{"id":879,"date":"2026-01-18T13:36:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T12:36:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/?p=879"},"modified":"2026-01-20T13:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T12:40:14","slug":"january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/","title":{"rendered":"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sally’s garden is slightly acidic overall with thin acidic soil beneath the beech tree; the front is gravel (sunny\/dry) and the side garden is shady and needs soil improvement and shade-tolerant planting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Priority tasks (this month)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improve soil under the beech (Top priority)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spread a thin layer of spent mushroom compost<\/a> or well-rotted leaf mould and gently work into the top 5\u201310 cm (avoid heavy digging near roots). This builds humus, improves moisture retention and helps new plants establish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut back & mulch strawberries; plan fruit protection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remove old runners and diseased foliage, then apply a light mulch to protect crowns over winter. Plan fruit cages\/netting for birds in spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant or prepare bare-root fruit trees (pear\/cherry\/peach)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

January\u2013March is the prime window for bare-root planting<\/a>. Plant to correct depth, stake and water in thoroughly. For peaches, remove dead wood now and plan structural pruning while fully dormant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repot\/move tender pots (e.g., hibiscus)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repot into ericaceous compost if required and move to a frost-free spot\/shelter. Reduce but don’t stop watering \u2014 do not let compost dry out completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Plant-specific tasks & notes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beech border (shade + acid soil):<\/strong> Add organic matter (spent mushroom compost \/ leaf mould). Choose acid-tolerant, shade-loving plants for understorey. Avoid heavy digging near tree roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hydrangeas & acid-loving shrubs:<\/strong> Top up with acid mulch (leaf mould or spent mushroom compost). Keep mulch away from stems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hibiscus (potted):<\/strong> Repot into ericaceous compost<\/a> (12\u2033 pot recommended in the report) and shelter from frost; reduce watering but keep compost lightly moist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raspberries \/ Blackberries:<\/strong> Remove fruited canes on autumn varieties, thin summer types as needed, tie in new canes<\/a> and tidy the rows. Plan bird protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blueberries:<\/strong> Maintain acid soil (ericaceous compost or mulch) and protect roots with mulch. Blueberries cope better in containers if the soil is not acidic enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Fruit & vegetable tasks (based on your Grow-Your-Own list)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sally’s selected crops: Beetroot; Carrots; Courgettes; Parsnips; Potatoes; Swede; Turnips; Strawberries; Blackberries; Blueberries; Raspberries; Gooseberry; Peach; Pear; Cabbage; Onions; Peas; Spring Onions; Cucumbers; Runner beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seed & material planning:<\/strong> Order seeds, seed potatoes and onion sets now. Plan rotations and sowing slots for peas, onions, potatoes, courgettes, cucumbers and runner beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potatoes:<\/strong> Plan seed potato planting<\/a> for March; check stored potatoes for rot and store in cool, dark conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Onions \/ Spring onions:<\/strong> Order onion sets and plan February\u2013March planting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peas \/ Broad beans:<\/strong> Prepare beds (add compost) and plan supports for peas. Broad beans can be sown outside in sheltered spots in late winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Root veg:<\/strong> Protect any roots left in ground with straw or heavy mulch; plan early spring sowings for carrots\/beetroot and early sowings for parsnips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Courgettes & Cucumbers:<\/strong> Clear spent plants, remove diseased foliage (do not compost diseased material) and tidy beds for spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Pests, disease & wildlife notes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter wash for fruit & roses:<\/strong> On a mild, calm day, apply an appropriate winter wash<\/a> to reduce overwintering pests \u2014 follow product instructions, avoid freezing temperatures. Remove and destroy diseased foliage (don’t compost it).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slugs:<\/strong> Use a combined approach \u2014 beer traps or black bin-liner traps to monitor\/control numbers, encourage toads by providing shelter, and use nematodes<\/a> once soils are ~5\u00b0C and moist. Nematodes work best as temperatures rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

