If you thought that now is the time to sit back and do nothing, then think again. Even in the worst weather there are plants to enjoy and jobs which need doing! Even though January is thought to be the coldest time of the year it can be regarded as the most optimistic month
*Propagation Indoors
For the Garden
- Sow Sweet Peas in Sherwood Rootrainers
- Sow Pelargonium seeds (if not done last month) in Rapid Rootrainers
- Take root cuttings of Acanthus, Echinops, Gaillardia, Phlox, Primula denticulate, Pulsatilla vulgaris, and Romneya coulteri. Use the Rapid Rootrainers tray
- Take Chrysanthemum cuttings
- Plant hyacinths for early flowering (if not done last month)
- Sow summer flowering bedding plants that need a long season to grow (Begonias, Snapdragons, Lobelias, Gazanias) Use both Rapid and Sherwood Rootrainers for this.
For the Kitchen Garden
- Continue taking cuttings of herbs such as lemon verbena, sage and thyme. These will grow and flourish in the Rapid Rootrainer trays
- Sow a few Rapid Rootrainer trays of lettuce, summer cabbage and cauliflower. The new Compact Rapid rootrainers is and ideal tray to use for this variety
- Sow radishes, spinach, salad onions and turnips. The new Rowplanter is ideal for sowing these seeds as there is absolutely no root disturbance when the plants are slid out into the prepared trench in the garden.
- Sow beans and peas also in the Rowplanter.
TIP: Seeds sown in
Rootrainers make spacing easier, save time in pricking out and produce strong sturdy plants with little or no disturbance when transplanting . Cuttings can also be overwintered in the Rootrainers so saving time and space and limiting disturbance to root systems.
*Planting Outdoors
There is not much planting going on outdoors, but you can get warmed up on a cold winter’s day by continuing digging borders and turning over the vegetable garden. It is also a good time to go around the garden and catch up with repairs to fences and trellises and other tedious tidying tasks. It is important to keep on top of winter germinating weeds. There is a fair amount of pruning which can be done as well as putting up protection from the cold for your plants.
TIP:
Cloches, tunnels and
fleece will protect tender plants from the sudden change in temperature.
Net tunnels will protect brassicas from birds
*In the Greenhouse
- Heat will now be needed to protect tender plants so check that the heaters are working correctly
- Minimum temperatures being achieved should be checked.
- Ventilate whenever the weather is mild enough
- Watering should be done in the morning so that the foliage is not wet at night, but watering should be decreased except for winter flowering plants that are still in strong active growth.
- Check for vine weevil
- Keep an eye out for fungal diseases
- Clean pots and trays and store for use in spring
The indications given above are for the use of
Rootrainers seed trays and or/plug plants produced in Rootrainers. If you are using conventional seed trays, then the growth cycle is likely to be longer. Also remember if you are using Rootrainers seed trays you will not have to do any potting up of your cuttings and you will save on compost.
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