Whether you want to reclaim your garden this winter or simply prepare the exterior of your home for spring, January is a great time to do so. The holiday lull has yet to wear off, and you can take advantage of this quiet time to get back in touch with your garden. Use this handy checklist to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything!
1. Flowers
As long as the ground isn’t frozen, there’s plenty of opportunity to get planting and breathe some life back into your winter garden. Bare-root roses, shrubs and ornamental trees are perfect for the season, and winter is a great time to start experimenting with colours and variety.
Don’t forget to clear away and compost soggy, collapsed stems of perennials, and move dormant plants to more suitable sites.
2. Fruit and veg
Make sure you prune fruit trees and remove any dead, damaged, congested, and diseased branches. Now might not be the best time for planting veg, but you can certainly get prepared for when the weather does cheer up. Sort out your seeds and throw away any out-of-date packets; clear up old crops and weeds from your plots, and ensure protective netting is in place for any existing crops to protect them from birds and other pests.
3. Weeding
Take a preventative approach and keep weeding throughout the winter. Although the growth of weeds does slow down as the weather gets colder, they will spring up again as soon as the sun starts shining unless you catch them now. Choose a day when the ground isn’t frozen and start digging up as many weeds as you can.
4. The shed
You may not have paid your garden shed a visit since summer, so it might benefit from a little decluttering. Replenish broken or old tools, organise, and clean up any hibernating garden furniture, and consider giving your lawn mower a basic service while it’s not in use – you’ll thank yourself come spring.
5. Fish
If you’re lucky enough to have a pond with fish in it, stop the water from freezing by floating a ball on the surface – or if the issue is reoccurring, consider installing a pond heater.
6. Birds
Feathered friends will need a little extra help in the winter months while food and fresh water is sparse. Make sure you top up bird baths daily and melt ice with warm water on extra frosty days. Keep bird feeders well stocked and try to replenish them on a regular basis for good hygiene. To be extra welcoming, consider setting up bird boxes in sheltered spots before nesting season begins.
7. Maintenance
Adverse weather conditions may have wreaked some havoc on your garden while you were cosied up in your home. Repair any wobbly or damaged fences, clear soggy leaves and moss from your paths, and check for any cracked or broken pots that have toppled over in the wind. You can prevent pots and ornaments from falling over by grouping them close together in a sheltered spot and wrapping them with hessian or horticultural fleece.
Thinking about selling your home this year? Contact your local Ellis & Co branch to get an up-to-date valuation.
