January

With the festive period a fast fading memory, thoughts can turn to the year ahead and what better way to see in the new year than to pay some early attention to the garden. Despite the weather and (apparent) lack of activity, there’s still plenty to do:

If you’ve not already done so, dig over any vacant soil - especially on heavy loam or clay soils. The surface should be left rough so that the frost can break it down.
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Keep poinsettias in a cool room, not a hot living room. They need plenty of light but not a lot of water. Keep azaleas cool too, but well watered.
Float a ball on the pond in icy weather to stop it freezing entirely.
Make sure you keep putting out some bird seed and fat-balls for the birds in cold weather over the next few months.
On a sunny, breezy day, disinfect and scrub out the greenhouse to eradicate overwintering pests and diseases. Sterilise or replace tomato soil.
Dress plots intended for growing brassicas (cabbage family) with lime. Most vegetables grow best in soil with a pH of 6-5: test soil to be sure and adjust.
Even in January a light mowing is sometimes needed. Choose a dry, windy day when frost is not expected and make sure the lawn is not too wet.
Apply organic pesticides to fruit plants, to kill the of insect pests.
To prevent paths becoming slippery with algae, give them a good scrub down with a stiff brush and a weak solution of bleach or path cleaner. Make sure the run-off does not wash on to lawns or plants. Rinse with a pressure hose.
Check the ties on staked trees and shrubs to make sure they are secure, not too tight nor rubbing the bark.
When the grass is white with frost in the morning, do not walk on it or you will leave blackened footsteps which may take several weeks to grow out.
Cut out dead, diseased or crossing growths from established trees. Reduce lateral growths to 3 strong buds to encourage fruiting spurs. To avoid infection, do not prune peaches, nectarines or plums in winter.
Pots of narcissi, hyacinths, etc which have been outside or in a frame, can come in now. Put them somewhere cool at first (50°F/10°C), and increase gradually to room temperature.
Buds should be just showing, but bring crocuses in as the buds are bursting.
On soils that are not too cold or heavy, you can sow hardier peas and broad beans. On light soils, even shallots may be planted.
Begin to prune hybrid tea and floribunda roses to a lower, if not final, level. Cut out weak and crossing growths to maintain a strong open-centred bush.
This is a good time to erect training wires on walls, and to cut back ivy and creepers from the windows and roof line.