January in the UK is typically one of the coldest months of the year, with shorter daylight hours, frost, and sometimes snow. For gardeners, this can seem like a quiet period where little can be done. However, with the right approach, January is an ideal time to prepare your garden for the year ahead, keep things in check, and even get started on some indoor projects. From maintaining your garden tools to planning for spring, there’s plenty to do during this chilly month.

Here are some practical tips to help you make the most of your garden in January.

Prepare for Cold Weather

Winter weather in the UK can be unpredictable, with frosts, snow, and icy winds. One of the most important tasks in January is to protect plants from the cold. If you haven’t already, now is the time to get your garden “winter ready.”

Practical Tips:

– Cover tender plants (tender is the opposite of hardy). Use horticultural fleece (available from our garden centre), cloches, or even old bed sheets to cover any plants that are vulnerable to frost.

– Mulch. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of shrubs, plants, and trees. This will help insulate the soil, keeping roots warmer and reducing the risk of frost damage. You can use any bark product as a mulch; we have plenty of options in stock.

– Protect pots. Pots are particularly susceptible to freezing, which can damage roots. Move pots to a sheltered area or wrap them with bubble wrap or fleece. If you can, bring them into a garage or shed. Don’t forget to raise your pots off the ground too using pot feet.

Maintain Garden Tools

Now is a great time to tend to your garden tools, ensuring that they are ready for the busy months ahead. Taking care of your gardening equipment will make your tasks easier and more efficient when spring arrives.

Practical Tips:

– Clean and sharpen tools. After a long season of use, garden tools such as spades, shears, and hoes will need a good clean. Scrub off soil, sap, and rust using wire brushes, and then carefully sharpen the edges with a sharpening stone or file. Oiling metal parts will help protect them from rust.

– Check the shed. Take stock of your garden shed and ensure that everything is in good condition for the coming months. Check for any dampness or leaks and tidy up to make it easier to find tools in the spring.

Plan for the Growing Season

January is the perfect time to sit back, relax, and plan your garden for the coming year. It’s easy to get carried away when the weather is warmer, but January offers a quieter, calmer space to really think about your garden’s design and what you want to grow.

Practical Tips:

– Sketch your garden design. Consider changes you’d like to make. Do you want to add more flowers, edibles, or trees? How can you improve the layout or add colour?

– Plan your planting. January is an ideal time to start seed sowing and buying your summer-flowering bulbs for the upcoming season.

– Crop rotation for veg gardens. If you have a vegetable garden, it’s important to consider crop rotation to prevent soil depletion and reduce pests. Planning your rotation now will save time in the spring. Don’t forget to reflect on last year—what worked well and what didn’t?

Look After Indoor Plants

If you grow houseplants or have winter-flowering plants like cyclamen, poinsettias, or indoor bulbs, January is the perfect time to give them some attention.

Practical Tips:

– Water sparingly. With shorter daylight and colder conditions, most houseplants need less water during the winter months. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so ensure that pots have good drainage, and let the top of the soil dry before rewatering.

– Maintain humidity levels. Winter heating can dry out the air in homes, which isn’t ideal for many houseplants. To combat this, you can increase humidity by placing plants on trays of pebbles filled with water, using a humidifier, or grouping plants together.

– Check for pests. Take time to inspect indoor plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, or mealybugs. If you spot any, treat the plant with insecticidal treatment or wipe the leaves down with a damp, soapy cloth.

Tidy Up the Garden

While it may seem like little is growing in January, there are still tasks you can tackle to keep your garden tidy and set up for success later in the year.

Practical Tips:

– Prune deciduous trees and shrubs. Many deciduous trees and shrubs are dormant during the winter, making it a good time to prune them. Remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches and shape them as needed. Always ensure you use clean, sharp tools to make precise cuts

– Clear leaves and debris. Fallen leaves and plant debris can smother grass and plants, as well as create a hiding spot for pests. Collect any fallen leaves, and either compost them or use them as mulch on borders. Clear any branches, twigs, or other debris to prevent fungal growth

Feed Birds and Wildlife

Wildlife can struggle in the winter months due to the cold, so creating a welcoming environment for garden birds and other animals can be very rewarding.

