What to do during January in your garden and greenhouse.

Your monthly gardening checklists

Flowers

Plant snowdrops

Now is the time to buy snowdrops and hellebores

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Fruit and veg

  • Winter-prune apple and pear trees to remove any dead, damaged, congested and diseased branches
  • Sort out your seeds, throwing away empty or out-of-date packets and noting down any to buy for the coming season
  • Plan this year's crop rotation to ensure you grow each type of crop in a different bed to previous years
  • Prune gooseberries and redcurrants, cutting sideshoots back to three buds from their base
  • Clear old crops and weeds from the veg plot, then dig over the soil, mixing in compost as you go
  • Regularly inspect stored crops, discarding any showing signs of rot or deterioration
  • Plant bare-root fruit trees and bushes into enriched soil, as long as the ground isn't frozen
  • Ensure netting is in place over brassicas, such as kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbages, to protect from pigeons
  • Cover rhubarb plants with a bucket or terracotta pot to force an early crop of tender long stems
  • Feed spring cabbages with high-nitrogen feed to encourage leafy growth
  • Prune blackcurrants, if you haven't done so already, removing about a quarter of the old stems
  • Order seed potatoes, onions, shallots and garlic bulbs for planting in spring

Prune Apple and Pear tree

Now is the time to prune side shoots from Apple and Pear trees.

Greenhouse

  • Sow winter salads in a greenhouse, conservatory or on a sunny windowsill, for harvests within a few weeks
  • Tidy up the greenhouse, getting rid of any broken pots, old compost or debris that could hide unwanted visitors
  • Move potted strawberry plants under cover to encourage early fruiting
  • Check overwintering plants regularly for aphids, mealy bugs and other pests, and take action where necessary
  • Bring potted peaches into the greenhouse to avoid leaf curl disease
  • Plant hippeastrum (amaryllis) in pots and place on a warm windowsill
  • Keep the greenhouse frost-free by installing a thermostatically-controlled electric fan heater
  • Bring potted camellias into an unheated porch or greenhouse to encourage early flowering
  • Take root cuttings of perennials such as phlox and Japanese anemones, and plant in free-draining compost
  • Start sowing seeds of hardy annuals, such as cornflowers, cerinthe and ammi, in modular trays for early flowers
  • Prepare your greenhouse for spring by improving the ventilation, shading and heating
  • Ventilate the greenhouse on sunny days to prevent humidity building up
Rose 'Sweet Remembrance'

Plant bare-root roses

Planting bare-root roses during the dormant season is a great way to get ahead for the growing season and save money, too.

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House plants

Amaryllis 'Carmen'

Feed garden birds

Discover the best ways to feed birds in your garden in winter, including plants to grow and using feeders.

Offers

Gardening offers
Thompson & Morgan logo

Hyacinth 'White Pearl' & 'Pink Pearl'

All the glitter and tinsel of Christmas can't compare with the sparkle and fragrance that indoor hyacinths provide. When the ground outside is frozen, your loved ones will really appreciate the simple pleasure of a basket of scented hyacinths in their home this winter. Deceptively simple, yet unerringly stylish, our bestselling hyacinths are guaranteed to give stunning results.
£7.99£19.99

Supplied as 5 bulbs (choose from Hyacinth 'White Pearl' or 'Pink Pearl') in a 16cm ceramic pot

Garden maintenance

  • Top up bird baths with fresh water daily and melt ice with warm water on frosty days
  • Repair wobbly or damaged fences, and treat wooden structures with preservative during dry spells
  • Give your lawn mower a basic service or take it to a dealer for maintenance, while it's not in use
  • Put up bird boxes in sheltered spots, on tree trunks, sheds or walls, well before the nesting season begins
  • Clean and sharpen your tools, including hoes, secateurs and shears, and spray metal tools with oil
  • Sprinkle an all-purpose fertiliser along the base of hedges and around shrubs
  • Trim back ivy, Virginia creeper and other climbers that have outgrown their space, before birds start nesting
  • Provide high-energy food for birds to help them through the winter months
  • Clear soggy leaves, algae and moss from paths, patios, decking and steps
  • Dig over any gaps in borders, removing the roots of perennial weeds
  • Give empty pots and seed trays a thorough scrubbing ready for the start of the sowing season
  • Remove debris from shed and greenhouse guttering, so winter rain can fill up your water butts
  • Scrub and clean out bird feeders regularly to maintain hygiene