Those who believe that gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall are missing a great opportunity to add “Plot, plan, and prep for the most abundant harvest ever” to their New Year’s resolutions.
There’s more to do than just ordering seeds, although that’s a lot of fun.
January is a time of new beginnings, and this includes the garden. Yes, cold weather and shorter days make getting out into the garden a challenge, but it’s an excellent time for garden maintenance and prep so that it’s ready to go come the spring thaw. For those days that are too chilly to go outdoors, there is the excitement of perusing seed catalogs and determining new veggies to try this year.
It’s also an opportunity to replace last year’s choices that didn’t do so well with disease-resistant varieties. If last year’s garden results were less than stellar overall, this is a good time to send in a soil sample to get a scientific assessment of its composition and any deficiencies, so they can be corrected early on.
Also, fill those bird feeders and consider a heated birdbath to ensure a viable cold-weather water supply for feathered visitors.
O Christmas Tree
Millions of live Christmas trees are purchased every year, only to end up at the curb for bulk pickup after the holidays. Instead, use it in the garden. For those lucky enough to have a shredder, or a friend with a shredder, turn the tree into mulch to help protect tree, shrub, and perennial roots from cold spells. No mulcher? Cut branches can be placed at the base of plants to act as a soil blanket.
The tree can also be added to compost, but don’t add too much, as the needles take time to break down. Speaking of removing the needles, a bare tree makes a great frame for beans, cucumbers, and other climbers to grow up. Or simply toss it in the corner of the garden for small animals to use as winter shelter.
Put on the Winter Garden Gloves
Remove snow from plants as soon as possible after a storm. Prune storm-damaged tree and shrub limbs to prevent the bark from tearing further. Prop up ice-covered tree branches; don’t try to de-ice them. Try to limit walking across frozen grass, to avoid damaging the crowns, found at the base of the plant closest to the soil.Clean up leaves and other garden debris that can accumulate around fences, pavers, and other edging materials, to prevent them from becoming a haven for pests. Speaking of unwanted garden residents, check plants for insect eggs that overwinter in their pouch, awakening in the spring. Hand-remove the pouches to break their lifecycle.
Never use rock salt on driveways, walkways, or other areas that border the garden or landscape plants. If a sodium chloride deicer has already been used, don’t pile any of the snow around it on plants or where it will melt and drain into plants or the winterized garden bed. Also, check bushes and plants for airborne salt residue, and the next day above freezing, thoroughly rinse away the harmful salts and their residue from the driveway, sidewalk, and plants. In the future, consider sand, sawdust, litter, or a commercial, plant-safe deicing product.
Perennial beds should be fertilized before new growth in the spring. Likewise, edible crop beds should be fertilized before planting. Wait until the ground is no longer frozen and the date of the zone’s last frost is a week or two away, which is January in the southernmost agricultural zones.
