In this first month of the year, freezing wind and rain, frost and snow are commonplace in many of our regions, and those with a milder climate are seeing their number of sunny days drop. The gardener can still count on a few fine days here and there to tackle the gardening work that is necessary despite everything, even if the vegetation is at rest. Let’s see what there is to do in January in the vegetable garden, orchard and ornamental garden.
What to do in the January vegetable garden?
Tasks may vary from region to region. The gardener therefore has enough to find in the following list the gardening work that concerns him.
- Protect the water point from freezing if you have not taken the precaution of doing so at the end of autumn.
- Check the mulch and, if necessary, lay a good layer of straw or leaves at the foot of the vegetables still in the ground, especially leeks who do not appreciate strong frosts.
- Harvest the guard root vegetables such as beets, carrots, celeriac or even potatoes, and store them in a cool, ventilated and dry place in order to consume them as needed. Under the right conditions, they can to preserve from several weeks to several months.
- Weeding what can be weeded during a softening of temperatures.
- Planter :
- rustic salads,
- spring sprouts,
- The gray shallot,
- Garlic.
- Sow :
- Spring lettuce under cover,
- Carrots under heated shelter.
It’s the right time to prepare the boards which will welcome, in a few weeks, the first sowing and planting. Uncultivated soil can be plowed and amended.
How to take care of the orchard in January?
In the orchard, the main works for January are as follows.
- Ask as many winter sails as necessary to strengthen the protection of shrubs against the rigors of winter as soon as big drops in temperature are announced.
- Mulch the base of the trees,
- Plant fruit trees only if it is not freezing.
- Scrape the bark of the fruit trees with a brush in order to dislodge parasitesinsects, moss, lichen.
- Cut :
- Pome trees (pear trees, apple trees). This consists of shortening the carpenters, removing damaged or dead wood as well as the branches that intersect in the heart of the shrubs.
- the cashier,
- The gooseberry.
- Clearing if necessary.
- Continue to pick up dead leaves.
- Pass the paved driveway and the terrace at pressure washer in order to eliminate moss, lichen and dirt of all kinds.
- Weed.
- Clean the beds, flowerbeds, rockery by removing the dried leaves of the perennials and scratching the ground.
- Plant the Christmas tree if we had the good idea to buy a specimen with roots.
You can also weed the base of fruit trees.
What are the ornamental garden needs in January?
The ornamental garden just like the terrace are of course not as flowery as in summer. Even if there is less to do in January in terms of gardening, there are undoubtedly a lot of Maintenance works to achieve.
- Protect the chilly plants and more generally all perennials, especially if the month of January promises to be particularly cold.
- Place ornamental plants in pots or trays under cover and lay a protective veil on the others.
- Regularly empty the water from the saucers.
- Implement Thoughts, forget-me-nots…,
- Prune trees except those that flower in the spring. Pruning while respecting all the safety rules because this type of work is dangerous. It is important to know the right techniques and to use appropriate tools. felling and pruning trees and shrubs can be entrusted to a landscaperwhich makes it possible to benefit conditionally from a tax credit.
In January, the plants that are flowering at this time are regularly checked to make sure they are doing well. This is the case of the Heatherof the’Hellébore or even Camellia winter flowering. And don’t forget to feed the birds.
Come on, gardeners: courage! Putting your nose outside for an hour or two every day when it’s cold has never killed anyone. It is even necessary to stay healthy. Doctors are unanimous and advise taking fresh air every day to better fight against minor winter ailments. Carrying out the necessary gardening work in January is therefore essential for good health, especially since it allows you to exert yourself and keep your spirits up.