What to do in January for newbie gardners

squishyclaire

I'm glad to find this thread. I am a newbie gardener and have been working for a year to clear and prepare the garden for planting. I got given lots of gardening goodies for xmas but I need some advice about when I should start sowing seeds and which ones to start with. I have seeds for all the most popular veg carrots, onions, lettuce etc. Could anyone advise me on what will grow. I have a really shady garden.

I was also planning to buy some fruit bushes (gooseberry, rasberry etc) but I have been told these won't grow in my garden because it's too shady. Is this right or can I try them anyway.

Any advice gladly welcomed.

annie123

squishyclaire the link below should help as a starting point.
I have grown red currents a bright but shady spot ie: no direct sunlight.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/module7/growing_fruit.shtml

http://www.doctorgreenfingers.co.uk/How_to_grow_Pruning_tree_surgery_Plant_care/How_to_%20grow_Plant_Prune_Indoor_plant_care-Main_page.html

good luck

edit: on my first post I have listed a few things that can be planted now. HTH

Gem_

squishyclaire rasberries, alpine strawberries, rubarb and blackberries will all do well in shade/partial shade. Gooseberries seem to be impossible to kill as well but I have never tried them in the shade before.

I have a shady/ damp bed that I need to fill this year so would love to hear any further suggestions on this topic

squishyclaire

Thank you for your suggestions. I will go and look at getting the fruit bushes and review my planting.

nopot2pin

squishyclaire wrote: »

Thank you for your suggestions. I will go and look at getting the fruit bushes and review my planting.

I was in Lidl today... they have in their brochure thingy that fruit bushes will be on offer from 25th Jan. They have Blackberry, blueberry, goosebery, and raspberry... and according to the brochure.."many more". They are 99p.

Gem_ ... thanks for the "impossible to kill goosberry" post... thats what I am going to go for now And I think I might have a go at the raspberries too.

In the same brochure.. the fruit trees are 3.99... from the same date.. 25th Jan... they have conference pear, cox's orange, pipin apple, stella cherry and victoria plum
I'm also a bit of a newbie with the growing stuff... and wondered how much maintenence an plum or cherry tree would require:o

Father_Jack_2

Gem_ wrote: »

Gooseberries seem to be impossible to kill

Would you please tell that to my bushes because I don't think they know they can't die

annie123

As most of the country is wet at the moment, now is a good to for you all to grab your brolly and pop into the garden or allotment this weekend, to see if anywhere seems to be very waterlogged ( drainage may be needed or willow tree planted etc) or is still dryish, ie under everygreen close to a wall.

Its always a good idea to know, as it helps with planting later on.

Also look to see where daffs are coming up are there any gaps you want to fill or over crowdered that need thinning? by time they are in flower you will have so many things to do that you may forget.

Now is also a good time to start a planting plan.

• Draw a rough outline of your garden.
• which way does it face?
• Then add fixed items...sheds, big trees etc
• then shrubs, boarders etc

Most gardens dont look great at the moment but by making a sketch plan now and showing whats there at the moment will help you plan for later.

• Do you have enough space to fit in everything you may want to try?
• Where do you want your fruit/veg?
• is there space for herbs?
• easy to get at patch for children etc?
• what about some flowers for cutting
• maybe a wildflower garden
• could you garden do with some height?

Go on, dig out those wellies for 10 mins then quickly back for a cup of tea!

happy gardening everyone:D

ChocolateMonkey

I have itchy feet trying to get into the garden but due to the terrible weather I have been forced indoors.
Good news is that it has given me plenty of time to pour over lots and lots of gardening catalogues and design my garden this year. Which I have now realised looks pretty empty due to me trying to save space by growing in containers, typical. :rolleyes:

I purchased some sleeping plants from woolworths the other day, redcurrant and blackcurrant bush, asparagus crowns and a pepper pack. All have good looking shoots on them, then I read about the lidl ones on here. lol

Oh and I will try to have a pop at making newspaper pots.

Roll on Feb so I can start planting seeds. :T

susieb

Got back out in the garden today, we are on clay soil so I thought it would be a wasted trip around, but decided to put the fork in teh veg plot just to have a look, and it was lovely, really easy to dig and befroe I knew it I had turned and dug all the soil (apart from where my cabbages and spring onions are) so i'm very happy and it looks ready to plant.

Lemon_Tree

managed to get a quick walk round my garden yesterday. Looks like the mustard seeds may finally be sprouting on the veggie plot whichis good news. the seeds i put in pots in the greenhouse don't seem to have done much but then it's probably just a matter of time, and i need to sort out my greenhouse heater i'm sure it will help.
At least the strawberry plants i dug up are still alive in there so i should be able to sell them on at a car boot or something.