What to do in the garden and home in January

January's jobs are mostly about protecting what's already in place rather than starting anything new. Bare-root planting is the one exception, since trees, hedging and roses can go in now while they're dormant and the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged. Because the right list depends on your garden type, your region and whether you've got a shed to check over as well, it's worth trying This Month's Garden Jobs Finder to see which of the jobs below actually apply to your own setup and which can be left; it works from general seasonal patterns rather than a look at your garden, so treat its output as a starting point rather than the final word.

In the garden this month

• Bare-root planting: trees, hedging and roses can be planted from November through to March. January is a good month for it as long as the soil isn't frozen solid or sodden.
• Winter pruning: deciduous trees and shrubs (apples, pears, wisteria) can be pruned while they're dormant and leafless, which makes the shape of the branches easier to see. Leave stone fruits like plums and cherries until summer, since winter pruning leaves them open to silver leaf disease.
• Frost protection: move tender container plants against a sheltered wall or into a greenhouse, and check that any horticultural fleece or bubble wrap is still doing its job after wind or rain.
• Stored bulbs and tubers: check dahlias, begonias and similar stored over winter for rot or shrivelling, and remove any that have gone soft before it spreads to the rest.

Around the house

Cold weather tends to expose problems that have been building quietly for months, so January is worth a walk round the outside of the house. Check gutters and downpipes for ice blockages, which force water to back up under the roof edge instead of away from it. Look at fascia and soffit boards for flaking paint or soft wood, and check exposed pipework is insulated before a hard frost catches it out.

Inside, watch for condensation on cold windows and walls in rooms that aren't heated often, since that's usually the first sign of a damp problem rather than the cause of one. A more detailed run-through of these checks is covered in home maintenance.

What can reasonably wait

Lawn care, most soft pruning and general tidying can wait until things warm up in February or March. Doing them now in cold, wet soil is more likely to cause damage, such as compacted turf from mowing when the ground is soft, than to get you ahead.

Regional differences

Timing shifts with the weather. Gardens in the north and at altitude will often still have frozen or waterlogged ground well into February, so bare-root planting and pruning are worth delaying until the soil has softened. In milder parts of the south and west, January conditions are usually workable throughout the month. For jobs specific to sheds and outbuildings, including roof and timber checks after winter storms, see shed and outbuildings.