insideKENT Magazine Issue 34 - January 2015 | Page 114
OUTDOORLIVING
YOUR GARDEN: january
The coldest month
In January, your garden could need protecting from frosts, gale-force winds and heavy rain.
Check stakes, ties, fleeces and other supports for damage and consider moving plants to
sunnier positions to maximise light. Don't forget to keep feeding the birds; food is scarce for
them over winter. You can also start planning next year's vegetable plot.
TOP 10 JOBS THIS MONTH
LAWNS
Troubleshooting
1. Recycle your Christmas tree by shredding it for mulch
General maintenance
2. Ventilate the greenhouse on sunny days
If the weather is mild, you can lay a new
turf or repair hollows and bumps in an
existing lawn. For the latter, make an Hshaped cut in the turf, peel back the grass
and either fill the hollow with loam, or scrape
away the soil from a bump. Re-lay the turf,
press it into place and pinch the cut edges
together.
Watch your lawn for signs of waterlogging
as the weather gets wetter. If you missed
the opportunity to carry out autumn lawn
maintenance, then you can still remedy the
situation a bit by spiking the lawn with a
garden fork or mechanical aerator. Then fill
the holes with a mixture of sharp sand and
loam, brushed in using a stiff broom.
3. Dig over any vacant plots that have not been dug out
already
4. Repair and re-shape lawn edges
5. Inspect stored tubers of Dahlia, Begonia, and Canna for
rots or drying out
6. Prune apple and pear trees
Repair lawn edges – especially around
flower and shrub beds – with turves cut
from other areas of the garden.
7. Start forcing rhubarb
8. Plan your vegetable crop rotations for the coming season
9. Keep putting out food and water for hungry birds
If your lawn suffers dieback from treading
during the wet, muddy season, then
consider laying stepping stones through it
to allow easy access without causing
damage.
10. Prepare a polythene shelter for outdoor peaches and
nectarines to protect them from peach leaf curl
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Mole activity will increase in January and
February due to mating and nest (fortress)
building. Remove the largest hills and refirm before over-seeding in spring.
Keep brushing away worm casts, as they
can be troublesome at this time of year.
Fusarium patch (snow mould) may be a
problem in wet weather, particularly on
overfed and lush lawns that have been left
a bit too long. Also, watch out for algae on
lawns where there is poor drainage,
excessive shade, or if it's under the drip
line of trees.