Gardening Tips for January
It’s the start of a new year, and with it brings an opportunity to refresh and renew your outdoor space. Whilst there’s still a chill in the air and a few months left until spring arrives, we can still bundle up warm and get to work – there’s always something to do to keep busy, warm, and to prepare for our best growing season yet.
What can I do in my garden in January?
The biggest jobs in the garden this month are mostly tidying and preparing for the warmer seasons ahead. Use your garden shed to store and protect tools, pots, and seed trays from the frost and damp.
Give your real tree a second life in the garden as a shelter for wildlife– just be sure to remove all decorations, tinsel, and metal hooks.
Prune deciduous trees and shrubs to maintain their shape. If it snows, use a broom to gently brush off Conifers, topiaries, and evergreen shrubs to prevent damage under the extra weight.
Clean up soggy leaves, moss, and algae from paths, patios, and decking areas to avoid rot and slippery footpaths. Make sure to repair any damages to your garden from the harsh winter weather and give pots and greenhouses a scrub to get them ready for spring planting.
Plan your spring projects early by selecting your Summer Flowering Bulbs while stocks supplies are high. Begonias, Dahlias, Gladioli, and Lilies are great for adding some stylish summer colour in your garden borders or patio containers with very little effort. Summer bulbs are available to buy from mid-January - be sure to store these in a frost-free, cool, dry place until ready for planting as per the instructions on the pack.
Flowers to plant this month
Planting outdoors in January takes a lot of care, but if you have a greenhouse or propagator then there are some flowers that you can grow this month.
Sow Begonia and geraniums in a heated greenhouse or propagator to provide early plants.
You can sow sweet peas this month – any sweet peas sown in early autumn can be potted and placed in a sunny windowsill or high shelf in a greenhouse where plenty of light will reach.
Plant lily bulbs in pots and borders during any milder spells but make sure the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged when you do.
If the weather gets too cold, ensure that tender plants have frost protection and wrap pots with fleece to prevent them cracking.
What fruit and veg can I grow in January?
Again, most fruit and veg will need a greenhouse or propagator if you’re wanting to start growing this month – but providing your soil isn’t too wet or frozen, you can still plant some produce in your fruit and vegetable patch.
Celeriac and celery will grow this month in heated propagators.
Herb seeds, salad seeds, cauliflower, spring onion, and spinach will grow in warm, sunny windowsills indoors for early greens.
Strawberry runners and bare root plants can be planted under cloches if you’re looking for an early crop of this summer fruit.
Raspberry canes and blueberries can be planted outdoors in sunnier sites with free-draining soil. We’d suggest planting a few varieties with different cropping times to make the most of the season.
Choose from our extensive range of top-quality seed potatoes and store them in a frost-free, cool place ready for chitting (shooting) in February/March. Check out our guide on how to plant potatoes so you know exactly what to do when the time comes.
Bringing the outdoors in
Of course, while its cold we might prefer to stay indoors and focus our attention on what we can do inside the house to stay warm and cosy whilst still flexing our green thumbs.
Once the Christmas tree has gone, you can refresh the space it leaves by filling it with vibrant, fresh foliage and colour with new-season houseplants that will revitalise your home. Choose from our range of fragrant flowering plants, lush foliage, hanging and trailing plants, ferns and succulents. Look out for air-purifying plants to support a healthier environment in your home or office space.
If you've got a pot-grown Christmas tree this should be moved outdoors. Find a spot in the garden and enjoy for years to come or repot into a slightly larger container to use indoors again for Christmas 2026.
Growing microgreens indoors is a great way to satisfy that gardening urge, and to grow greens that are packed with nutrients.
- Add conifers and winter heathers to your front door or patio to add some seasonal interest – plus it’s lovely to be greeted by a lush green display when you come home! Why not add some Sarcococca or Sweet Box, which are known for their highly scented winter flowers and make a wonderful addition to your winter doorstep?
We would love to see what you get up to in the garden this January, take a picture and tag us on socials with @dobbiesgardencentres for your chance to be featured on our social media channels