Welcome to 2021 everyone. 2020 was very much a hard year, so here's hoping to a brighter 21. Anyway, here's my top 5 jobs for the month.
1. Now is a great time of year to clean up all those empty garden pots. Some will just need a clean with warm soapy water, others could be painted to give you a 'nearly free' new pot. Whilst others, beyond their best, can be smashed to give you some great crocks to help with drainage in those pots that do make the grade.
2. The winter is a great time to prune your roses. There are several main types (Hybrid Teas, Floribunda, Climbing, Rambling ...) all with different pruning techniques. Whether it's a general yearly prune or a renovation prune, now is a good time. The specifics of each will be explained better and in more detail in any good gardening book or website.
3. Your garden shed, whether a place of refuge or just a place to store all your garden stuff, needs TLC. January is a great time to clear out the gutters. A few might say "Boyd, I don't have gutters on my shed" - well, you should, as it is a great source of free rainwater if drained into a suitable container.
4. Evergreen grasses - now is a great time to tie these up for a few months to help protect them from frosts, damp weather and any snow that we do have (I saw a few flakes whilst working yesterday!). This will keep them healthier for the coming year. I use rubber bands or hair ties (not mine, but stolen from the ladies in the house). You can unravel them April time.
5. Finally, Tools - The winter is a great time to service those tools. Both motorised and hand tools need looking after to make your work easier in 2021. Servicing of mowers and strimmers so they don't 'let you down', sharpening secateurs to ensure they give you a good clean cuts, and general repairs and cleaning of `all tools so they remain 'faithful' all year.