Garden To-Do List - January
- Daniel Rogers
- Jan 11, 2018
- 4 min read
This post is the first installment of 12 monthly blogs that will cover some of the many important tasks that will need to be undertaken throughout the year.
We have put together a simple checklist that we hope novice gardeners will find useful. Please don't forget to let us know what you thought of this post and if you have any further knowledge of gardening tasks for the month of January then please feel free to leave a comment below.
Job Checklist:
. Recycle your Christmas tree by turning it into Garden mulch
. Clean pots & Greenhouses ready for spring
. Dig over empty vegetable plots
. Repair lawns
. Plan crop rotations
. Helping the wildlife
. Protect outdoor trees against peach leaf curl
. Prune apple & pear trees
. Begin forcing rhubarb
Recycling old Christmas trees
If you own a shredder or are able to get your hands on one then you should definitely consider shredding the branches for garden mulch for the base of trees or under shrubs.
This mulch can also be added to a garden composter although please be aware the wax-coated leaves can take longer to decompose.
The benefits:
. Increased water retention
. Decreased weed growth
. Frost & pest protection .Increased nitrogen levels.
There are many councils that offer a free Christmas tree recycling service.
Go to www.recyclenow.com & use the search tool to check if your local authority offers this service.
Greenhouse & pot Cleaning
Cleaning your greenhouse may not seem like the most glamorous of chores but cleaning out green houses, gutters, pots & water butts ensures maximum growth yield is accomplished as well as decreasing the spread of diseases in both glass & plastic green houses.
Digging over empty plots
It may seem like punishing work but when taken slowly it need not be so demanding on both you and your garden fork.
- Single Digging
Single digging is when the soil is being turned to a spades or forks depth.
- Double Digging
Double digging involves cultivating a second, deeper layer.
This second layer is ideal for deep rooted crops such as asparagus or rhubarb because of the improved soil drainage that comes with double digging.
Rotavating
If you are able to get your hands on a mechanical rotavator then a two or five horsepower model would be more suited to light soil conditions; for harder soil conditions a more powerful model will be required.
WARNING
Using a rotavator in wet soil is extremely dangerous!
Lawn Care
During this time of the year, your lawn will be actively growing and will require attention to ensure it is in tip-top condition for the year ahead. Some of the tasks required would include weed pulling, moss-killing, regular mowing & patch reseeding.
To read our blog 'How To Mow'.
Crop Rotation
The concept of crop rotation is to grow certain kinds of vegetables within different sections of a plot each year.
Why is crop rotation important?
It organizes your vegetables according to their cultivation needs & assists in preventing the spread of crop-specific diseases or pests each year.
Helping Wildlife
You can make a significant contribution in supporting local wildlife by simply placing out additional food during the winter months.
Turning compost heap
Be aware when turning your compost heap that these are often the warmest area of most gardens and may have animals resting inside them such as Frogs, Toads or Hedgehogs.
Check your Bonfires
Bonfires must ALWAYS be checked before they're lit as nocturnal animals will almost certainly see these as the perfect places for sleeping in during the day.
Building a Wildlife Hotel
These are simple to make and is as easy as a piling up leaves or stacking logs.
Following these simple steps will enable you to view & attract local wildlife even in the smallest of gardens & often at very close quarters.
Peach Leaf Curl - Leaf Curl
This is a common fungal disease of Peaches, Nectarines, Almonds & Apricots. Peach leaf curl is caused by the fungus Taphrina Deformans.
It affects the leaves & shoots of certain trees soon after they have come out in spring.
Removal
Prompts removal of the affected leaves before they begin to develop white spores will drastically reduce the amount of fungus in the following year.
There are no Fungicides available to amateur gardeners for the removal of peach leaf curl.
Pruning Fruit Trees.
The tools you will need include:
. A sharp pair of secateurs
. A quality pruning saw
It would also wise to consider investing in a special fruit tripod ladder which will allow you to get close to the branches you need to prune. These are also perfect for fruit picking.
How to prune
You are aiming to take between 10 - 20%
of the overall canopy each winter.
Try to work evenly around the tree & if your pruning pile looks a little to big STOP - You can always go back next year.
A fully pruned tree may need only 10 - 20 cuts in total.
Avoid the temptation to make large cuts, especially if the limb is more than 10 - 20 cm (4-5") in diameter. If you must cut large branches the try to trace the branch away from the tree where a narrower section or fork.
Forcing Rhubarb
You can dig up and force Rhubarb crowns to produce an early crop.
The plants are brought in & kept in a darkness for eight weeks to produce
a sweeter and earlier crop.
This is the end of our first blog post for 2017!
BUT it's also the beginning of our first ever blog series!
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