With January being the coldest month of the year, your garden is going to need extra TLC and protection.
January, the time of year that we all have to take an extra 5 minutes to get prepared before we walk outside. Hats, gloves and scarfs are all put on to protect us from the harsher elements and if we have to take extra care, then imagine how our plants feel.
Gale force winds, heavy rain and frost can all be devastating to our gardens unless we prepare our plants to withstand months of winter weather.
Top Gardening Jobs for January
- Protect your plants delicate roots from harsh temperature changes by applying a layer of mulch or wood bark to the bedding areas. This also stops something called frost-heaving, where the plant is pushed out of the ground by the surrounding soil as it contracts and expands in fluctuating temperatures.
- Repair and reshape grass edges and pathways, and top up any wood chip or bark areas that you already have in your garden. Worried about icy pathways this winter? A great solution to this is to change your pathways and steps to a wood chip or bark material, which won’t freeze over and will leave you free to walk no matter what the weather. No need for gritting either!
- Put food out for the birds. Their natural food supply is at its lowest in January so making sure our feathered friends are fed and healthy is an act of kindness that will guarantee that they return to your garden all year round!
- Start planning your vegetable garden ready for the spring planting season.
- Rotate potted plants to maximise sunlight. Shorter, greyer days means that exposure to direct sunlight will be at an annual low point, so if possible, moving your potted plants to where the sun is shining the most will help them to stay strong during the winter climate
- Prepare for snow by covering ground areas with mulch or bark and by removing snow build up from branches and from stems when you can to stop breakage due to the weight of the snow.
- Prepare for weeds. Unfortunately, weeds are known for their hardiness and this is also true of the weather, which barely touches this garden pest. As soon as conditions allow, prepare to hoe away any that have survived the winter before they really take hold in warmer months and minimise this risk by applying a membrane and bark layer to your garden beds.
To order your wood chip or bark ready for January, call our team today to discuss your needs or to ask advice regarding using mulch over winter today on 01362 638441