In January, if the weather is mild, that is to say outside the frost period, gardeners like us can do many jobs.
Start winter pruning
You can start winter pruning. Prune vines, raspberries, berries (currants, blackcurrants, etc.), prune deciduous shrubs such as hazelnuts, pome trees (apple and pear trees) as well.
Cut to populate your garden or to offer to your friends!
Many deciduous shrubs can be cuttings in winter: elderberry, butterfly tree, spirea, privet … You can also, if the weather is mild, continue to divide or cut the roots of your perennials: the Phlox for example.
Clean up the garden
You can clean the garden for the first time in the year by removing weeds that have appeared in the fall. It is still better to keep dried flowers, for example those of hydrangeas, which protect the buds from a possible frost in the days or weeks to come.
On the other hand, don’t hesitate to remove faded flowers and yellow leaves from pansies to give them a little shine.
Start sowing
Some seeds do not fear the cold and can be sown as early as January; this is the case with the California poppy. For others, it is still too early outdoors, but you can start to sow your indoor seedlings in boxes: ranunculus, erigeron, …
Plant bare rooted plants
If the land is not frozen, you can continue all your planting of shrubs and trees with bare roots or purchased in containers. Some climbing shrubs are in bloom this January, like winter jasmine. Now is the right time to pick and plant it!
After planting, do not forget to water at the neck and to place generous mulches around the trunks or plants.
Protect the most fragile plants
Protect your most fragile plants, ’winter has not had its last word! Perennials and rock garden succulents are sensitive to winter moisture. Do not hesitate to keep them dry under a sheet of metal or plexiglass raised on stakes.
Disinfect and store
You can take advantage of a rainy day to clean under cover all the stakes in the vegetable garden, especially those that support the tomatoes. This will prolong their lifespan and thus prevent the spread of disease.
Brush them with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or horsetail manure. The used wooden stakes will be replaced next spring.
Likewise, clean and brush your tools, repair or change handles, sanitize and grind blades.