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 114 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.