January is perhaps the quietest time of year in the garden, work wise that is. If you are changing the shape of beds, relaying paths or introducing new garden structures, now is an ideal time to get on with them.
At this time of year the garden can look fairly empty, all the herbaceous perennials that were cut down in Autumn-Winter last year are below ground hibernating. Shrubby plants and trees that lose their leaves are but skeletons providing a sculptural structure to the garden, highlighted by the low winter sun. Only the evergreens provide a splash of green foliage as spring bulbs force their way through frosty ground undeterred they are on a mission to flower. Most are woodland plants and they need to flower and seed before the tree canopy blocks out the light. In a mild winter Snowdrops and Winter Aconites can be almost in full flower by the end of the month. Early flowering shrubs and perennials such as Winter Flowering Jasmine, Mahonia, and one of my favourites, Oriental Christmas Rose, many provide the earliest perfume in the garden, their sweet scent attracting early insects.
Enough of dreaming, if you didn’t finish cutting back herbaceous perennial, or left them for their winter interest now is a good time to complete this job. Repair any damaged fences, and treat with a wood preservative, as once the plants have grown up it is awkward to get in without damaging them. It’s also a good time of year to check over your tools and equipment giving them a good clean and wipe over hand tools with an oily rag. Mowers should be sent away for servicing and sharpening, its good practice to keep machinery in good order as it should last many years. Sort out all your empty pots and containers, it is also good practice to clean them in a solution of garden disinfectant, choose a nice sunny day and clean them thoroughly, if possible dry them with an old towel and stack them in boxes in the garage or shed. When it comes to potting on time in late spring you will bless the day you sorted and cleaned the pots.
Plants in containers can suffer if the weather is very cold and the compost frozen for long periods, moving containers closer to the house reduces the freezing as heat given off from your house will help protect the plants and pots. If you are unable to do this then wrap the pot in Horticultural fleece and check that the compost isn’t frozen. If it is than move the plant into your garage for a week or so, this won’t damage the plant as it isn’t actively growing, but it will hopefully stop the compost from freezing completely.
If you like to sow early crops in your vegetable garden it is good practice to cover an area with black polythene to help warm the soil up for spring sown salads.
If you haven’t ordered your annual seed and vegetables try to complete that this month, if you do not have a heated greenhouse you might be better buying young plants later in the season, they are normally delivered in March and April.
Next month; starting overwintered plants into growth, prepare the vegetable plot, finish pruning fruit trees.
Happy gardening,
Martin
York Gate Garden is owned and maintained by the charity Perennial (Gardeners Royal Benevolent Society) which provides advice help and support in times of need or difficulty for people who are working in, or have retired from any of the gardening trades. (Registered Charity no. 1155156). Opening times and further details can be found on our website at www.perennial .org.uk
