Jobs for January ctd...
Greenhouse
Keep a minimum of 5ºC in greenhouses for tender plants such as perlagoniums
Clean out old pots and seed trays
Sow some summer bedding under cover
Pinch out tops of autumn-sown sweet peas once they reach 3.5cm

House plants
Water houseplants sparingly
Keep cyclamen cool and well-lit

Wildlife
Make sure garden birds have food and water. Look at birdboxes, but don’t bother with shop-bought wildlife shelters for ladybirds, butterflies, lacewings, hedgehogs etc: Which? Gardening magazine has confirmed that they are a waste of money
http://tinyurl.com/29482qs


By the fire with crumpets

Pore over seed and bulb catalogues
Make a resolution to grow your own plants for your garden. Get a good book on propagation, which is not as scary as it sounds, and could save you a fortune in your garden. I highly recommend Carol Klein’s Grow Your Own Garden
Carol is passionate about propagation. Her own garden, Glebe Cottage in Devon, as seen on Gardeners’ World, is almost grown entirely from cuttings and seeds. Too often gardeners are intimidated by propagation, assume it’s not for them and go for ready-grown plants from the garden centre. But Carol shows just how simple and satisfying it is to grow your own plants, not to mention sustainable and cheap. She demonstrates, step-by-step, how to divide herbaceous perennials, nurture seedlings or grow new stock from root cuttings, stems or leaves, showing how there is no mystique involved and anybody can do it.