Your garden this month
January might be the middle of winter but as the days lengthen the garden starts to grow. Now is a great time to plan for the coming gardening year and to order seeds and plants. Enjoy the fresh air on dry sunny days, and check your winter protection, stakes, ties and supports are still working after any severe weather. Also put out food for birds and leave some garden areas uncut for a little longer, to provide shelter for wildlife in your garden.
January
This month there are signs of the approaching spring, with bulbs appearing and wildlife waking up as day length and temperatures increase. There’s plenty to do indoors this month to prepare for the season ahead. Outdoors, as the garden comes to life again, it’s time to prune certain shrubs and climbers, such as Wisteria. Most top fruit and soft fruit are very hardy but once they start into growth in spring, flowers and buds are especially vulnerable to frost and may need protection to crop well.
February
Spring usually starts to arrive across the country in March, and the longer days provide the opportunity for an increasing range of gardening tasks. It’s time to get busy preparing seed beds and sowing seed, and it’s your last chance to prune roses. Bulbs make a fine display planted in containers or borders and are one of the easiest and most rewarding garden plants to grow. Gladioli, lilies and Eucomis are great for adding summer interest.
March
Spring is in full swing, with tulips and flowering cherries in bloom. Expect the inevitable April showers this month but with sunny days too, when you can turn your attention to the veg plot. It’s an exciting month as you start to sow outdoors. Just watch out for frosts and keep any tender plants indoors for now. Sowing seeds outdoors is an easy, inexpensive and plastic-free way to grow new plants. It’s ideal for a wide range of hardy flowers and vegetables.
April
As bulbs fade and herbaceous borders grow in leaps and bounds, it is now clear that summer is approaching. Sowing and planting out bedding can begin, depending on when the last frost is in your area, and you can take softwood cuttings. It’s also time to let the lawn grow long and get a buzz from seeing all the insects that arrive to feed on the flowers
May
The extra light and warmth encourages the garden to put on an exuberant burst of growth. But this extra light and warmth also means weeds will sprout up from seemingly nowhere. Keep on top of them by hoeing regularly in dry conditions. Remove side shoots from Tomatoes , removing the side-shoots is simple – every time you water, check the plant for any shoots sprouting just above each leaf, from the joint between the leaf and the stem.
June
This is often one of the hottest months of the year and a great time to sit out and enjoy your garden. Keep plants looking good by regularly dead-heading, and you'll enjoy a longer display of blooms. Make sure you keep new plants well watered, using grey water where possible, and hoe off weeds, which thrive in the sunshine. Watering is one of the most important jobs when growing plants in containers. Roots need a balance of air and water to grow well which is easy to provide if you have a good quality compost or soil.
July
August is usually one of the hottest months of the year - making watering essential. Try to use grey water wherever possible, especially as water butts may be running low if it has been a dry summer. August is traditionally holiday-time, so you might need to enlist the help of friends and family to look after the garden while you are away. When you are at home, take the time to prune Wisteria and summer-flowering shrubs such as lavender once they've finished flowering.
August
September is generally a cooler, gustier month than August and the days are noticeably shorter. While there's not as much to do in the ornamental garden at this time of the year, if you have a fruit or vegetable patch, you'll be busy reaping the rewards of harvest. It's also time to get out and start planting spring-flowering bulbs for next year and you can collect seeds for next summer's colour too. Make the most of the remaining warmth while you can!
September
Although we had some warmer days over September, the autumn is now definitely here for real, and it feels colder. It's a beautiful time of year, with the trees changing colour. Sometimes it may seem pointless raking, when the wind blows even more leaves onto the lawn, but just think of all the lovely leaf mould you can make! It's also time to start preparing for early frosts. Perennials are not demanding plants, but trimming them after flowering finishes in autumn helps improve their appearance and flowering. However, you can leave some stems over winter to provide homes and food for wildlife, and then trim back in spring.
October
Leaves are falling rapidly, and wind and rain are on the increase. Tender plants will need protecting from frost, gales and freezing rains. Move plants into the greenhouse, or into a sheltered spot, but if you can't, it is worth wrapping plants or pots. Remember winter can be a tough time for birds in terms of water and food, so keep supplies well topped up. Ponds are a lovely addition to any garden and can provide a rich habitat for a range of wildlife. Occasional cleaning and regular maintenance are required to ensure water is healthy for fish and other wildlife.
November
As we approach the shortest day of the year in December you will need work to keep you warm outside, such as digging and tree pruning. Check your winter protection and if you have a greenhouse make sure the heater is working. Hopefully there are not too many jobs left to do this year so you will have time for some fireside garden planning. Cold, wet, windy winter weather can damage trees, shrubs and garden structures such as trellis. Improving shelter, staking plants, mulching, wrapping pots and careful matching of plants to places will help to prevent this kind of damage.
