucket of warm water, it’s also a good idea to give the propagator a good wash down to remove dirt and fungal spores to help seedlings get o to a healthy start.

Pot Strawberry Plants

For an early crop of strawberries in May and June, now is the time to bring some plants under cover to start them into growth. Strawberries need a period of cold weather outside to break their winter dormancy, but when brought under cover in mid to late January, they soon start to wake up and make new growth. Last year’s runners can be lifted from the garden, or new plants in small pots can be potted into larger containers or hanging baskets using good quality compost. Keep the compost moist and stand the pots on a bench in a light position. Even without any arti cial heat, the plants will ower and produce delicious fruit a few weeks earlier than plants growing in the garden.

What To Do In January

1 Clear out the last of any winter crops that have now finished, chop them up and add to the compost heap.

2

Prune back tall shrubs and overhanging branches on trees that cast shadows on the greenhouse.

3 Check perennial herbs in pots and if the compost is starting to dry out, give them a little water.

4 Make sure you’ve got your seed order in if you buy from a mail order company, to get the varieties you want.

5 Check garlic cloves that were started into growth in pots last autumn and keep them just moist.

6 Tidy pots and seed trays and dispose of any that are broken or no longer used.