Practical Tips:

– Set up bird feeders. Offer a variety of foods like peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet. These will provide birds with the essential energy they need to survive the cold temperatures. Consider hanging a mixture of feeders at different heights to attract various bird species.

– Leave out water. Birds and other animals may struggle to find water during freezing conditions, so ensure you have a birdbath or shallow container filled with fresh water. Break the ice daily if necessary.

– Provide shelter. If you have a spare shed, log pile, or other secluded spots, leave them undisturbed. Hedgehogs, birds, and small mammals will benefit from sheltered spaces where they can seek refuge from the cold. You may also want to add a few bird boxes to trees in your garden.

Start Seeds Indoors

For the eager gardener, January can be the start of the planting season, especially if you want to get a head start on the spring growing season. Many vegetables and flowers can be sown indoors now.

Practical Tips:

– Start early vegetables. Crops like tomatoes, chillies, and peppers can be started indoors in seed trays. If you have a heated propagator or a warm, sunny windowsill, this will help your seeds germinate.

– Indoors flowers. Start sowing early flowers like marigolds, geraniums, sweet peas, or lobelia. Growing them indoors gives them a head start and will ensure they bloom earlier in the season.

Check Your Lawn

Your lawn might not look its best in January, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be neglected.

Practical Tips:

– Avoid walking on the lawn. If there’s frost, snow, or heavy rain, avoid walking on the grass as this can damage the turf. Frozen grass is brittle, and walking on it can cause it to break.

– Keep it clear. Remove any debris, like fallen branches, to prevent them from smothering the grass. If you see areas where moss is growing, you can treat them with moss killer or rake them out.

Keep an Eye on Winter Pests

Pests are less active during the winter, but that doesn’t mean they disappear completely. January is a good time to check for any signs of infestation in your garden.

Practical Tips:

– Check for aphids and slugs. Though fewer in winter, pests like aphids, slugs, and snails can still be found in sheltered spots. Inspect plants, especially those under covers or in greenhouses, for signs of pests.

– Inspect trees and shrubs. Look for signs of damage, such as bark damage or unusual growth, which could indicate the presence of pests or diseases.

Conclusion

January might be cold and quiet in the garden, but it’s a month brimming with opportunity. From protecting your plants and wildlife to planning your garden’s design and even starting seeds indoors, the steps you take now will set the stage for a successful year ahead. By tackling these tasks during the winter lull, you’ll ensure your garden is healthy, prepared, and ready to bloom beautifully when spring arrives. Embrace the slower pace of January to lay the groundwork for a productive and rewarding gardening season!

As December arrives, many gardeners might think their work is done for the year, but in reality, the garden still requires attention. While the landscape is transitioning into winter dormancy, there are several essential tasks to carry out that will ensure your garden remains healthy through the cold months and is ready to thrive when spring comes. Here’s a guide to gardening in December, complete with practical tips to keep your outdoor space in shape during the winter chill.

Protecting Tender Plants from Frost

December can bring some of the coldest weather of the year in the UK, and frost can be particularly damaging to tender plants. If you have plants that are not frost-hardy – such as dahlias, fuchsias, or tender perennials – you’ll want to take steps to protect them from freezing temperatures.

Practical Tips:

– Cover plants with frost fleece or horticultural fabric to provide a layer of insulation. This can be draped directly over plants or used to cover plant pots.

– If you have pots of tender plants, bring them indoors or into a sheltered location like a shed, garage, or greenhouse. If moving them isn’t an option, group pots together in a sheltered corner, wrapping the pots in bubble wrap to insulate the roots.

– For more delicate plants, consider using cloches, or build temporary covers with clear plastic to trap heat during the day, but be sure to ventilate the plants during the day to avoid condensation build-up.

Tidy Up Fallen Leaves

Leaves may have finished falling by December, but they still need to be dealt with. While leaving fallen leaves can provide a natural mulch for the soil and a shelter for wildlife, a heavy layer of wet, matted leaves can smother grass and other plants, leading to rot

Practical Tips:

– Rake up fallen leaves regularly, especially if they’re in areas where you want to protect the grass or flowers. You can compost them or shred them to create leaf mould, which is a valuable soil conditioner.

