January 

The start of another successful year of growing - fingers-crossed!

This month can be one of the most frustrating times for gardeners, so keen to be out and starting but often kept indoors by inclement weather. Use this time to start to look over tools and equipment. Any cutting implements should be sharpened, cleaned and oiled, and any spades, forks, hoes etc. should be given a similar treatment. Wooden shafted tools will also benefit from a clean, light sand and thorough rub over with linseed oil to give them many more years’ service. A general tidy through of sheds and stores is always a good idea, and often a good way of finding otherwise ‘lost’ items!

Check over supplies of canes, nets and so on, and repair or replace as necessary. Greenhouses, polytunnels, cold frames and cloches should be checked and cleaned if you have not done so already. Clean glass allows much better light penetration, and the reasons for destroying pests, diseases and fungus are obvious. If heaters or propagators etc. are used, this should also be checked over and all pots and trays should be washed in readiness. Stock up on seed labels and so on.

On a particularly cold or wet day, sit down with a catalogue or two and start to make lists for required seeds, bulbs, tubers and whatever else you intend to grow throughout the year.
All winter digging should be completed by the end of the month.