January in the garden
flower garden
Prune your Wisteria plant now, cutting back summer side-shoots to 2 or 3 buds. Prune rose bushes now whilst they are dormant. Cut back to just above a bud and remove any crossing or dead branches. You can plant bare root roses now in a sunny position for spectacular summer colour. If your garden is looking a bit bare try growing a winterflowering evergreen Clematis such as 'Winter Beauty'. To find out how to prune Clematis take a look at our Clematis pruning guide. For a more unusual bare-root plant to add to your borders now, try growing Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily). Cut back the old foliage from ornamental grasses before growth begins - clip them to within a few centimetres of the ground. Cut down the old stems of perennial plants like Sedum be careful of any new growth. Remove old Hellebore leaves to make the new blooms more visible as they emerge this spring. Inspect stored tubers of Dahlia, Begonia and Canna for rots or drying out Cut back damaged, diseased and the oldest stems of brightly coloured willows, and thin overcrowded stems. Remove any faded flowers from your winter pansies to stop them setting seed.
vegetable garden Sow broad beans in pots in mild areas, placing them in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Harvest parsnips and leeks. If you'd like to grow early peas, place a cloche over the soil to let it warm up for a few weeks prior to sowing. While you're waiting for the weather to warm up, try growing your own mushrooms using one of our mushroom kits indoors. Stake or earth up Brussels sprouts stalks that look leggy and vulnerable to wind rock. Pick the biggest sprouts from low down the stalks first. Sow seed indoors for early crops eg: lettuces, summer brassicas (e.g. cabbages and cauliflowers), spinach, salad onions and turnips. Start chitting (sprouting) early potatoes - stand them on end in a module tray or egg box and place in a bright cool frost-free place You can start growing potatoes in containers under cover for a very early crop ( Charlotte potatoes are a good variety for this). Potato Patio Planters are ideal for growing early potatoes in small spaces. If your greenhouse is unheated, protect your potato grow bags with horticultural fleece on cold nights. Force chicory to produce plump leafy heads. When gardening on wet soils work from a plank of wood, rather than treading on the bed, to avoid compacting the soil. Remove yellowing leaves from your winter brassicas as
they are no use to the plant and may harbour pests and diseases. Any areas of ground that are presently empty can be dug over forking in plenty of rotted manure or compost, should conditions prove wet a polythene sheet can be used to cover the area helping to keep any further rain off, then once the soil has dried out digging can begin again.
fruit garden Begin pruning your apple trees and pear trees if you haven't done so already - this is best done whilst they are dormant. Apply a top dressing of sulphate of potash to all fruits and nuts. Leave plums, cherries and apricots unpruned until the summer as pruning these fruit trees now will make them susceptible to silver leaf infections. Prune apples, pears, quinces and medlars. Prune currants and gooseberries. Prune autumn raspberries. Apply winter washes to fruit trees and bushes. Try forcing rhubarb plants by placing an upturned bucket or bin over the crown. This will force tender pink stems to grow that will be ready in about 8 weeks time. Continue to plant raspberry canes on sunny sites with free-draining soil. Keep checking stored fruits and remove rotten ones.
If you're looking for something a bit different to add to your fruit garden, try the nutritious Blueberry PinkBerry. Lower indoor grapevine stems for even bud-break. Order fruit bushes such as currants now and plant in a well prepared bed in a sheltered position; they will be a lot tastier than supermarket produce!
greenhouse Brush heavy snow off of greenhouses and cold frames to prevent the glass being damaged. Keep your potato planters inside as frosts will kill the foliage. Plant Amaryllis bulbs in pots now for stunning indoor flowers in early spring. For better seed germination, try using electric propagators to help your early seedlings along.
armchair Order your summer flowering bulbs now, such as gladioli, dahlias and begonias to ensure you have colourful borders in your garden. Plan your vegetable plot for this year to ensure good crop rotation and prevent pests and diseases building up in the soil.
Consider dedicating a bed to perennial vegetables such as asparagus , rhubarb and artichokes . Order springplanting crowns and tubers now in preparation for the spring. Plan a rotation system for vegetable plots to ensure the same crops are not grown in the same beds year after year to help prevent disease build-up. If you'd like to have a go at growing your own fruit, order your fruit trees now ready for planting in the spring. Now is the ideal time to order Clematis ready for planting in the spring. Start to think about your hanging baskets for this year. Order your Fuchsia plants , Geraniums and Lobelia now in preparation for the busy spring period.
about the garden Brush heavy snow of off hedges and conifers to prevent the branches from snapping out under its weight. Shred your Christmas tree and add it to compost bins. Alternatively the stripped down branches make great pea sticks. Hang fat balls and keep bird feeders topped up to attract birds, who will in turn eat pests in your garden. Get rid of slimy patches on the patio, and paving by scrubbing with a broom or blasting with a pressure washer. Wash empty pots by scrubbing them with hot water and a
mild detergent. Rinse them well afterwards. Consider purchasing water butts now ready for the summer. Rainwater is particularly useful for watering acid-loving, ericaceous plants (tap water is often slightly alkaline). Clear up fallen autumn leaves regularly Continue planting trees and shrubs while they are still dormant. If your pampas flower stems are looking a bit on the untidy side then trim the stems back but don't cut back to far until later on in spring as there may be wildlife sheltering within the pampas. Keep an eye on fruits and vegetables in storage and remove any that are diseased. Check Dahlia tubers in storage and remove any that are showing signs of rotting. Central heating can dry the air in your home and cause damage to indoor plants. Mist house plants regularly and stand them on a tray of pebbles filled with water to increase the humidity.