Looking forward to the first glimmers of the gardening year

I like the anticipation of this time. Days are lengthening, we already have more daylight now than a couple of weeks ago, and things are beginning to stir in the garden.

The weather can be uninviting, the wind has been a constant feature in our lives for what feels like weeks, but at least it is mild and it is possible to get outside every now and then to potter.

January jobs

IT IS a good time to tidy flowerbeds. The dead stems and flowers of perennials and shrubs can begin to look tatty by this time, especially in spots where they are battered by the wind.

Tall ochre stems of grasses droop over the soil and lawn losing the elegance they had in autumn.

Just snip them down to soil level, taking care not to damage any new growth that may have already appeared.

Check for hibernating ladybirds and other insects that may be sheltering in the stems and leave any that are playing host to these beneficial insects.

They can be tidied up once any sheltering creatures have woken up in spring.

There is no need to clear away autumn leaves on the soil around plants. They will gradually disappear, dragged into the earth by worms and eventually adding to the fertility of the earth. However, it is a good idea to lift any off plants such a lavender and alpines which may rot under a blanket of damp foliage

Taking root cuttings

JANUARY may seem an odd time to think about propagating plants, but it is worth having a go at root cuttings this month.

The Japanese anemone is an ideal candidate as its thick fleshy roots are easy to handle.

This plant is difficult to propagate from division – it hates being disturbed and can sulk for a few seasons before flowering again – so root cuttings offer a more reliable source of new plants.

Choose a mature plant to take the cutting from, avoiding frosty or snowy conditions.

Clear the soil away from one side of the plant to expose the roots and slice a portion off with a sharp knife or spade.

Then lift the section away from the mother plant and refill the hole with soil pressing it in firmly to cover any exposed roots.

Wash the soil off the roots of the removed plant and choose lengths of root that are about the thickness of a pencil to propagate cutting them into 5cm long sections.

The root cuttings need to be planted the right way up so identify this by making a horizontal cut at the top of the root and a diagonal at the base.

Then put the cuttings into pots of compost so the tops are just below the surface of the soil. Water and label and place in a frost free cold frame or greenhouse.

Sowing alpine seeds

SOWING seed may not be the top job for January; it is generally too cold for most plants.

However, it is worth having a go at sowing alpines.

Alpines need a cold spell to trigger germination which can be done artificially by putting them in the fridge a few weeks before sowing. If there is objection in the household to a fridge full of seeds, then have a go at doing it now by leaving them outside in the freezing temperatures that occur naturally.

Alpines need very well drained soil so the sowing compost needs to made up of seed compost mixed with an equal part of horticultural grit.

Fill a small terracotta plant pot to the top with the soil and grit mix, firm it gently then water and leave to drain.

Scatter a small amount of seed on the surface then cover with a thin layer of grit.

The pots need to be left outside preferably in a cold frame with the lid positioned to protect them from rain but open enough expose them to the cold. A sheet of glass positioned on a slight slant over the pots will also do the job if a cold frame isn’t available, but do make sure it is secure.

In a cold winter most seedlings will have appeared in the spring and can be potted up once large enough. A mild winter will delay germination, so it is worth leaving the pots for a second winter to give them another chance to grow.

Gardening TV and radio

Tomorrow

8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors. With Blair Jacobs and Doug Stewart.

8.05am, BBC2, Monty Don’s French Gardens. Monty visits a chateau garden the creation of which nearly bankrupted its owner.

9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Tim Crowther and Joe Maiden.

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Chairman Peter Gibbs and his team of horticultural experts help gardeners from Shropshire.

Monday to Friday

7pm, BBC2, Great British Garden Revival. The series returns this week with presenters including Toby Buckland, Chris Beardshaw and Charlie Dimmock, above, discussing subjects from fruit trees to ornamental bedding, kitchen gardens to garden ponds.

Friday

3pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Matt Biggs, Christine Walkden and Matthew Wilson answer questions from gardeners in Wiltshire. With chairman Eric Robson.