January is not a month that you traditionally associate with being busy in the garden – but it is actually a great month to do exactly that. If you have your garden and outdoors in good order, you will be in a better position in the Spring to start all the busy garden work that Spring brings. Here is what you need to do to get the great outdoors off to a flying start…
Tidy up the plants that you already have. Dead head any pansies and other winter plants that you have. Evergreen clematis are a lovely way to add a touch of life to a garden in the winter too. If you have clematis that flowers in the summer, then now is also the time to prune that right back to approximately fifteen centimetres from the ground. Remove any leaves that have gone mouldy as this keeps them looking healthy and will prolong the amount of time that they flower for. Make sure that you keep up with any watering – even if you have had rain, make sure that the soil is still moist. Check window boxes and pots too.
This time of year, is also a good time to get on with any big outdoor projects that you are planning so that it is ready for the summer when you can enjoy it. If you are planning a garden pond it is a great time to make a start on it. You may want to add some external outdoor additions to your home such as a porch you can get lovely oak porches from Bespoke Timber Frames. Maybe you want to add a shed or a summerhouse to your outdoors? January is a great time for this as there is not as much going on in the garden and you will be able to get the most out of it all summer long.
If you are lucky enough to have fruit trees in your garden, this is the time of the year for their maintenance. Cut out any dead or damaged wood and if the trees have any old fruit on them remove it from the branches. Raspberries are another plant that needs attention at this time of the year, so give them a good prune too. Also, don’t forget that raspberry canes need to be replaced around every ten years.