A no-nonsense round-up of the gardening jobs that I'll be carrying out the coming weeks. There's no rush on these. Many are opportunistic and highly dependent on the very changeable midwinter weather.
So many handy tips for January, us gardeners never stop even in the depth of winter! Alas, I can't do any shed organising until all my tender plants are out in garden once all risk of frost has passed. At the moment it's like a jungle inside there 🤣
Thanks so much for reading! Yes, we're a fidgety bunch! I've never been one for 'putting the garden to bed'.. Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Winter is probably the most important month to get outside!
Love the sound of your shed! I have no room this year for protecting plants, as we have works going on in the cottage and space is at a premium... Tender plants are having to make their own way in the garden... if they survive then hooray! But it's only a few dahlias, nothing irreplaceable. Looking forward to sowing my veggies next month though!
I keep promising myself every autumn (as I struggle dragging my palms and other tenders indoors) that I won't buy anymore but of course I inevitably see something else I haven't got yet and buy it. I do try to keep as many things outdoors as I can though. I've expanded my dry bed this year and got more agaves planted outdoors as well as some cacti I'm experimenting with.
Yes 🤣 Will you be posting tips on veg seed sowing next months as you start? I have to be honest I'm not a huge fan of veg as I prefer fruit because they are less fussy but I still like to know everything there is to know about everything garden related as I'm a go to plant person for advice in my day job in the office.
Great advice for a relatively novice gardener, so thank you! I will confess that the one thing I have not done is clean and sharpen my tools for the last couple of years. This year I have ensured I have all the gear, and your article has given me a better idea of what I need to do with it 🤣.
Great practical advice, Elliott. There are many excellent Substackers and YouTubers who push the seasonal envelope, their skill and kit allows them to do this, busily sowing and forcing when for ordinary mortals it is far too early. Your January Jobs are spot on, and for all gardeners, really good advice. I was pleased to see that you are waiting till Valentine's Day to start the seasonal sowing.. Without protection and heat even this is a little early for my East Devon home , but hope to be sowing by mid-March. Thank you for your post and here's to the February Edition of your "Jobs in the Garden" .
Thank you Graham. And well said. There’s a clamour to be the first sowers and I’m wondering if that’s actually more to do with ‘views and clicks’ than common sense?! It’s way too dark here. Even with lights mid February is the limit. I don’t have a greenhouse, so it’s all crammed into racks in the conservatory… which faces north!
Thank you for reading! I was surprised how much there was to do! 😂 I use a sharpie pen mostly. It lasts a season before the sun begins to fade it. Thank you! That’s very kind ☺️ It’s been a wonderful journey! 💚
So many handy tips for January, us gardeners never stop even in the depth of winter! Alas, I can't do any shed organising until all my tender plants are out in garden once all risk of frost has passed. At the moment it's like a jungle inside there 🤣
Thanks so much for reading! Yes, we're a fidgety bunch! I've never been one for 'putting the garden to bed'.. Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Winter is probably the most important month to get outside!
Love the sound of your shed! I have no room this year for protecting plants, as we have works going on in the cottage and space is at a premium... Tender plants are having to make their own way in the garden... if they survive then hooray! But it's only a few dahlias, nothing irreplaceable. Looking forward to sowing my veggies next month though!
I keep promising myself every autumn (as I struggle dragging my palms and other tenders indoors) that I won't buy anymore but of course I inevitably see something else I haven't got yet and buy it. I do try to keep as many things outdoors as I can though. I've expanded my dry bed this year and got more agaves planted outdoors as well as some cacti I'm experimenting with.
Ah, yes, the inevitability of more plants! 😂
Yes 🤣 Will you be posting tips on veg seed sowing next months as you start? I have to be honest I'm not a huge fan of veg as I prefer fruit because they are less fussy but I still like to know everything there is to know about everything garden related as I'm a go to plant person for advice in my day job in the office.
I will and my way with veg is about as unfussy as it gets. I don't have time for needy plants 😆
Great advice for a relatively novice gardener, so thank you! I will confess that the one thing I have not done is clean and sharpen my tools for the last couple of years. This year I have ensured I have all the gear, and your article has given me a better idea of what I need to do with it 🤣.
Thank you very much for reading! So happy to hear you enjoyed it! You’ll love just how much easier it is to cut with clean sharp blades 👍
Great practical advice, Elliott. There are many excellent Substackers and YouTubers who push the seasonal envelope, their skill and kit allows them to do this, busily sowing and forcing when for ordinary mortals it is far too early. Your January Jobs are spot on, and for all gardeners, really good advice. I was pleased to see that you are waiting till Valentine's Day to start the seasonal sowing.. Without protection and heat even this is a little early for my East Devon home , but hope to be sowing by mid-March. Thank you for your post and here's to the February Edition of your "Jobs in the Garden" .
Thank you Graham. And well said. There’s a clamour to be the first sowers and I’m wondering if that’s actually more to do with ‘views and clicks’ than common sense?! It’s way too dark here. Even with lights mid February is the limit. I don’t have a greenhouse, so it’s all crammed into racks in the conservatory… which faces north!
My goodness, what a mammoth task this was to write this - thank you! You should write a book, fabulous advice.
You have reminded me to trim my hellebore leaves.
Have you discovered a truly permanent pen to use on your labels.
You have created a wonderful garden in such a short time.
I look firward to your next monthly spot. Helen
Thank you for reading! I was surprised how much there was to do! 😂 I use a sharpie pen mostly. It lasts a season before the sun begins to fade it. Thank you! That’s very kind ☺️ It’s been a wonderful journey! 💚