– If you’re unsure about what to do with leaves, use them as mulch around shrubs or trees, where they will gradually break down and provide nutrients for the soil.

– Alternatively, leave some piles in quiet corners of your garden to offer shelter for insects and other wildlife, such as hedgehogs, who will hibernate in the layers of leaves.

Winter Lawn Care

While your lawn is likely dormant in December, it still benefits from a bit of winter care. Cold, wet weather combined with foot traffic can damage your grass, so it’s important to treat your lawn with care.

Practical Tips:

– Avoid walking on your lawn when it’s frozen or waterlogged. Heavy foot traffic can damage the grass and compact the soil, making it harder for the grass to grow in spring.

– If your lawn is looking a little sparse or worn out, consider applying a winter lawn fertiliser with a high potassium content to help the grass survive winter and encourage stronger growth in the spring.

– Give your lawn a final mow before the frosts arrive. Set the mower blade to the highest setting, as cutting too short can expose the grass to frost damage.

Prune Dormant Trees and Shrubs

December is an excellent time to prune many deciduous trees and shrubs, particularly those that have already shed their leaves and are in a dormant state. Pruning now will help your plants conserve energy during winter and encourage healthy growth when the weather warms up.

Practical Tips:

– Focus on removing dead, diseased, or damaged wood to prevent the spread of disease. Cut back any crossing or inward-growing branches to improve air circulation and sunlight penetration.

– For fruit trees, such as apple and pear, prune to shape the tree and remove any branches that may rub against one another, which can cause injury.

– Avoid heavy pruning of spring-flowering shrubs like forsythia, lilac, and magnolia, as this could reduce the display of flowers next season.

Clean and Store Garden Tools

Winter is the perfect time to take care of your gardening tools, so they’re ready for action when the growing season begins again. Cleaning and sharpening tools now can extend their life and make them much easier to use in the spring.

Practical Tips:

– Clean your tools by removing soil, rust, and plant material. Use a wire brush to scrub off any stubborn dirt, then soak metal parts in a solution of warm water and vinegar to remove rust.

– Sharpen any cutting tools, such as secateurs, shears, and spades. You can use a sharpening stone or file for a fine edge, which will make your tools more efficient and safer to use.

– Once cleaned and sharpened, store your tools in a dry, frost-free shed or garage. You can also rub the metal parts with vegetable oil or petroleum jelly to prevent rusting over the winter.

Feed Birds and Wildlife

As natural food sources become scarce in winter, your garden can be a vital lifeline for wildlife, particularly birds. Helping them through the cold months ensures that they remain healthy and active, and can return to nesting in the spring.

Practical Tips:

– Put out high-energy foods such as sunflower seeds, suet cakes and fat balls. These foods are packed with calories that help birds stay warm and sustain their energy during cold snaps.

– Consider planting evergreen shrubs and trees, such as holly or ivy, which provide shelter and food in the form of berries through the winter months.

– Also, ensure that water is available for wildlife. In freezing temperatures, birdbaths can become frozen over, so check them regularly, and if they’re frozen, replace the water with fresh, non-frozen water.

Plan for Spring

December is a great time to plan for the next growing season. Take a moment to think about any changes you want to make to your garden, whether it’s new plantings, different garden layouts, or adding new structures like raised beds or a greenhouse. Maybe put them on your Christmas wish list?

Practical Tips:

– If you’re planning to add new plants or redesign parts of your garden, make sketches and jot down ideas to ensure you’re ready when the planting season begins in early spring.

– If you’re feeling inspired, start sowing some hardy seeds indoors—such as sweet peas or hardy annuals—so they’ll be ready to go outside in the spring.

Conclusion

While December might seem like a quiet month in the garden, there are many important tasks that will help prepare your space for the coming months. Whether it’s protecting tender plants, providing food and shelter for wildlife, or planning ahead for spring, the steps you take now will ensure that your garden remains healthy and thriving throughout the winter and ready for a fresh start in the new year. Take advantage of the winter lull to get your garden ready for the exciting growth that’s just around the corner!

