Perennials, Annuals and Vegetables
Primroses have arrived! Can spring not be far behind?
If you potted up bulbs last fall for forcing, refrigerating them or setting them outdoors, it's now time to bring them in from the cold. Give them a warm, bright spot and some water once they show some green above ground, and before long you will have spring's color chasing away the grays of winter.
For bulbs planted in the ground, keep an eye on them — if any start to rise to the surface of the soil in the fluctuating temperatures, just gently push them back into place and mulch.
It's still a little early to start most seeds indoors, but it won't be long, so sort through your saved seed, check your seed-starting supplies and equipment, make lists for what you'll need (this year's seeds have started to arrive and have been moved back into their place of prominence at Portland Nursery — Spring's on its way!).
A seed exception: It is a good time to direct-seed annual poppies — traditionally done at Solstice, but okay for New Years, too.
This month you may see Hellebore orientalis begin to bloom. To show off these early flowers, cut most or all the leaves back to the ground (most of them are probably showing damage from winter weather anyway). After bloom, a new flush of foliage will appear.
Go ahead and clean out that vegetable garden you've been meaning to get to since fall (It's okay, it's been a busy holiday season). February is just around the corner, and especially if temperatures continue to be on the mild side, it will be a year when peas can be planted well before President's Day. Time to get ready.
Speaking of peas: Go ahead and dig in some manure where you're planning to plant peas in the spring. It will start breaking down and will make the soil all the more ready for planting when you tear open that first seed packet of the season...
And while you're out in the vegetable garden, you can top dress the garlic bed with chicken manure, which will likewise be broken down and working into the soil by the time the plants' spring growth begins.
"Every weed you pull now will be many less to have to pull in spring."
Lawn Care
Lawn Care: If moss is a problem, now would be a great time to apply some moss killer. Moss killers are either for lawns or structures. Be sure to get the appropriate one to avoid problems. This is also a great time to check your lawn equipment and make any repairs that may be needed.
Trees, Shrubs and Fruit
Remove any stray leaves that may still be remaining on your roses. Be sure to discard these leaves (do not compost them or use as mulch) to help cut down on the spread of blackspot and other diseases.
Now that many trees and shrubs are fully dormant, selective pruning can be done (Easy does it on plants that bloom in the early spring — too much pruning on these would result in no flowers this spring — wait for major pruning until directly after they bloom). Without its leaves, it is easier to see the structure of your tree's trunk and branching, its particular shape and design. Prune out dead wood and crossing branches that rub against one another and can cause damage. Check with the nursery for needs of particular plants if you're uncertain.
NOTE: Do NOT prune if temperatures are at or below freezing! The wood of many plants would crack under these conditions.
Hint: If you're lightly pruning unwanted branches and water sprouts from some of those early-bloomers, bring them inside and put them in a vase of water. This will force their bloom and you will have their beauty to enjoy before the plant outside puts on its show. The list includes Witchhazel, Forsythia, flowering Quince, early Cherry and Pussywillow.
Still be prepared to protect Phormiums, Hebes, and other temperate weather plants. Use Bark Mulch or Black Forest to winter mulch woody plants, and don't forget to remove it once the threat of freezing has ended. Consider spraying broadleaf evergreens with an anti-transpirant like "Wilt-Pruf," which will help the foliage retain moisture in extended cold, dry spells.
And, because this part of our winter is more unpredictable than ever, with those sudden, surprise freezes and cold snaps, you might want to also apply mushroom compost to the base of roses. Mound it high enough to cover the graft, to protect that more vulnerable joint from the fluxes in temperature that can occur. Again, be sure to remove any mulch from around the trunk of the plant when the threat of freeze has passed.
New Idea for broadleaf evergreens: It has been recently determined that applying a soluble nitrogen fertilizer this time of year will improve the plant's vigor without promoting vulnerable new growth during the winter. Our own Chris Totten has tried it, and has been very pleased with the results! We recommend using an inorganic, soluble liquid or granular fertlizer.
Time to be applying dormant spray to fruit trees (remember, there are three applications needed between now and about Valentine's Day, to get the job done while trees are dormant). Most trees want a lime sulfur spray. Use copper for preventing Peach Leaf Curl. Pick up an Organic Dormant Spray Schedule at Portland Nursery's Information Desk for outlined details.
January is the month when the Winter Jasmines are in bloom, another harbinger to spring along with the lengthening days. If you succumb to the temptation and buy one now, already in bloom, keep it in a cool room or protected spot outdoors where it can still be seen and enjoyed. Wait to plant it in the ground until after it's done blooming, otherwise you risk it dropping all those lovely petals for the year.
For a living Christmas tree that you haven't yet planted, be sure to keep it on a protected porch or in the garage for several days — an "in-between" step in temperature to acclimate the tree more gradually to the outdoor temperatures.
Indoor Plants
Wash the leaves of indoor plants and check / treat for pests and diseases. Still too early to transplant or begin feeding again, but soon...
Gift plants: What to do with those special, seasonal plants you bought or received as a gift? Deadhead Christmas Cactus and continue to water sparingly (even though it is flowering), to maximize bloom time. When your Amaryllis has finished flowering, cut off the flower head and feed with nitrogen fertilizer to encourage foliar growth — it takes 5-7 leaves to give the plant enough stored nutrients to be able to bloom again next year. Paperwhite Narcissus typically are not garden hardy here, though in a protected area they sometimes will establish themselves. Bulbs grown in soil can be planted out, but especially because they were forced for bloom this year, it may take a full year for them to resume their normal cycle, so it may take a couple years before you see them again, if it happens at all. Those bulbs that were grown this year in water, however, have spent/lost all their vigor and will not return. Those must simply be composted. Poinsettias can be difficult to get to bloom again, in a typical indoor setting. But if you want to carry one over, start by cutting it back to two buds after the leaves fall off and reduce watering to a minimum, moving it into a cool location until spring and the return of warmer weather, when it can be set back out in the sun and usual care resumed. To bloom again, they must have long nights (14 hours or so of darkness) beginning in October. In this way, their treatment becomes similar to that of Christmas Cactuses.
General tips
January is a good time to hole up inside with all of your gardening magazines and dream about what your yard can be. View your landscape with a critical eye, noting the bones of the garden with consideration for purpose and flow. Where are the bare spots? Where can you squeeze in more and what should come out?
Drool over impossible magazine yards, but decide what can be incorporated into your own. Go through seed catalogs thinking about the alfresco meals fresh from the veggie garden that await you in summer. Lay out the perfect spot for that special plant that has eluded you until this year, and find out where and when you can get it.
For those who cannot sit inside any longer, here are some tips for January.
- Keep plants watered even in winter. It’s cold, but often dry, so remember that frozen water is better than none at all.
- Be ready to cover tender plants at a moments notice. Frost cloth or old sheets or plastic will work just to keep frost and wind off of tender plants. Take it off when danger of frost is past.
- Tie up columnar plants that may splay during winter winds. Juniper, Arborvitae and Cypress will benefit from being wrapped in twine. Remember to remove it in spring.
- Be sure to have some type of protection such as blankets or bubble wrap on hand to protect planters in case of a drop in temperatures. Drain fountains if you haven’t already. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Ferns in snow
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JANUARY VIDEOS
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Winter Tree Care
Winter Insect Control
Winter Indoor Plants
Winter Seed Starts