January can be exciting and frustrating for allotmenteers itching to get started with a brand-new growing season. The changeable and often inclement weather can force us indoors all too often. But here are some allotment jobs for January to keep you going, whatever the weather!
The great thing about allotment jobs in January is that, generally speaking, nothing is urgent. Most things can wait until February. So most of what we are doing now is preparing to be a little less busy next month. By putting in some work now, the season ahead can run smoothly, and you’re not likely to get overwhelmed.
I would like, at this point, to humbly admit that I am a fair-weather gardener. What I wear indoors is what most people would consider overkill for outdoors. However, if there’s work to do, I can rally any get it done. If you’re anything like me, I highly recommend investing in a set of thermals. Some decent socks and a good pair of gloves will make your allotment jobs for January much easier!
Clear Out Your Growing Space
It’s so satisfying looking at a freshly cleaned and tidied greenhouse or polytunnel. By January, my greenhouse is usually a mess. So I choose a bright sunny day (if there is one) and set about clearing and organising. Take the time to inspect your supplies and order or buy anything you might need, such as module trays, seed compost or a new watering can. Sharpen and clean your gardening tools (I highly recommend crean mate from Niwaki to make this job a breeze).
Curl Up With a Cuppa (and sort out your seeds)
There is a bit of a “thing” about curling up with a stack of seed catalogues nowadays. It’s like being a child looking through the Argos catalogue and circling all the toys you want. But we should recognise seeds for the amazing resource they are, and try to, where possible, use what we have, save seeds and swap seeds.
Start by making a list of what you would like to grow this year. Then sort through your seed collection, making note of what you have and haven’t got. Then make sure to fill in the blanks either by asking your allotment neighbours or local gardening club for swaps, or ordering some seeds.
My Favourite of the Allotment Jobs for January – Make a Plan
Planning is such fun. Let your imagination run wild. You can use a piece of paper, an app or even your kids’ Lego, but make a reasonable plan of what you want to grow in the year ahead. This will give you an idea of what you need to sow, in what quantities, and how you intend to lay out your plot or beds.
Here are a few pro tips for planning:
- Understand where the sun is coming from. Don’t plan any tall crops such as runner beans that may shade out smaller crops.
- Know the direction of the prevailing wind. This is the direction that the wind usually travels across your plot. It will depend on a lot of things like topography, location and orientation of your plot. Make your life easier by taking advantage of naturally sheltered spots to grow climbing plants. Or construct solid, permanent supports such as metal arches.
- Think about watering. You may want to put your thirstiest plants nearest to your water supply, dot water butts around the site, or instal an irrigation system.
- If you’re building a plot from scratch or redesigning your plot think about your paths, how you will maintain them and how you will move about your plot. This is arguably the most important part of the planning process. I favour wood or bark chip paths as they are not permanent. I can maintain them by hoeing weeds out, and they generally do a good job of weed suppression. My woodchip paths last year had fewer weeds than my neighbour’s concrete slab path, where the weeds grew between the slabs, despite the weed suppressant underneath, and his path was much more of a challenge to weed.
- Use a planner! Keeping all your lists, plans and recordings throughout the year is not only a great way to plan and keep you on track, but it also makes a brilliant reference from which to learn in future years. Try my new allotment planner!
Winter Prune Apple and Pear Trees
Apple and pear trees can be pruned during a dry spell in January or February to help maintain their shape, and keep them healthy this time of year. Using sharp, clean tools (see earlier job!) remove any wood that is diseased, damaged or dead. Then, try to open up the canopy, removing any crossing branches. When cutting, ensure not to leave stumps. This may require you to cut and then tidy it up after, cutting as close to the parent branch as possible without damaging it.
Then try to open up the canopy a little, removing any branches that are causing it to be crowded. Make sure to keep standing back and observe the tree from as many angles as possible to keep it balanced. It should be the shape of a wine glass, and you should avoid one side being heavier than the other.
Don’t be afraid to give it a go on your mature apple trees, it’s not as scary as it sounds!
Plant Bare-Root Fruit Trees and Bushes
Now is a great time to plant bare-root fruit trees and bushes. This is an inexpensive way of introducing fruit to your allotment, as opposed to planting pot-grown plants. By planting bare-root fruits now, they will have a chance to establish their root system before it’s time to produce flowers and fruits.
Read this article for more on planting bare-root fruit trees and bushes.
Other Allotment Jobs for January
There are other jobs you can be getting on with this month, such as building, mulching, renewing paths and of course sowing. Take a look at my recent article on easy seeds to sow in January for more information.
The main aim of this month is to prepare for the growing season to begin. Remember to go easy on yourself as most allotment jobs in January can wait if the weather is terrible.
Nail Your Allotment Jobs for January and Plan Like a Pro
It’s no fun spending all your time online looking up what jobs you need to do each month on your allotment. What if they were all in one place, in an easy-to-read list, with space for you to add your own? I have come up with this handy planner that does just that.
It has space to write down all the seeds you want to sow for the year, and has monthly lists of what to sow indoors and outdoors, what to plant out and what to harvest. It also has dotted paper to help you plan our allotment or beds. It’s big enough to write in and small enough to tuck into your pocket or bag and take up to the allotment.
Whatever allotment jobs for January you manage to do I hope your growing season gets off to a great start, and that this year is full of fun, fruit and vegetables!