This January’s Jobs for the Garden

08 January 2019

January – the start of a fresh new year, which also comes with a lot of things for you to do in your garden. After all, we do remember that January is the coldest month among the 12.

In January, you will most likely need to repair and help your garden recover from the winter damage and prepare it for Spring. Thus, you have to basically let life flow through it once more – all while preparing it for the variety of bugs, birds, and greenery that will eventually appear as Spring begins.

So, what jobs do you have to do around your garden in January? Well, find out below.

The Preparation Procedure

Bird Caring

First of all, you should take care of the friendly birds that begin to fly around your garden. This means both food, such as black sunflower seeds – and maybe even nyjer seeds – and water. The latter is quite hard to find in the freezing temperatures of January.

Warming Up

You could choose to warm the vegetable patches of your garden. If you warm up the soil, then your garden will have a head start when the right time comes. To do so, you can put a sheet of polythene over the ground – but make sure that it is clear so that the sun can start to warm the soil.

Greenhouse Cleaning

Naturally, one of the things you must do in January is to clean your greenhouse. Basically, there’s no better time to do this. If you start early, the greenhouse will be clean and organisedready for Spring.

Mulch the Tender Plants

In order to keep shrubs and plants out of freezing’s harm, it is recommended that you put just enough mulch around them. This will keep the roots away from freezing. When it comes to potted plants, their bottom should be wrapped in either fleece and bubble wrap – and they should be moved to a sheltered space as well to give them the best chance of surviving any frosts.

Damaged Branches

If you own apple or prune pear trees, then you should cut any damaged branches immediately. Of course, you could try to tie them back and wait for them to repair themselves; however, this increases the chance of a fungal infection that will eventually damage the rest of the tree as well so it’s best to prune if possible.

Path Cleaning with Rock Salt

When it comes to garden paths, you should keep them clean of any moss or fallen leaves. If they are frozen, you can use rock salt to make walking easier and to help defrost the paths. However, keep in mind that too much rock salt can damage the roots and burn the leaves of your plants.

And that, fair gardeners, are a few jobs to help you get this January!

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