January is a planning month, says our garden expert Jo
We all deserve to put our feet up a little in January, especially after the Christmas festivities! But while you’re taking it easy, you can spend some time planning what you’re going to do in your garden this year. Whether you’re going for a complete overhaul or building on the work you’ve already done, make yourself a cuppa and put together a few notes to start yourself off on your garden planning.
Seeds
January really is a good time to think about seeds, both flower and vegetable. There’s nothing quite like growing from seed, it gives you a real sense of achievement. There will be many seeds you’ve grown before, but maybe 2026 is the year you try something new.
Otter has a massive seed sale in January and it’s the perfect opportunity to choose your seeds for the growing season ahead. Don’t worry, they’re not 50% off because they’re out of date – these are perfect to sow this year.
January is a good time to do a little housekeeping ready for when you want to plant your seeds. Stock up on new seed trays and compost and clean your old seed trays and labels ready to reuse.
Sow sweet peas indoors in the greenhouse or on a windowsill and you’ll enjoy these pretty flowers nice and early this year. You can also sow certain veg seeds indoors, such as radish and some salad leaves.
In the garden
Cut back ornamental grasses – but not the evergreen varieties. Do cut back Miscanthus and Calamagrostis, but don’t cut back Carex and Festuca. If in doubt, do a quick Google to check before you chop!
If you have Hellebores, remove the old leaves to allow the new flowers to come through and discourage leaf spot. While Hellebores are low maintenance, a little TLC goes a long way.
Similarly, there will be early bulbs pushing through the earth now, so clear away leaves and dead foliage to give them plenty of space and light to grow. Keep tidying your borders and beds, removing any dead stalks and foliage of plants.
Continue being on guard for frost! After the cold snaps of December you should be ready to protect your plants when there are frost warnings around. Better safe than sorry.
If you fancy getting a little exercise in, get painting! Get hold of some wood preserve and give any wooden structures such as trellises in your garden a protective coating. You’ll reap the benefits in the spring.
On the allotment
If you didn’t dig over your allotment in the autumn due to the wet weather, you can now dig over the soil and apply well-rotted manure. Don’t put this in areas where you plan to grow parsnips and carrots as it will cause them to fork. You can of course add well-rotted manure or mulch to rhubarb.
The cold weather in January helps the soil to break down, and by digging over you can help to get rid of perennial weeds, as their roots will be exposed and the plants will hopefully die.
Indoors
Houseplants can dry out with central heating. Although you don’t want to overwater them you can give them a misting of water from time to time to keep them healthy.
Indoor cyclamen are a popular addition to the home in the winter months. Once they have finished flowering, move them away from any central heating into a cool spot. Stop watering and feeding and leave them dry. Then you’ll see new growth later in the year.
Wildlife
As always in the winter months, keep feeding the birds with seasonal bird food. If you haven’t added berrying or fruiting plants to your garden this may well be something to plan for this year. Lots of native birds and other wildlife including hedgehogs and badgers enjoy these natural resources in the garden.
Don’t fret
If it’s too cold or just too wet to get outside and you don’t get around to doing much in the garden in January, the good news is you can enjoy thinking about what you’re going to do later in the year!
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