What can gardeners do in the cold wet months of December and January? The soil will probably be cold and wet as so will be the weather particularly if you live in the north of England.
Stay warm and dry and do all the cleaning and maintenance jobs you have avoided. When the growing season starts in earnest you wont have the time.

One tip for indoors is to invest in a ‘blue light’ or natural light bulb. This can con plants into thinking the days are a bit longer and the light levels a bit brighter.

A top ten tips

1. Curl up with a good internet connection and browse away on the host of gardening web sites including Gardenerstips.
2. Ask Father Christmas for a gardening book on your favourite subject or by a popular set of authors like Matthew Biggs, John Cushnie, Bob Flowerdew, and Anne Swithinbank.
3. Plan your garden campaign for the coming seasons. Record what you want to achieve and the actions that will help you achieve it.
4. Order your seeds and summer bulbs from a quality supplier.
5. Check your over wintering plants, cuttings and stored vegetables.

1. On a bright crisp morning, spring clean your greenhouse, statues or ornaments and collect garden debris.
2. Sharpen tools and make any new bodging tools.
3. Feed garden birds and clean your bird feeders.
4. Visit an RHS garden to see what the professionals are up to. I would wait until the Christmas products are taken out of the retail sites.
5. Enjoy your houseplants and try some challenging plant for next year.
6. Plant some Gloxinia tubers or get an early start with sweet pea seeds.

Or let us have your alternative suggestions.