What to do in the garden in January
The main jobs this month
- Protect tender plants from frost
- Prune persimmons and deciduous trees
- Plant bare-root trees
- Check pines for processionary caterpillars
In the garden
January is the coldest month of the year. In the inland valleys it can freeze before dawn, especially on clear, still nights. Keep horticultural fleece to hand to cover bougainvillea, hibiscus, young succulents and citrus in pots. Take it off in the morning once the temperature rises.
Use the dry days to clear fallen leaves, check plant stakes and repair fences or paths.
Lawn
The lawn barely grows. Mow only if you need to and leave the grass a little longer, about 5-6 cm. Don’t walk on it when it’s frozen or waterlogged, as it marks and compacts.
Watering
Water very little. In the cold, evaporation is low and too much water rots roots. If you use drip irrigation, cut back to once every 10-15 days in normal soil and check that no drippers are blocked. Water mid-morning, never in the evening, so cold water doesn’t sit around the roots overnight.
Pruning
It’s a good time to prune dormant deciduous trees and shrubs: persimmons, pomegranates, mulberries, and roses at the end of the month. Palms are pruned now too, while the red palm weevil is less active. Remove only the dead fronds and treat the cuts with an approved product against the weevil.
Vegetables and fruit trees
Pick the last of the season’s oranges and mandarins. Don’t prune citrus yet; wait until the risk of frost has passed. Plant garlic if you didn’t in autumn, and broad beans and peas in sheltered spots.
Plants of the month
- Bare-root trees and fruit trees: almond, plum, pomegranate, persimmon.
- Bare-root roses.
- Pansies, primulas and violas to add colour to pots and entrances.
Hedra’s tip
Look at the pines on your plot for the white silk nests of the pine processionary caterpillar. In winter the caterpillars are inside, and they start coming down to the ground in a line when temperatures rise. Cut off branches with nests wearing gloves, goggles and long sleeves, and keep children and dogs well away: the caterpillars’ hairs are highly irritant. If the pine is tall, ask a professional for help.