January, a New Year and a perfect excuse to get outside and work off some of the excesses of the festive period!

Here’s a list of important jobs to be getting on with this month:

Flowers

• Take root cuttings of perennials such as oriental poppies, Acanthus and Verbascum
• Clear away collapsed stems of perennials
• Take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs such as forsythia and willow
• Deadhead winter bedding regularly
• Continue pruning climbing roses whilst they are dormant
• Protect plants that are vulnerable to wind and cold
• Clear out the crowns of plants of damp leaves to prevent rotting

Fruit and Veg

• Cover soil with fleece or cloches to warm if you plan to sow early crops
• Prune apple and pear trees to remove any dead, damaged and diseased branches
• Cover rhubarb plants with a bucket or terracotta pot to force an early crop of tender long stems
• Order seed potatoes, onions, shallots and garlic bulbs for planting in spring

Greenhouse

• Give the greenhouse a top-to-bottom clean
• Sow winter salads in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill and they will be ready for harvesting within a few weeks
• Move strawberry plants in pots under cover to encourage early fruits
• Check overwintering plants regularly for pests and moulds and take action where necessary
• Bring potted peaches into the greenhouse to avoid leaf curl disease
• Ensure the greenhouse is kept frost free by installing a thermostatically controlled fan heater
• Start sowing seeds of hardy annuals in pots or trays for early flowering
• Ventilate the greenhouse on sunny days to prevent humidity from building up

Garden Maintenance

• Top up bird baths with fresh water daily
• Clean out and scrub bird feeders regularly to maintain hygiene
• Provide high-energy food for birds to help them through the winter months
• Keep small areas of ponds free from ice
• Repair any damaged fences and trellis
• Service the lawn mower whilst it’s not in use
• Clean and sharpen your tools, including hoes, secateurs and shears, and spray metal tools with oil
• Give empty pots and seed trays a thorough scrubbing ready for the start of the sowing season
• Order seeds and summer flowering bulbs