After the enjoyment and festivities of Christmas, January can arrive with a depressive, dreary feeling. So, wrap up warm, get out into the garden and work off some of those extra Christmas calories piled on in December.
There are plenty of chores to tackle during January.
- Look over your trees and shrubs and remove any dead or diseased branches. If any shrubs have been loosened by strong winds then make sure they are standing firm. You may need to stake them to prevent them falling over completely.
- If you are lucky enough to have fruit trees growing in your garden, then continue pruning and make sure you burn the prunings as a safeguard to prevent any diseases from spreading. You can feed trees and bushes with sulphate of potash.
- If the weather is mild, then prune any tough deciduous hedges like hawthorn or privet.
- Prepare beds for spring sowing of annuals, if you haven’t already done so.
- Pot lily bulbs indoors or under glass for any that you want to flower early. Cover iris plants with cloches.
- Finally, examine stored tubers for any signs of mould. If tubers appear withered then soak them in tepid water overnight, making sure they are dry before returning to store.