This year, we have a TREEmendous selection of premium deluxe Christmas trees for you to choose from. Whether you’re looking for the nation’s favourite or something unique, we’ve got the perfect tree for your home.

The Nation’s Favourite: The Nordmann Fir

Our number one bestseller is the Nordmann Fir, the nation’s favourite Christmas tree—and for good reason! Known for their excellent needle retention, Nordmann Firs have deep green, soft needles and a bushy, full appearance.

We stock only premium deluxe grade trees, ensuring:

• Straight stems located at the centre of the tree.
• Symmetry, with evenly spread branches.
• Proportions where the width is less than the height but wider than the halfway point.

Available Sizes:

• Cut Nordmann Firs: 4ft to 8ft tall (120–250cm).
• Pot-grown Nordmann Firs: 60–125cm tall.

The Slim and Scented Fraser Fir

If you’re after an alternative to the Nordmann Fir, the Fraser Fir is a fantastic choice. With its slimmer, conical shape, it’s perfect for smaller spaces. Its compact branches and smaller, soft needles release a delightful citrus scent for added festive charm.

While its leader (top branch) may occasionally twist slightly, this tree excels with unrivalled needle retention, making it a durable and practical option for your home.

Available Sizes:

• Cut Fraser Firs: 5ft and 6ft tall (150–200cm).

The Traditional Norway Spruce

For a classic festive look, the Norway Spruce is the traditional Christmas tree of choice. With its pine-fresh scent and striking appearance, it’s perfect for outdoor displays.

However, this tree is best kept outdoors as it has the lowest needle retention of all our options. If brought indoors, keep it away from heat sources and ensure its water reservoir is topped up daily. The Norway Spruce has sharp needles, so it may not be ideal for households with young children.

We stock premium-grade Norway Spruce trees, which are pruned and shaped for that perfect Christmas look.

Available Sizes:

• Cut Trees: 6ft to 7ft tall (175–225cm).
• Pot-grown Trees: 120–150cm tall.

New This Year: Pot-Grown Varieties

In addition to the pot-grown Nordmann and Norway Spruce, we’re excited to introduce two new pot-grown varieties this year:

• Omorika Spruce (60–80cm): A compact tree with a slender shape, ideal for small spaces. Its dense green foliage features striking blue-silver undersides, creating a unique and elegant hue.
• Noble Fir (100–125cm): Regal and bushy, the Noble Fir has long, thick, silvery-blue needles and a subtle fragrance. Perfect for adding elegance to your home or garden, even after Christmas!

Find Your Perfect Tree

With so many beautiful options, there’s a tree for everyone at our Christmas Tree Shop. Visit us to find the perfect centrepiece for your festive celebrations!

As winter approaches, protecting tender (not hardy) plants from harsh weather is essential to ensuring their survival through the cold months. Here are some effective ways to safeguard your garden’s most vulnerable plants:

Mulching: A thick layer of mulch—such as straw, leaves, or wood bark chips —around the base of plants helps insulate roots from freezing temperatures. Mulch also prevents soil erosion and maintains moisture levels, which is crucial during winter dormancy. A mulch can also suppress weed growth so it’s a win win!

Covering with Frost Fleece Cloth: Fleece cloths or garden fabric are breathable covers that trap heat and shield plants from frost. Make sure the fabric doesn’t touch the leaves directly, as it can cause damage. Support with stakes or canes to create an air pocket around the plant.

Potted Plant Protection: Bring potted plants indoors or into a conservatory where possible or place them in a sheltered area, such as a garage or porch. If that’s not possible, group pots together and wrap them in insulating materials like burlap or bubble wrap.

Wind Barriers: Winds can cause rapid temperature fluctuations, drying out plants. Erect a windbreak using fencing or wind break fabric (which we sell).

Lifting: Where soils become saturated in winter you should lift any tender bulbs, corms or tubers and store them in a frost free dark place (like a garage) before replanting them in the spring.

With these precautions, your tender plants will have a better chance of thriving when the spring thaw arrives!