Gardening in January should be seen as an opportunity to breathe some new life into your outdoor space. However, the low temperatures of the UK in this month can pose challenges to green-thumbed individuals before the year even really begins. There are several essential January jobs in the garden to make sure your spring and summer are as beautiful as possible!
This blog will explore what to do in the garden in January, covering the essential tasks to ensure you can enjoy a gorgeous, healthy setting into the next few months.
As long as the ground isn’t frozen, gardening in January can consist largely of planting for the following seasons. Species to be planted in January include:
Snowdrops
Hippeastrum (amaryllis)
Vegetables (chillies, aubergines, sweet peas, onions, broad beans)
Berries (strawberries & raspberries)
Dahlias
Geraniums
These are a good few of the plants that should be introduced to the soil during your January gardening jobs.
In the same vein as planting, gardening in January should involve taking root/hardwood/leaf cuttings of various plants, including:
Fresh perennials (oriental poppies, acanthus, verbascums)
Deciduous shrubs (virbunum, forsythia, willow)
Perennial phlox
Succulents
African violets
These cuttings are a great way to expand upon the existing residents of your garden!
Winter can take its toll on various plants in your garden, with many developing dead or dying branches and or simply growing a little out of control. That’s why you should apply some January gardening time to pruning and deadheading plants like:
Climbing roses
Apple & pear trees
Blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries
Grapevines
Clematis
Deciduous shrubs & ornamental trees
Fruit bushes
Make sure to pare back some of your plants in January to keep things under control for the spring.
Maintaining your garden’s tidiness isn’t just an aesthetic move, it’s also an essential step for keeping the space healthy throughout the month and beyond. Some tidying/clearing tasks for gardening in January include:
Clearing away any rotten perennial stems
Disposing of any rotten bulbs
Dealing with any old crops or weeds from a vegetable patch
Going through and organising your greenhouse
Throwing away any old seed packets
Removing any black, splotchy hellebores
By carefully tidying up your garden, you set it up with more space for success going forward through the month and help to keep disease at bay.
If you’re interested in learning about gardening jobs for January and so much more, visit our Knowledge Hub. We share insights into all things gardening, covering seasonal guides, plant-specific advice and countless other relevant topics. Visit us today to learn more about your gardening journey.
