Flowers
• Check and firm in all newly planted shrubs and trees
• Check Dahlia tubers, Gladioli and Begonia corms that are being stored and remove any that are rotting
• Spot water containers, pots, tubs and window boxes if necessary
• Remove snow from evergreen trees and shrubs
Fruit
• Check and firm in all newly planted shrubs and trees
• Plant new fruit bushes when the ground is not too wet or frozen
• Check and loosen tree ties, replace any that are broken
• Check stakes on fruit trees for being loose or broken
Vegetables
• Dig over vacant plots and leave rough for frost to break down
• Check stored vegetables and throw out any that are rotting
• Towards the end of the month consider putting up plastic cloches to warm the soil and give early salad crops
Lawns
• Keep off in frosty weather
• Have the lawn mower serviced and the blades sharpened
• If puddles stay on the lawn, spike with a garden fork or aerator to aid drainage
Greenhouse
• Start to heat Greenhouses, which have Peaches and Vines in them
• Prune Vines now before sap rises
• Check heating is still running efficiently
• Ventilate cold houses on mild days
• Check plants regularly for pests and disease i.e., moulds and fungus
General Tasks
• Keep an area of the pond free of ice to help fish to breathe
• Store seed potatoes in a dark place
• Clean and oil all garden tools
Plants which are at their best in January
• Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop)
• Sarcococca (Christmas Box)
• Hamamelis vars (Witch Hazel)
• Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (Contorted Hazel)
• Crocus Helleborus niger (Christmas Rose)
• Lonicera x Fragrantissima (Winter flowering Honeysuckle)
• Garrya eliptica 'James Roof' (Silktassel Bush)
• Ilex aquifolium vars (Holly)
• Viburnum tinus vars
