January 2021 Garden hints

New year, new day, new restrictions, except we can still get out into the garden, well, when the weather allows!!

So, continue to stock up on seeds and plants, or at least put them on order.  Early potatoes are in garden centres now, so do not delay.

At the end of the month, you can start off reliable strains of onion and some hardy cabbages, broad beans and the like, but be guided a little by the weather. Bit early for other veg yet, unless you have a warm spot.

Jobs – continue (or start) winter pruning of apples and pears check the stability of fruit canes after the storms and secure cloches well.

Gooseberries need to be pruned back to 1 bud per “twig”, that will give you a smaller crop but much bigger fruit and easier to pick. [email protected]

New year’s resolution. When planting/sowing flowers, try to choose single type flowers, bees butterflies etc cannot use doubles, so keep it simple and remember, modern dahlia seed is very good and easy to grow, mixed with aster, cornflowers, carnations and the like will make your plot hum with bees and pleasure.  And its cheaper too.

The jabs we will be getting will knock off Covid eventually, so  get out there and start the 2021 year in good heart, but do not take chances.

Best wishes,

Greenish Fingers.