Essential Garden Maintenance Jobs For January
January is the month of fresh starts. And, boy is it fresh! Right now, we’re well and truly in the throes of winter. And frosts and some snow are predicted in the coming weeks. But, as we all know, spring moves fast. And it won’t be long until we see daffodils peeking out of the ground and our gardens reawaken.
So now is the time to get the jump on the seasons and start planning for the new year. Read on to check out our essential garden maintenance tasks for January.
Garden Maintenance Jobs For January
Have A Clear Up
We know, we know. Cleaning and tidying isn’t the most thrilling of tasks, but it does make your life easier in the long run. If you have a lot of dirty pots and planters hanging around, gather them up and give them a wash in clean, warm (but not soapy!) water. Come planting time they’ll look as good as new. Doing this will get rid of any salt deposits and old soil which can house bacteria that may affect new plants.
While you are in spring-clean mode, you might also like to turn your attention to the greenhouse if you have one. During the growing season, the windows of your greenhouse can begin to accumulate agae, moss and dirt which can have an impact on the growing environment for your plants. So get stuck in and give the windows a good clean and let the light flood in!
Do Some Border Control
Over winter, our borders can become a bit neglected. But paying them some attention now can be helpful in getting them under control in the growing season.
Start by removing weeds where you can from borders. Then, once that is done, you can set about digging them over with a high quality spade or fork. Doing this helps to push nutrient rich soil, compost or manure deep into the soil in readiness for new roots, while helping to unearth any unwanted pieces of rubbish or weeds. It also helps to break down soil that may have become compacted over winter, loosening it for planting.
Recycle The Christmas Tree
We nearly didn’t mention this one, but we’re sure there’s at least one person reading this who still has their Christmas tree knocking around the garden!
If that is the case, either cut it up by hand or put it through a shredder. Then, add what’s left to the compost bin. Doing this will provide you with nutrient-rich mulch that will enrich and structure your soil, suppress weeds and conserve moisture. In short, the perfect growing environment for your plants!
Get Planning!
This is probably the most fun – and warmest – job on our list. All you need to do is grab a cuppa, a notebook and a pen and start planning your garden overhaul. If you need some inspiration, take a look at Instagram or Pinterest – or pick up a garden design magazine next time you are at the shops.
Planning your 2020 garden can be as simple, or complex, as you like. You may just decide to make a list of the kind of plants that you would like to grow and draw up a planting schedule. Or you may want to start from scratch and dream up a fresh, new landscape design.
Garden Design & Maintenance from Abingdon’s
Whether you want to hit refresh on your garden and bring it bang up to date with a new design, or you want to get on top of essential maintenance tasks, January is the perfect time for planning. From decking and fencing to paving, turfing, planting and mowing, a gardener’s work is never done, but it is worth it when you see the garden in full bloom come summertime.
If you have a new garden design in mind and need some help and advice in getting it done, take a look at our gallery. We have over 30 years of experience in gardening and offer customers both landscape design and garden maintenance services across Oxfordshire, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you need help!