Monty Don's must-do compost task for January - even in the coldest of weather

09 January 2024 , 15:31

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Monty Don has shared an 'important' gardening job for January (Image: BBC Studios)

Keen gardeners will be looking forward to putting their green thumbs to use now the festive period is officially over.

While this winter has seen blustery wind, , and even have hit the UK, January is a great time to make a start on some key gardening tasks.

British horticulturist and BBC presenter explains that the middle of winter is a good time to get cracking on some everyday seasonal jobs. Writing on his blog, the TV gardener explained that composting shouldn't be neglected during the colder months.

"It is important to turn your compost, even in the coldest weather (and it is a good job to warm yourself on a frosty day)," he explained. "Even though we think of the process of turning and making compost as heating it up, in fact the important thing to do is to add oxygen and this stimulates bacteria to digest the material, be it kitchen waste or Christmas packaging, which in turn generates heat, even in mid winter."

He added that avid gardeners who have saved the "enormous amount of paper" that Christmas produces can use the waste, including "wrapping, packaging, and cardboard" to enrich their compost heaps.

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"At this time of year there can be a shortage of 'green' or nitrogen-rich material such as mown grass to leaven the carbon-rich material like cardboard and paper, but it all rots down and will end up as part of the mix over the coming months," he said.

Monty said beds that are not currently carrying crops can be readied for seeds by spreading "a layer of finished compost" over them, so it can be "worked into the soil by worms" ready for the springtime. He added that sieving compost and bagging it up can be a useful gardening job for January to prepare for sowing in spring.

As well as getting ahead on your composting, January can be a good time to sow certain seeds, with explaining that garlic, onions, peppers, chillies and aubergines can thrive if planted early in the year.

"January is also the best month to start off your peppers, chillies and aubergines, as these plants need a really long growing season in order for the fruits to ripen in time," Rhiannon said.

Emily Chudy