Month: January 2017

  • Keep the greenhouse atmosphere dry by watering only as much as required.
  • A grape vine can be given more water towards the end of the month to encourage early growth.
  • Check all plants for pests such as greenflies, red spider mites or white flies, because these pests tend to build up unnoticed in winter.

 

  • The planting of all kinds of trees, shrubs and roses, especially bare-root or rootballed kinds, can be planted in good weather. 
  • Check that all staked young trees are properly tied and also tall shrubs that can be rocked by wind.
  • The lower branches of garden trees can be pruned up to allow light to plants underneath.
  • For those who raise their own bedding plants for summer, this is start of sowing time for some kinds of seeds in a heated propagator. The range of flower seeds that can be raised in this way is much greater than the choice of bedding varieties sold in early summer.
  • Outdoors, herbaceous perennials can be lifted, divided and re-planted during good weather.
  • Check on stored dahlias or gladiolus that they have not dried out, or have been attacked by greenflies. If they have dried, soak them in tepid water over light to plump up and control greenlfies. 
  • Keep a check for slug damage on over-wintered plants of sweet peas, which is most likely in a greenhouse or tunnel.
  • Lawns can be mown at any time of the year but not when soggy after wet weather.
  • Mowing during January  and February will leave the grass neat until March.
  • Moss-killer can be used, in the form of sulphate of iron or lawn sand, although it is better applied in autumn. It is too cold to use lawn weedkillers now.  
  • Do not walk on a lawn surface when it is soggy or frozen as this can cause compaction of the soil which results in poor growth.
  • After a spell of dry weather, dig over vegetable ground, removing old crops not already taken out, or use a no-dig technique layering well-rotted garden compost on the surface.
  • Control weeds over areas of ground that will be dug over later – hoe out the weeds, cover with old carpet or use suitable weedkillers. 
  • Plant new fruit trees and bushes. Control weeds around new and established fruit trees and bushes – these crop better without competition from grass or weeds.
  • Prune fruit trees and bushes now, if not done