Page 1 of 3

January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:31 pm
by KG Tony
So, its January. What have you all been up to?

What have you been sowing?
What have you been doing in your greenhouse, polytunnel or on your patch?
What's on your list of things to do before February?

Or are you just hunkering down, keeping warm and drooling over seed catalogues!

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:46 pm
by oldherbaceous
On the plot, I have just completed the Winter digging, a job that gives me great satisfction. Also and I think a first for me, because it has been so dry and mild here, I have been doing some hoeing and hand weeding, between the onions, garlic and strawberries....also weeded around my fifteen fruit trees, that are growing in a grass orchard.

About to start having a bit of a sort out in the greenhouse but, I have to admit it isn't too bad in there this year.

I have already received my seed potato order....going to leave the seed order to February, when I have had my operation...going to need something gardening related to be doing, or I will go totally mad... :)

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:55 pm
by tigerburnie
Apart from starting some Mammoth Onion seeds in the heated propagator and coaxing an over wintered chillie back into life in the conservatory, I've only mowed the grass outside since autumn. I don't do digging as I am mostly growing in raised beds, the potato patch will be dug again, but not until the spring(if it's going to happen this year, we sort of went from winter straight into summer last year).
I have my seeds, just need to wander down to the garden centre for seed potatoes and that will be me. There's some pruning to do on shrubs and fruit trees, but with snow and ice forecast, that may wait until March.

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:07 pm
by Diane
I've been outside and looked :?

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:45 pm
by peter
oldherbaceous wrote:........going to need something gardening related to be doing, or I will go totally mad... :)

Go?

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 3:58 pm
by Pa Snip
As some may have seen by the post I made elsewhere I have been studying seed catalogues. Finding it far far too cold around chest to venture out much, despite thermal layers

Have ventured out a couple of times to make our selection of seed potatoes.
Ordered 2 bags shallots from Wilko as a experiment. At £2 per bag I am impressed by Wilko's service and quality.
Having issues with my Alien Within, his attack on The Pa Snip Enterprise is becoming more effective therefore I am no longer capable of physical effort so doing what I can to make things as easy as possible when wife and daughters family take over the plot

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:44 pm
by Diane
Oh Bless You Pa - I know you'll be doing your best to organise your horticultural endeavours and I send you all my love. XX

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:59 pm
by Colin2016
Got the new shed up last week and all pained outside, it was an ex-display unit which they damaged the felt to get it down, hoping they will replace it.

Have 100 spuds on order from one shop & going to order same amount from another shop, have room for 250 spuds so will make up shortfall with others that have started growing.

Need to clear ½ of other part of new plot, lay cardboard/manure/compost hopefully before bad weather.

Went through seed box this morning, there are only a few packets that need replacing thanks to freebies with magazine.

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:05 pm
by Monika
Have 100 spuds on order from one shop & going to order same amount from another shop


Are you opening a fish and chip shop, Colin? Or a crisp factory?

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:14 pm
by Monika
Quite frankly, I am holding my horses in view of the weather forecasts for the next four weeks or so. The dead grasses and flowers in the wild garden need cutting back - but where will the field mice and voles hide when it snows and where will the birds find their seedy food? The rose hedge, hawthorns and buddleias need pruning - but will very cold temperatures cause die back? I could sow the broad beans in the unheated greenhouse - but will they die when the pots are frozen hard? On reflection, I will just measure, plan and decide to start the gardening when spring is on its way.

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 11:17 pm
by Geoff
Haven't sown anything yet but planning to sow some flower seeds in the fridge to stratify. Bought all my seeds and planned them into the diary and worked out what is going where on my rotation plan.
Dug two beds in the polytunnel and got ready to do the same in the cold greenhouse - barrow loads of compost in there for next rainy or frozen day.
Dug the potato bed outside and sheeted over. Dug another bed that will be dahlias and a few other things. Spread bonfire ash and limed the orchard and limed two beds in the veg garden for early and main greens.
Today I weeded, fed and mulched the rhubarb bed and started the same for the mint bed.
Before the end of the month I need to work out my supplies shopping list; slug pellets, fertilisers, growing composts, etc.
The great soil conditions and unusually amenable weather have left me quite relaxed time wise but I don't expect it will last when winter bites!

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:48 am
by Colin2016
"Are you opening a fish and chip shop, Colin? Or a crisp factory?"

Looks that way Monika... main reason is half the new plot has been cultivated and been under plastic since November. Read somewhere it good to start off with spuds so with being able buy them singularly I’m using the opportunity to try different varieties.

As always what I don’t use there are plenty of neighbours that will get the benefit from them.

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 9:46 am
by Primrose
I got outdoors and dug and weeded my tomato and climbing bean border yesterday. It was quite pleasant but as my first weeding foray after a winter break my muscles really felt it afterwards. Have also sowed a few pepper and chilli seeds. A little early perhaps but if they don't germinate within a reasonable time I'll hopefully have time to resow.
Any my husband had a rush of blood to the head and cut the lawns which looked a bit straggly so at least the garden looks tidier now.

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 12:27 pm
by Monika
You do realise, Colin, don't you that why potatoes are said to 'clear the ground' is that YOU will be doing the planting, continuous earthing up and then digging to harvest them, so that the ground is nicely turned over for the next crop! But I agree, it does work and we have done it ourselves in the past.

Re: January Jobs?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:09 pm
by robo
Apart from planting some sweet Pease and onions and pulling up the broccoli I've done very little ,I have pushed a few onion sets in and done a bit of weeding, my pollytunnel was all sorted in December I manured the beds then covered with cardboard all ready for planting in