Gardening Club

Gardening Activities January 2021

Those still able to access their school garden, or who have access to a garden at home, might like to try some of our ‘10 jobs for January’.

1. Clean and tidy pots, labels, cold frames, polytunnels and greenhouses ready for spring. Remember to clean the plastic or glass so there’s more light for plant growth.
2. Check wooden raised beds or planters for damage or rotting wood and fix them up.
3. Dig over any empty plots or growing spaces that have not been dug already. If you are growing vegetables, start thinking about adding manure and digging it in a minimum of six weeks before planting or sowing seeds.
4. Start forcing rhubarb. ‘Forcing’ means preventing light from reaching the rhubarb plants, for example, growing them under big pots, so that the stalks come out pale, sweet and perfect for cooking with.
5. Plan what you will grow this year and plan vegetable crop rotations for the coming season.
6. Choose and buy all the vegetable and flower seeds you will need for the new growing season. Use seed catalogues, garden centres, DIY stores or online seed suppliers.
7. Keep putting out food and water for hungry birds.
8. Cut autumn raspberry canes to the ground, so they are ready to re-grow in the spring.
9. Keep overwintering crops protected from frost with fleece or in cold frames, polytunnels and greenhouses. ‘Overwintering’ simply means protecting plants from the cold by moving them to a sheltered place.
10. Prune apple and pear trees.

Looking for more inspiration? Find more ideas on the RHS website.

No garden? No problem. Check out these indoor activities.

Saucer veg - Regrow vegetables from your scraps! A perfect science experiment to try on a windowsill.

Make a miniature garden - You don't need loads of space to grow plants, this miniture garden will sit on a balcony or any sunny spot indoors!

Super Seed Spinner - Plants use lots of smart ways to get their seeds safely to the ground. Make your own seed spinner using this resource or design your own.