What works in January can be done on the plot?
January is not the best time for regular and intensive work on the plot. There will be time for that in a few weeks. Now you just need to check if something needs to be fixed, prevent possible damage, remove any possible autumn neglect. Now you can, and, in principle, you should:
- scatter remnants of old compost, if the ground is not yet frozen
- compost accumulated kitchen debris
- check the condition of the cover of flower beds and beds with parsley sown in autumn, carrot etc 🙂
In January, the condition of the fence should also be checked, remove any holes in the mesh or fence, scoop up the excess (this is probably not a threat to us this year) snowfall from the roof of the gazebo, especially from the branches of fruit trees for fear of breaking them off, check frost protection covers for bulbs of perennial ornamental plants. At this time of the year you can expect various weather conditions and phenomena, one day heavy snow may fall, then the air temperature may be quite warm. There may be a sharp cooling down after the warming up, one should respond to such changes.
First week:
Currant seedlings: Light brown shoots of black currant are annual shoots suitable for seedlings. We cut 30 cm pieces of these shoots, which we will plant in March at intervals 20 cm. The lower ends of the shoots should be cut lengthwise, and the upper ones should be cut horizontally; this way we will avoid planting the shoots in reverse. Bushes need to be thinned regularly, so that they have enough light. When cutting, leave as many light shoots as possible, for they will bear fruit next summer.
2) A visitor from South Africa: Ochna atro-purpurea is one of the rare beauties on window sills. It is a room plant that requires warmth and endures the sun. Let's try to get this exotic beauty with purple berries.
3)Cutting time: Fruit trees can now be cut. Let's try to get the right ointment, to be able to cover larger wounds .
4) Experiments: In addition to the hydroponic method, another amazing material is being tried out recently: mineral wool usually used for thermal insulation. Let's ask experts about the results of these tests.
5) We sow cacti: Let's try to use river sand used in aquariums as sowing soil. As we know, sand is the natural substrate of cacti. When they come up, of course they need to be provided with extra food.
6) Two shoots every year: Now we are pruning the vines that creep along the wall. We will achieve the best growth by leaving only two new shoots each year, one on the left, second on the right side of the main shoot.
7) For berry bushes, we want to knit, now you need to prepare the supports; the plants themselves will not be planted until March. Rows should be oriented east-west. This will give the fruit maximum sun on the south side. The piles should have 300 cm in length, of which approx. 80 cm should be in the ground. The spacing between the piles should meet the needs of individual shrubs. To be able to grow in breadth, blackberry needs 300 cm, raspberry 50 cm, and the currant 75 cm. We connect the piles with a strong wire fixed at intervals 50 cm. If we assume more rows, the distance between them should be approx. 2 m, otherwise the shrubs will get too little light.
8)Wet feet: Cibora needs a lot of water to develop health. Its seedlings even require a mixture of 50% ground and 50% Water losses must be legally replenished.
9) Tiles in the garden: In the garden, we can use a variety of concrete or clinker tiles, which are worth composing with railway sleepers, gravel and bricks.
10) Begonias with leaves: If you have winter-flowering begonia with many leaves and flowers or flower buds, we can try our luck by propagating it from leaf cuttings. Healthy, juicy green, stick the fully developed leaf with a short piece of petiole into sandy flower soil or peat. Carefully press the underside of the leaf into the ground, so that its tail goes straight into it. In an amateur greenhouse with high air humidity, this experiment will surely be successful., we choose a bright and not too warm position.
This begonia endures a lot of sun, and when we transplant it into a pot, the mother leaf will wrinkle over time and can be carefully cut off.
11) Frozen poison: Let's remember, that pest control products must be stored frost-free. In a small garden, however, it is really no problem to collect most pests yourself. By appropriate selection of disease-resistant varieties and plants that repel pests, we can avoid the use of chemicals altogether.
