So we turn into another year and it is bound to be as topsy-turvy as the last. This year has certainly been a little testing. We started wet, fried through the middle months and then struggled to move onto to autumn planting when the frost didn’t turn up to knock out summer. The frost did come eventually, delivering three brutal strokes which saw all tender bedding crushed. The weather was changeable through December and really quite treacherous too.
Now we ready ourselves for new beginnings. The tidying up can continue and providing the weather is not too harsh we can do some pruning. Restoring order to some of our vigorous subjects and our fruit trees. Honeysuckle and Wisterias can all be cut back now. In the case of the Wisteria, knock back last years growth to three or four buds to encourage flowering and by this reduction ensuring that flowers are not swamped by excessive foliage. If you want to get the best from your Christmas Roses, clip out some of the old and damaged foliage to really show the beauty of this group. Hellebores often have black fungal spotted foliage at this time, so just clip it out.
January is a great month for planning, checking seed catalogues for the new and interesting and considering crop rotations to isolate pests and diseases from their prey. Garden centres are now offering seed potatoes and whilst there is no rush, it’s worth shopping early to get the varieties you want. Onion and Shallots are also about and towards the end of the month you can consider planting some out.
At the close of 2025, we spoke about planting bare root plants (like hedging) and you are still ok to do this. Ideally bare root plants want to be in the ground by mid March. If you have a bit of warmth available, then the first bedding plants can be sown, with Begonias and Busy Lizzies benefiting from an early start. You can also start a pinch of Summer Cabbage and Cauliflower, but here again they will need early protection. Spring frosts don’t take prisoners.
And finally a couple of thoughts, drop a bucket or large pot over rhubarb to force some early stems and keep off the lawn, it will be soggy and tramping across it will cause compaction of the ground, damage to the grass and encourage the moss.
Happy Gardening
Chris Evans
www.dundrynurseries.co.uk
www.thebutterflygarden.org