It's always good to look at what other people get up to. Here are some Handy Gardening tips for January. Gardening Jobs and Tasks and of course it's the best time to Plan for the rest of the year and tackle those maintenance tasks.
Hello there, here are my notes from the things I have done over the years for January Gardening jobs.
PLANNING AND MAINTENANCE
Winter and especially January is a time for Planning and Maintenance, whatever size garden you have and whether you have a polytunnel or greenhouse.
JOBS
CLEAN UP: Clear up leaves and debris and if it looks disease free then compost it. Otherwise get rid of it, or burn it. Look out for slug eggs in the debris and old pots. They lay between 10-15 eggs in clusters and look like white translucent pearls.
PRUNE: Never cut without good reason. Ensure when you are pruning that you are using sharp tools.
Prune Perennials that have died back, either compost it or lay it on the ground in situ to decompose.
Herbaceous perennials cut back to 4inches from the ground.
Trees and shrubs Cut damaged diseased and overlapping branches. Don't remove more than 1/3rd per plant.
Fruit trees: Apple, Pear, gooseberries, and currants to prune as above.
Roses cut back to 18ins
PROTECT tender plants from frost even in a greenhouse or polytunnel
Clean MOULD in the greenhouse and polytunnel. Keep on top of the mould to prevent disease problems. Ensure you ventilate on warmer days where there is a risk of frost if you are using it as a growing larder.
TOOLS: Clean and sharpen.
DIY: Fix structural problems and damages.
COLLECT Compostable pots for planting seeds.
WORM TOWERS: No muss, no fuss no smell. Once up and running they'll be no need to feed plants surrounding the tower. Free fertilizer technique.
Dig a hole and start your worm tower in different areas of the garden to feed the plants around it. Lots of handy tips on any search engine. Basically, once your tower is in the ground, place wet straw in the bottom for bedding place a handful of red wiggler worms and your kitchen scraps on top. The scraps will slowly sink and turn to worm casts and once a week add more scraps. Ensure they don't dry out and you have a ventilated lid.
WHAT TO START GROWING FOR JANUARY
Outdoors Mushroom kits and logs
Cold frames strawberries
Heated greenhouse or polytunnel - Dig in organic matter
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Spring onions
- Celariac
- Celery
Warm Windowsills
- Herbs
- Salad Leaves
- Spinach
- Broad beans
- Peas
- Chit potatoes
Pots indoors
- Leek
- Broad beans
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Shallots
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Aubergine
- Cauliflower
- Onion Seeds
- Tomatoes
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Cress
- Sweetcorn shoots
- Wheatgrass shoots
- Fenugreek
A bit about me:
I am influenced by Permaculture and believe nature can take care of itself. But I am aware that society, our neighbours, our family and our own need for order in our gardens require us to adapt and do practical steps.
I hope you have found my Handy Gardening Tips for January useful? Please link in with me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest for other handy tips on a variety of subjects.
Let me know your thoughts and please share your own tips in the comments section.
Let's get growing together. Love Delly.
