Jobs of the Month
January 2021
The weather can be harsh in January. As I write this we have had heavy snow overnight and of course that limits you on what you can do.
Its a difficult month to find any motivation to get outside anyway, particularly as we are in lockdown #3 but its important more than ever to get some air into your lungs and move your body. I can honestly guarantee that you will feel heaps better, even if its for only a short while.
Here are some jobs you can be doing this month:
Mulch borders
Use well rotted compost or bark chips on your borders.
It acts as a weed suppressant, holds moisture and adds structure to the soil so we are adding a bit of goodness back into the ground.
Spread it as thickly as you can depending how much you have in the first place. Its better to do it well than halfheartedly.
Prune apple trees
Cut out any dead, diseased or damaged branches and discard and thin out congestion. Rule of thumb is to always cut above an outward facing bud.
If you have a lot of young new shoots growing straight up, cut these back by about a third.
If your apple tree has had some serious neglect over the years and needs a lot of pruning don't do it all in one go otherwise you could kill it!
Easy peasy tasks
Keep feeding the birds and ensure they have fresh water
Start sowing veg seeds on a heated propagator indoors
Have a tidy in the shed and clean your tools as you go
Brush snow off shrubs to avoid branches breaking
Cut the leaves off Hellebores so you can see the flowers
Wash your pots and seed trays ready for the season ahead
Organise your seeds and plan what to sow this year
Do we need reminding? Nope I didn't think so!