The January Garden

An optimistic outlook for the January garden...

Cold winds, frost and heavy rains can make it seem like nothing much can be done this month. Think again! January can be turned into the most optimistic month of the year in the garden, and here are just a few of the jobs to do.

• Protect vulnerable plants from severe weather.
• Hoe germinating weeds.
• Plant deciduous hedging.
• Sow summer bedding under cover, as well as sowing sweet peas.
• Take root cuttings from perennials. 
• Chit early potatoes. 
• Clean pots and seed trays in preparation for spring sowing. 

A blanket of snow can be really good for the garden, killing off unwanted pests and protecting plants from severe frost. If the ground is frozen, its still very beneficial to barrow out compost of manure and spread over the borders. There are plants to be admired this month, including Helleborus, Cornus which often have eye-catching bright winter stems in shades of red and yellow and of course Hamamelis. 

Growing your own plants from seed is satisfying no matter how many years you have been gardening. You can begin sowing bedding plants in January. Make sure to keep them in a frost free environment, a sunny windowsill inside the house or conservatory is an ideal spot. Summer bedding plants that need a longer growing season, such as pelargoniums and snapdragons can be started off towards the end of January.