January Garden Tips

Happy New Year! Maybe you’ve made some New Year’s resolutions that involve your garden. Take a look at this month’s list and commit to doing these simple tasks. You will be very glad in the spring when you see your garden thriving.

THINGS TO PLANT

Flower Plants: Alyssum, Butterfly Weed, Calendula, Candytuft, Cornflower, Dianthus, Daisy (African, Michaelmas and Painted), Gaillardia, Liatris, Edging Lobelia, Nasturtium, Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Pansy, Phlox (paniculata), Snapdragon, Stock.

Flower Seeds: Ageratum, Alyssum, Balsam, Bluebell, Calendula, Candytuft, Cleome, Coreopsis, Cornflower, Delphinium, Echinacea, Feverfew, Gaillardia, Gayfeather, Gerbera, Hollyhock, Hyacinth, Larkspur, Lobelia, Lupine, Nasturtium, Phlox drummondii, Poppy, Queen Anne’s Lace, Petunia, Snapdragon, Sweet Pea, Sweet William.

Bulbs: Allium, Alstroemeria, Amarcrinum, Canna, Crinum, Dahlia, Daylily, Gladiolus, Hosta, Hyacinth, Spider Lily (Hymerocallis), Liriope, Monkey Grass, Rain Lily, Society Garlic, Tigridia, Tulip.

Vegetables:

Early – Mid Month: Asparagus crowns

Mid- Late Month: Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Onion Sets, Peas (English & edible pod), Spinach Herbs: Garlic Chives, Horseradish, Parsley, Chervil

Fruit: Bare root or container-grown pecans, fruit trees, grapes and berry bushes.

TASKS IN THE GARDEN

Fertilize: asparagus, strawberries, daylilies, iris, pansies, and roses. Use compost, manure or a complete fertilizer.

Water: Water everything well before a freeze to protect against cold injury, but avoid overwatering.

Transplant: Plant bare-root and container-grown roses, shrubs, trees, groundcovers, and vines. Move hardy seedlings outdoors. Divide and transplant perennial herbs and summer and fall blooming perennial flowers. Donate extras to a plant sale.

Prepare Soil: Add compost and/or fertilizer. Till deeply. Test soil (forms available at the Extension Office). Check winter mulch and replenish, if needed. Stockpile leaves for mulch and composting throughout spring and summer.

Lawn Care: If the lawn has a history of brown patch problems, treat with a labeled fungicide late in the month. Repeat treatment in three to four weeks, if needed.

Diseases/pests to look for: Check for mealybugs and for scale on houseplants. Need a plant problem identified? Just bring a sample in a ziplock bag to your Extension Office.

Other Things to Do: It’s time to get the garden ready for the new growing season. Clean, repair and replace garden tools. Create a garden plan to help organize chores and planting schedules. Start tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings indoors under fluorescent lights.