General garden tasks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawn:<\/strong> Plan overseeding for thin areas (use a fescue mix for shade). Consider bio-lime where the lawn pH is low. Avoid work if soil is very wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compost:<\/strong> Turn and insulate the heap<\/a>; check for hibernating wildlife before disturbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paths & decking:<\/strong> Schedule a winter clean for a mild, dry day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Containers:<\/strong> Insulate and shelter tender pots, reduce watering, and ensure pots don’t alternate freezing\/thawing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sally’s garden is slightly acidic overall with thin acidic soil beneath the beech tree; the front is gravel (sunny\/dry) and the side garden is shady and needs soil improvement and shade-tolerant planting. Priority tasks...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gardening-notes"],"yoast_head":"\nJanuary \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally - Sally's Garden<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally - Sally's Garden\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sally’s garden is slightly acidic overall with thin acidic soil beneath the beech tree; the front is gravel (sunny\/dry) and the side garden is shady and needs soil improvement and shade-tolerant planting. Priority tasks...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sally's Garden\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-18T12:36:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-20T12:40:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"650\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"GardenAdvice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"GardenAdvice\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"GardenAdvice\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#\/schema\/person\/6788fc62d3d3094c8008a4c6e4531dbe\"},\"headline\":\"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-18T12:36:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-20T12:40:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/\"},\"wordCount\":614,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Gardening Notes\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/\",\"name\":\"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally - Sally's Garden\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-18T12:36:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-20T12:40:14+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#\/schema\/person\/6788fc62d3d3094c8008a4c6e4531dbe\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg\",\"width\":650,\"height\":450},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/\",\"name\":\"Sally's Garden\",\"description\":\"MyGardenTeam member with GardenAdvice.co.uk\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#\/schema\/person\/6788fc62d3d3094c8008a4c6e4531dbe\",\"name\":\"GardenAdvice\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57a93ef9c84706d6a42fd5b9c9864ba35c0716400f460a7a33ec6fda98a9d905?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57a93ef9c84706d6a42fd5b9c9864ba35c0716400f460a7a33ec6fda98a9d905?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57a93ef9c84706d6a42fd5b9c9864ba35c0716400f460a7a33ec6fda98a9d905?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"GardenAdvice\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/author\/gardenadvice\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally - Sally's Garden","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally - Sally's Garden","og_description":"Sally’s garden is slightly acidic overall with thin acidic soil beneath the beech tree; the front is gravel (sunny\/dry) and the side garden is shady and needs soil improvement and shade-tolerant planting. Priority tasks...","og_url":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/","og_site_name":"Sally's Garden","article_published_time":"2026-01-18T12:36:40+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-20T12:40:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":650,"height":450,"url":"http:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"GardenAdvice","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"GardenAdvice","Estimated reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/"},"author":{"name":"GardenAdvice","@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#\/schema\/person\/6788fc62d3d3094c8008a4c6e4531dbe"},"headline":"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally","datePublished":"2026-01-18T12:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-20T12:40:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/"},"wordCount":614,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg","articleSection":["Gardening Notes"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/","url":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/","name":"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally - Sally's Garden","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-18T12:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-20T12:40:14+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#\/schema\/person\/6788fc62d3d3094c8008a4c6e4531dbe"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/114\/2023\/11\/hedgehog.jpg","width":650,"height":450},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/january-tasks-notes-for-sally-burns\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"January \u2013 Tasks & Notes for Sally"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#website","url":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/","name":"Sally's Garden","description":"MyGardenTeam member with GardenAdvice.co.uk","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/#\/schema\/person\/6788fc62d3d3094c8008a4c6e4531dbe","name":"GardenAdvice","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57a93ef9c84706d6a42fd5b9c9864ba35c0716400f460a7a33ec6fda98a9d905?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57a93ef9c84706d6a42fd5b9c9864ba35c0716400f460a7a33ec6fda98a9d905?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/57a93ef9c84706d6a42fd5b9c9864ba35c0716400f460a7a33ec6fda98a9d905?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"GardenAdvice"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk"],"url":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/author\/gardenadvice\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":882,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions\/882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/sally\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}