Our checklist to help you get back into gardening in 2022!

Haven’t gardened since before the festive break? Wanting to get back into it but no idea where to start? Gardening should feel relaxing and therapeutic, especially after the hectic festive period, so we’ve put together a few ideas of simple ways to get back into gardening this New Year.

The start of 2022 is the perfect time to plan ahead for the exciting things that will happen in your garden over the next year. Firstly, think about what fruit, veggies, and flowers you’d like to grow in the upcoming months. Once you’ve done that, you can already start sourcing the seeds, and preparing the areas or plots for when you’re ready to start sowing and seeding.

With the windy weather, there’s bound to be a buildup of fallen leaves and other natural garden clutter. Items may have become damaged, such as ties and netting that may have weakened, or old pots that may have broken. So, before any other heavy lifting, clearing the garden should be a priority. Remember to leave some fallen leaves and branches though, as this makes the perfect nestling spot for wildlife.

Whilst it’s not the most exciting task, removing and controlling weeds is easiest when done during winter. With the harsher weather and withering of certain plants, it’s a lot easier to see where weeds have been hiding throughout the year.

The rainy weather will provide the perfect opportunity as damp soils are loose, making it easier to remove weeds from their roots. This is super important, or they’ll grow back rapidly if left and can harm the rest of your plants and foliage.

If you’re too cold to spend hours outside but want to add a splash of colour to your new year garden, head into your greenhouse or kitchen and plant up some winter containers. Cyclamen, crocus, hellebores and snowdrops all thrive during the colder weather, and are perfect for winter pot displays, and once the weather becomes warmer and they’ve flowered they can then be planted out into the garden.

When there’s a little less to do in the garden itself, why not spruce up your tools? Use this time to make sure everything from your spades to your sheers are in tip top condition, ready for getting out in that garden.

Whilst your greenhouse may have fewer plants, now is a great opportunity to give it a good old clean. Cleaning your greenhouse now can help prevent a buildup of fungus and other harmful diseases that thrive on damp weather. Whilst you’re at it, it’s a good opportunity to also give your water butt a good clean out – sludge can build up in the bottom, so clean it out and clear its outlets to make sure you’re good to go come Springtime.

January is the ideal time to start sowing your winter salads for harvest within a few weeks. There are many hardy varieties which will give you lots of tasty crop throughout the autumn season and beyond. Our favourites are Red Pak Choi, Mustard Leaves, Kale and Komatsuna.

The New Year is a time to make positive changes, but have you considered how to do this in your garden? One simple and easy way is to switch to drip irrigation. By using recycled rainwater, rather than mains water, you can save lots of energy and use up to 90% less water than you would with a hosepipe. Our Irrigatia kits are weather responsive and use solar power to water according to the conditions of the season, providing plants with the exact amount of irrigation they need - why not get one now and beat our Spring rush!

Head on over to our social channels to keep up to date with our latest growing journeys and the latest goings on in the Irrigatia garden!