January, the wolf-month¹ (according to the old Saxon tribe), now rolls into our daily lives making its presence known through low temperatures and dismal weather.

Along with preparing for this in general, we must help and guide our gardens through this time as well.

Here are a few tips to help you do just that:

• Plan out your garden overall; what to plant such as fruit and veg for the coming year, or better yet still, consider redesigning your whole garden visually e.g. paths, planting beds etc.
• Decide on, and order seeds from a range of magazines e.g. geranium, foxglove etc.
• Clear out greenhouses and clean tools to make sure everything is in good working condition.
• Provide food and water for the birds that visit your garden via a feeder and bird bath. Bird feeders can be bought from the Elm Tree Farm shop.
• Sweep up and collect fallen leaves. Put them in a leaf bin to rot down. If you don’t have a leaf bin, it’s easy to make one using cheap wood to create a square box with an open roof. Use plastic sheeting as a lid.
• Check the state of garden fences. Rotting wood should be replaced.
• Start plannning projects e.g. making a rock garden.
• Indoors, you could start growing herbs; great for cooking or medicinal use.
• Insect houses, like the ones we make at Splinters workshop, can be built easily with cheap wood, as a wet weather activity to keeps the kids entertained. They look great in the garden and the insects love them.

1. “Wolf-month”. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.
E. Cobham Brewer, 1894.
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