Despite the cold weather, there are many things you can do in your garden (Image: Getty Images)
With the Christmas and New Year festivities behind us and another year dusted off, January can feel like a bit of a gray month.
Spending time outside and tending your garden can be a great mood booster. Therapeutic benefits can be fun too, but as winter approaches, it can seem like a bit of a waste of time.
But did you know there are things you can do to boost your pride and joy despite the freezing temperatures that are readying the onset of spring?
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, these 10 jobs by experts from the National Garden Scheme and Gardners’ World will get your garden ready for the next few months and give you the best possible start to 2023. It helps you cut.
tidy up plants
Keeping your plants tidy is an ongoing task, but leaves often wither and rot during the winter months.
So why don’t we get to it? A tidy garden is the same as a tidy mind.
Plus, maintaining it means you’re not left behind in the long, arduous task of clearing months’ worth of dead plants and weeds.
tool maintenance
Like us, tools need TLC from time to time.
Also, don’t forget to spray the metal tools with oil.
If you don’t take care of your gardening supplies, you’ll just have to spend money on new ones in the future.
dig
If the soil isn’t too wet, now is the perfect time to dig and clean up.
Cold weather will break down the soil and help get rid of pesky weeds that never seem to go away – just expose the roots.
crochet the soil
There is no better time than now to prepare the soil for sowing. Using a cloche is a great way to do this.
A cloche is a cover made of glass or hard transparent plastic that protects plants from cold temperatures.
So using one or more will help keep the soil as warm as possible and give it the best possible chance when it comes time to sow seeds in the near future.
Replenish food on the bird table (Image: Getty Images)
seed sorting
On those dreaded days when the weather is unbearable, why not examine your seeds to make sure they’re still viable and decide which ones to buy next season?
Doing this will save you a lot of time when sowing.
sow vegetable seeds
Although planting vegetable seeds won’t make a noticeable difference to your garden right away, you can reap the benefits in early spring.
Lettuce, radishes and carrots are among the vegetables that can be sown early this year.
remove leaves from bulbs
Over the next month, various bulbs, such as snowdrops, will begin to appear, so keep an eye on their progress and remove the leaves as they appear to get as much sunlight as possible.
feed the birds in the garden
Garden birds often struggle to find food at this time of year, so if you have a bird feeder or table, restock it regularly.
Bird seeds are available at your local supermarket or garden center. If you’re lazy (like me), you can also get it online. Birds will thank you.
Plus, they enliven your outdoor space with their happy chirping, so it’s really a win-win situation.
bird bath
Continuing with the bird theme, don’t forget to refill your bird bath with fresh water daily and use warm water to melt the ice on frosty days.
plant plant plant
You can always plant shrubs, hedges, or bare-root roses if the ground is not frozen.