February 1st, 2022 by Sarah Miles

Working on your garden during the cold months of January and February may not be an obvious thing to do but there are several reasons why it’s a good idea:

• It allows you to get ahead with garden preparation, meaning you’ll have less work to do in the spring and you’ll be able to use your garden as soon as the weather starts to warm up
• Many people have more time in the New Year after the hectic Christmas period plus there tends to be less socialising/going out in January due to wanting to save some money/dry January/cold weather etc
• A lot of people can feel a bit down in the post-Christmas period. Getting outside into the fresh air, even when it’s cold, can give both your physical and mental health a real boost, especially if it’s to undertake something productive and practical

What can you do in your garden in the New Year?

While there are some gardening tasks you can do, such as planting specific types of plants and weeding, the cold weather and ongoing frosts will limit any green-fingered tasks but give you plenty of opportunities to do other things.

Cleaning up

You may think that while there is still time for plenty of nasty winter weather yet, there’s little point in cleaning and tidying up the garden. However, getting dirty is a cumulative process so while things may get dirty again before spring arrives, they won’t be as dirty as if you had left them for the entire winter. It makes your job much easier come the spring. After all, you wouldn’t refuse to clean your bathroom or kitchen just because they will get dirty again, would you?

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Paths, drives, and decking really bear the brunt of winter weather and it’s not just rain and mud making them look unsightly, it’s the growth of organisms like algae, mould, and black lichen that are all exacerbated by cold, wet, windy conditions.

When you get a dry day it’s really worthwhile getting these surfaces cleaned up. Not only will they look better, and make the garden look instantly neater, they can actually make the garden safer over the winter as these growths can make hard surfaces quite slippery when wet or frosty.

Use a patio cleaner or green mould and algae remover to easily get rid of these growths or a black spot remover if you have black lichen (this is characterised by black ink-like spots on the surfaces). These can be applied just using a watering can or you could make the job even easier with a garden sprayer.

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Glowing up!

If you don’t have the budget to buy new garden furniture or yours is still sturdy and serviceable but is looking a little tired and boring, why not embark on an upcycling project? A new coat of paint can give old pieces a new lease of life and add some colour to the garden at a time when, let’s face it, our outdoor spaces are pretty dreary. You can paint by hand but a paint sprayer will make short work of the job as well as give you an even finish.

You don’t have to stop at furniture either. Why not freshen up fencing, planters, or even outbuildings like garages and sheds? Maybe do some research and take inspiration from a Mediterranean terrace or Mexican hacienda and make colour the defining feature of the space? This will give you colour and style all year round!

Get making

With a cordless drill, some bits of wood, and a tiny bit of know-how (or even just an ability to watch YouTube videos!) you can construct some creations of your own for the garden and have things that are unique to you. This could be anything from a simple bird table or planter to a pergola structure, bench, or summer house. The joy is as much in the process of making something yourself as it is in having the practical use of it in the garden.

Getting planters prepared now means you are ready to plant them up as soon as the weather gets warmer.