Things To Do In January In Your Garden

A new year has arrived and with it, many new jobs in the garden and a fresh opportunity to create the garden you have been dreaming of. Here are some of the things you might be doing this month:


Chitting PotatoesJobs In The Vegetable Garden


  • Start chitting (sprouting) first early potatoes in egg boxes on a cool windowsill.
  • Place cloches over the soil to help it warm up before planting earliest crops (like peas) outdoors.
  • Continue to harvest winter veg such as parsnips and leeks.
  • Late this month or next, sow peppers and tomato seeds indoors in a warm spot or using a heated propagator for later transplantation.
  • Order vegetable seeds for early spring planting.


Forcing RhubarbJobs In The Fruit Garden/Orchard


  • Prune apple and pear trees while they are still dormant.
  • Prune blackcurrant, redcurrant and gooseberry bushes to keep them in good, productive health.
  • Continue to plant bare root raspberry canes.
  • Order fruit bushes to expand your fruit garden.
  • Force rhubarb by placing a bucket over the crown.



Ornamental GrassesJobs In the Flower Garden


  • Cut back the old foliage of ornamental grasses before new growth begins.
  • Cut down the old stems of perennial plants.
  • Prune rose bushes while they are dormant and plant new bare-root roses.
  • Cut back summer-grown side shoots of Wisteria to two or three buds.
  • Check plants for diseased or damaged material and remove where necessary.


Plastic Bottle ClocheJobs Under Cover


  • Plant the earliest of first early potatoes in your greenhouse or polytunnel.
  • Store water containers in the under cover space to add thermal mass and stave off the frost.
  • Plant broad beans/ peas under plastic bottle cloches to protect from rodents
  • Sow seeds in the heat indoors for planting out early under cover.
  • Continue to harvest and care for winter under-cover crops, giving extra protection from the cold when necessary.



Hole for tree plantingGeneral Garden Jobs


  • Continue to plan and order seeds for the year ahead.
  • Continue to plant trees and shrubs while they are still in their dormant phase.
  • Clean paths and patio areas and maintain garden structures.
  • If you do not already have one, set up a rainwater harvesting system.
  • Wash any empty containers and pots ready for the spring.