[The garden in January] What tasks to do in this month so that your plants keep healthy

Posted By: Manuel Gaviño In: Garden Care Comment: 0 Hit: 935

Do you want to know how to take care of your garden in January? Here we tell you the most important tasks + plants that you can sow at this time.

January is one of the coldest months of the year. 

And that's something your plants know well.

During this time, most species go into dormancy and reduce their activity, in order to protect themselves from cold and frost. 

But that does not mean that you can forget about them during this period. 

Although in the month of January there are few gardening work that we can do, it is important that you make sure to keep your plants protected from the cold.

Do you want to know how?

Then read this post very carefully, because here we tell you all the tasks you need to do in the garden in January.

Grab the gloves and tools, let's get started.

Gardening work in January: the 5 essential tasks 

Let's see them.

1. Irrigation

In the coldest months of the year, watering is not essential.

Plants do not demand so much water from us at this period. Also, if they are very humid during the night, it is possible that the water freezes and damages them.

But there will be some plants that demand some water. For example:

  • The rose bushes, if we have sown them with bare roots.
  • Deciduous trees that we have also planted with bare roots.
  • The bulbs that will bloom in spring (better by immersion).

In all these cases, it is important that you do not flood the ground. Just make sure it stays a little damp.

During this time, try to water at noon, because this way the sun will evaporate most of the humidity and there will be less risk of frost.

Of course, if you live in a rainy area, you can suspend watering during this time, because your plants will have their water needs more than covered.

2. Pruning

If you have not done pruning during the month of December, this is the time to do it.

At this time you can prune hedges, shrubs and deciduous trees, and thus take advantage before the first shoots appear.

If you have a very old bush or with very tangled branches, January is a good time to do rejuvenation pruning. To do this, cut all the branches of the bush about 50 centimetres from the ground (or even at ground level, if the specimen is young and can bear it).

In these cases, be sure to water and fertilize in abundance so that the bush recovers. 

For its part, you can also take care of pruning some climbing plants, such as:

  • Summer jasmine.
  • Plumbagos
  • Podranea Ricasoliana
  • Bignonia Jasminoides
  • Honeysuckle.
  • Bougainvillea.

Note: If you need it, you can count on us to remove the brush from the garden.

3. Application of pesticides

Although it may not seem like it in the cold, spring and summer are just around the corner.

And with them will come the dreaded plagues.

The good news is that we can reduce their effect (or even prevent them completely) if we are proactive and prepare from the beginning of the year.

Specifically, during the month of January, you can take advantage of treatments with mineral oils that mitigate the risk of fungi arising.

4. Lawn maintenance 

At this time, the lawn does not need much watering. Even if you live in an area where frosts are frequent, you should avoid it as much as possible to prevent the cold from damaging the leaves.

What you can (and should) do is:

  • Rake it: an accumulation of leaves, together with humidity and rain, can lead to the appearance of a fungus.
  • Mowing it: keep a high cutting height, between 4 and 5 centimetres. Thus, the leaves themselves will act as a protective layer that will insulate the roots from the cold.

And if you need to water it, remember to do it also during noon. 

5. Prepare the soil for spring

January is also a good time to work the soil.

These are the basic tasks to be carried out:

  • Remove the soil: work it so that it is more receptive when it comes to receiving amendments or mulches. In this way, it will better absorb organic nutrients and be prepared to receive the next plants you plant.
  • Eliminate weeds: you can do it manually or start applying pre-emergence herbicides, to prevent the appearance of these unwanted visitors.
  • Aerate the soil: by removing the soil, we decompress it and make air and oxygen enter it. This will drain the water better and prevent fungus from growing at the bottom of plants and shrubs that are more sensitive to pests.

Extra: Other garden maintenance tasks

Because yes, keeping your plants healthy is the most important thing… but not the only thing you have to think about.

Here we leave you other significant jobs to have a garden that is not only healthy but also looks its best.

A. Pool

It is very unlikely that in this cold, it will make you want to take a bath.

But for when the heat returns, and you want to take the first dip, it is essential that you apply good maintenance to your pool.

That includes:

  • Cleaning: Wind and rain will cause the water to fill with leaves and dirt, so it is important that you remove them regularly.
  • Apply chlorine: a good option to keep your pool clean and not have to take care of it so frequently is to use winter chlorine.

 We continue.

B. Arrange the non-plant elements of the garden

We refer to elements such as:

  • Pergolas.
  • Furniture.
  • Sources.

You can take advantage of this time to clean them and even paint and varnish them, in case they have suffered any damage.

Thus, once the heat arrives, they will be ready to re-plant them in the garden and enjoy the sun.

In addition, it is also a good time to do small maintenance works on flower beds, rockeries, and walls (and even to build them if you have not already done so).

The best plants to sow in the garden in January

We do not want to close this article without telling you which are the best plants to sow at this time in the garden.

And, although it is usual to do this work later, during late winter or early spring, January is also a good time to cultivate certain species.

We have divided them into two, depending on whether we plant them for:

  • The beauty of their flowers.
  • The colour of its fruits.

We see them separately.

1. For its flowers

In this group, we have:

  • Viburnum tinus: begins the flowering that will last until spring.
  • Thoughts: a plant with beautiful flowers that last until spring or summer. Suitable for flowerpots and beds.
  • Primula obconica and primula acaulis: two other multi-coloured species. Also, suitable for pots.
  • Cyclamen: they keep their colour until spring-summer. 
  • Ranunculus: during this time their flowers begin to sprout brightly coloured.
  • Senecio cruentus: of pink, blue and violet tones.
  • Almond: they will begin to show their pinkish-white flowers.
  • Camellia sansaqua and camellia kanjiro:  spectacular flowers that dress these evergreen shrubs.

Now we go to his counterpart.

2. For its berries or fruits

Here we have:

  • Citrus: now they are precious, with some of their fruits ready for harvest

  • Pyracantas: They stand out for their orange or yellow berries, which also remain on the plant for a long time.

  • Melia Azedarach: a very interesting tree in all seasons of the year. In January it shows its cream-coloured berries

  • Cotoneaster: its small red berries bring life to this beautiful shrub during these dates.

  • Nandina: interesting both for its berries and its reddish foliage.

  • Strawberries: at this time they begin to show their colour.

 Any of these options will be a perfect complement to decorate your garden.

You already know how to take care of your garden this January.

Now it's time to get down to work.

Remember that if you do things right during this period of lethargy, when spring arrives your plants will thank you with an explosion of life and their spectacular flowering.

And if you have any questions or need us to help you with any of these tasks, you just have to contact us.

We will be happy to help you keep your plants healthy and happy.

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