What jobs should I be doing in the garden in January?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Question

What tasks should I be completing in my garden at the moment?

Answer

Before we rush headlong into the growing season, now is the time for some annual garden tasks. 

Prune back any summer-flowering deciduous shrubs and plants during these weeks.

Buddleia, the butterfly bush, falls into this category and can be cut back hard in January. 

Do not prune spring-flowering plants as many will already have flower buds on their stems ready to open when the temperatures increase. 

Deciduous hedges such as beech and hornbeam can all have their yearly haircut over the next month.

Now that we are all au-fait with disease protection and sanitising, bring these good habits into the garden and make sure all pruning implements are clean and disinfect when moving between plants. 

This may sound OTT but if not done, you do risk moving disease easily from plant to plant.

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