January is a time for new resolutions, fresh beginnings, and a chance to decompress after a busy holiday season. It’s also time for some winter garden chores. Depending on where you live, you might look out to your garden and think it feels like so many months until gardening season arrives. But really, there’s always some gardening to be done. If you knock out a few of these chores now, you’ll thank yourself when spring comes, which will come much sooner than it seems.
Check Your Compost
If you have a compost pile or bin, now is a good time to give it a good turnover. When you turn over compost, it allows oxygen in, and the bacteria get happy and continue to break down the materials. It’s not the most glamorous garden job, but it’s one of the most rewarding. Using homemade compost gives you a great sense of satisfaction.
Move Plants
If you have any perennials that should be moved elsewhere, winter is a perfect time to do that. For example, if you have some Mediterranean herbs in an area that’s too wet, move them somewhere with better drainage. If a plant is getting too big for its location, now is a good time to divide it. After it’s been divided, move the new plant somewhere else or give it to a friend. Perennial herbs like marshmallow and elecampane benefit from being divided every two years.
Prune Apple and Pear Trees
If you have an apple or pear tree with excess branches rubbing against one another, it might be time for a good prune. Pruning trees can be tricky, and there is so much different advice, but generally, it’s best to start slowly. Read up on different techniques. If you go crazy with the clippers, you risk having a small fruit harvest for the year. Remove any branches that are weak or diseased looking. Remove branches that are rubbing against other branches. You want to have a strong frame for your tree, but enough open space for adequate airflow and sunlight to make it through. Prune lightly the first year; next year, you can decide if more pruning is needed. Always use clean and sharp tools when pruning.
Plant a Winter Flower Container
Brighten up your patio or window box with some beautiful pansies and violas. Both of these flowers tolerate the cold very well and are such a welcome sight on a gloomy winter day. These flowers are excellent in containers and are usually easy to find at many garden centers starting in January. Make a colorful display to help keep the winter blahs away.
Shop for New Gear
If you didn’t get what you wanted this holiday season, there’s no shame in buying yourself a few treats. Check out your gardening gear and see what might need refreshing. I can always go for another pair of gardening gloves. Gardening tools can get broken or worn out after lots of use, so that’s another thing to consider.
Weeding
Is there ever a season where weeding doesn’t need to be done? Winter can be a great time to eliminate weeds since they are usually tiny. If you’re in a place that’s covered in snow for most of the season, it’s wise to keep your eyes peeled for signs of weeds springing to life once the snow melts. A little bit of work now can help a lot when spring comes.
Start Some Seeds
Believe it or not, most of us can start a few seeds in January. Chile peppers can take a long time to get going, so they can be started now (in most places). Onions, leeks, and kale can also be started in some places. Check out this recent blog post, Cold-Hardy Veggies to Start Now in the Southeast, for more details.
Clean Out Your Seed Box
Since you’ll be starting seeds any time now, it’s a great time to go through and see what you have and what you should toss. All seeds have their own timeline for how long they will be viable. In general, it’s anywhere from 1 to 5 years. You can put some seeds in a wet paper towel, keep them moist, and see how many seeds sprout to show how good they are still. If most of them sprout, you can go ahead and use them for this season. Now is a great time to go through your virtual seed box on the Planter App, too.
Plan Your Garden
January is the perfect time to start planning your garden with the Planter App. With new features and plants being added, creating the garden of your dreams is easier than ever. Let Planter help make this your best gardening season yet!