January in the Garden

A new year, a fresh start for your garden

January may be the heart of winter, but as the days begin to lengthen, signs of life slowly return to the garden. It’s the perfect month to plan ahead, order seeds and plants, and prepare for a successful gardening year. If you find yourself with some spare time, there are plenty of useful tasks to keep you busy outdoors (or in the greenhouse).

Garden Maintenance

Clear fallen leaves to prevent slugs and snails from finding shelter over winter. Collected leaves can be left to rot down in a leaf bin to create rich leaf mould for later use.
Dig over empty beds and borders, incorporating plenty of well-rotted compost or manure to improve soil structure and fertility.
Protect tender plants by wrapping them in horticultural fleece, and move container shrubs into a cold greenhouse or sheltered spot.
Check tree ties and stakes to ensure they’re secure after winter winds.
Feed the birds by hanging fat balls and keeping feeders topped up – they’ll repay you by keeping garden pests under control.
Practise good garden hygiene by cleaning used pots in warm water with a disinfectant like Jeyes Fluid to remove overwintering pests and disease spores.

Soil and Planting Preparation

January can bring hard frosts, but if the ground isn’t frozen, digging over the soil will help aerate it and improve drainage. Mix in well-rotted manure or compost to prepare it for spring planting. If the soil sticks to your boots, it’s best to wait a few weeks until it’s drier.

What to Sow Indoors

Get a head start by sowing certain vegetables indoors:

Cauliflowers (for planting out late February to March, harvesting around May–June)
Leeks, lettuce, shallots, onions, garlic, and chillies
Peas can also be sown in pots now for an early May harvest – just keep them indoors until they can be hardened off in spring.

Now is also the time to chit your seed potatoes. Place them in trays or egg boxes with the eyes facing upwards in a cool, bright, frost-free place to encourage strong sprouts before planting.

Herbs and Overwintering

Perennial herbs like sage, oregano, mint, and tarragon can stay in the ground, naturally dying back and regrowing in spring.

What’s in Stock

At Newquay Garden Centre, we stock everything you need to get a head start on your growing season — including over twenty varieties of seed potatoes, onion sets, and a wide range of vegetable seeds to suit every gardener.

Cornwall Gardening Tip

Cornwall’s winters are generally milder and wetter than much of the UK, which means your garden may stay greener for longer — but also more prone to slugs, snails, and rot. Keep an eye on drainage in beds and pots, and make the most of any dry spells to dig over soil or tidy borders. If you’re near the coast, a little wind protection for young shrubs and potted plants goes a long way.