January Gardening Jobs UK – What to Do in the Garden This Month

January is the month when experienced gardeners plan and prepare while newer gardeners assume there is nothing to do. The reality is that January is one of the most important months in the gardening calendar – not because of what you are growing now, but because of what you are setting up for the rest of the year. Seed catalogues are out, popular varieties sell out earlier each year, fruit trees need their winter prune and the planning done in January determines how productive the garden will be from April onwards.

The ground may be frozen, the borders bare and the days short, but there is no shortage of purposeful things to do both in and out of the garden in January.

Planning and seed ordering – do this now

January is the most important month for seed ordering. Popular vegetable varieties – particularly tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers and unusual salad varieties – sell out at the major UK seed companies by February every year. Order in January and you get first choice of varieties.

• Write your crop list for the year – what do you want to grow, how much space is available, what will you actually use in the kitchen
• Order seeds before the end of January – particularly for tomatoes, chillies, peppers, aubergines and unusual varieties
• Plan your crop rotation – note what was in each bed last year and plan this year’s rotation to avoid putting the same plant family in the same bed
• Order seed potatoes – certified seed potatoes are available from January. First earlies like Swift and Rocket sell out early.
• Test last year’s seed germination – sow 10 seeds on damp kitchen paper. If fewer than 7 germinate, buy fresh.

Pruning jobs this month

• Apple trees – remove dead, diseased and crossing branches first, then reduce the overall size if needed, maintaining an open goblet shape to allow light into the centre
• Pear trees – same approach as apples. Pears tolerate slightly harder pruning.
• Wisteria second cut – cut side shoots back to 2-3 buds from the main framework if not done in November
• Grapevines – prune hard now before sap rises. Grapevines bleed sap if pruned late which weakens the plant significantly.

What to sow in January

Vegetable garden jobs in January

• Dig over empty beds – turn over bare soil in preparation for spring planting. Frost action on loosely dug soil breaks down clods naturally through January and February.
• Add compost or well-rotted manure – January is ideal for adding organic matter to beds. It has all winter to partially incorporate before spring sowing.
• Check stored vegetables – inspect potatoes, onions, carrots and squash in storage. Remove any showing rot immediately before it spreads.
• Harvest leeks and parsnips – both are at their best from December onwards and can be harvested as needed throughout January and February. Parsnips actually improve after frost.

Lawn care in January

The golden rule for UK lawns in January is to stay off them whenever possible. Grass is not growing and any foot traffic on a frozen or waterlogged lawn causes compaction that takes months to recover from.

• Stay off frozen or waterlogged grass – this is the single most important January lawn care task
• Service your lawn mower – January is the perfect time to book a service for a petrol mower or sharpen blades on a cordless one
• Order lawn care products – plan your spring lawn care programme and order seed, fertiliser and weedkiller now before the spring rush

Border and plant care in January

• Check winter protection on tender plants – fleece, bubble wrap and mulches can blow off in storms. Check and repair protection on fuchsias, gunnera, tree ferns and other tender plants.
• Lift and divide snowdrops – snowdrops are best divided in the green just after flowering (usually late January to February).
• Check dahlia tubers in storage – inspect for rot. Healthy tubers should be firm. Any soft spots indicate rot – cut back to clean tissue and dust with sulphur powder.
• Feed birds – garden birds need high-energy food in January. Suet balls, sunflower hearts and fat blocks support them through the hardest part of winter.

January is the month that determines how well the rest of the year goes. Order seeds now, prune apple and pear trees, plan your crop rotation and check your stored vegetables. The garden may look bare but the year’s success is built in these quiet weeks. For the next month’s jobs read our guide on February gardening jobs UK.