Jobs you can do in the garden during January

As we welcome in the New Year, we also welcome one of the coldest, wettest and darkest months of the year which can prove challenging to your garden.

Jobs may seem hard to find but don’t worry, there are still plenty of things you can do to make sure your garden is ready for when Spring arrives.

January is a perfect time to prune your fruit trees, specifically apple and pear trees. During the late winter months, the trees are in their dormant state and are easiest to prune now due to the lack of foliage allowing you see each branch. Ideally, you want to prune any branches growing upwards so fruit can grow on low hanging branches making it easier to harvest later in the year. Just bear in mind that fruit will not grow on pruned areas so don’t completely shave the entire tree!

Another good pruning job for January would be your hedging. Almost all hedging around this time will be dormant (aside from winter flowering varieties) and can be cut back to a desired width or height to encourage new growth for the spring. Due to the time of year, birds will not be nesting so you can safely cut your hedges as to not disturb breeding pairs. It also encourages hedgerows to thicken up creating a safer environment for small birds like Sparrows or Blue Tits, protecting them from predators later when they are nesting.

Lastly, a couple of small jobs that can be done in the comfort of a warm shed are sharpening all your tools ready for the busy Spring and Summer months such as secateurs, lawn mower blades, hedge cutter blades and shears. Alongside this, why not dig over and mulch your beds ready for new planting and rejuvenation of your garden beds.

All in all, there are still plenty of jobs you can get done around this time of year, all of which help maintain your garden for the long year ahead!