January is time for your garden resolutions
Christmas is over, the bare tree is sitting at the curb, all your decorations are packed away, now what? Let’s think about January and gardening.
It would be a good idea to pause before the new year begins. Journal your thoughts as to what will be the focus or adjustments for the upcoming garden. What are your gardening resolutions for 2021? Dream big. Plan your garden design, flip through gardening magazines and daydream ways to make your garden even better.
What are the birds doing this winter? Grab your binoculars, make some tea, and watch the show from your easy chair. Bird watching will brighten any dreary day. Listen to the songbirds. It’s OK to place bird feeders close to the house but avoid placing them too close to large picture windows.
They may trick birds into colliding with the glass. Placing feeders near shrubs or evergreens gives birds the cover they need for protection from predators. Periodically change the seed because they may become crusted to the feeder.
Wash the feeder with a 10% bleach solution and allow it to dry completely before refilling. Keep these feeders constantly full especially during the very cold weather. You might want to start a bird journal with a record of the species that have visited your yard.
Repurpose your Christmas tree by cutting off the branches to cover newly planted or tender perennials to protect them from the cold temperatures, ice, and foraging by animals. Keep the trunk and larger branches intact to form an interesting plant support for vines during the next growing season. Stage an intact tree near your bird feeder to serve as extra cover for your new feathered friends.
Remember that February is also right around the corner and you will be getting tons of seed catalogs. Be prepared. It is also time to gather your garden tools and give them a good scrub.
Rinse off the dirt, sharpen the blades and rub vegetable oil on the metal. You will be glad when spring rolls around that you tackled this job. You might also want to clean your mower and other larger equipment to get them ready for the planting season. Examine any stakes, supports, or ties that may have been damaged.
Why not expand your gardening education. There are plenty of public gardens, master gardener groups, university extension educators, and nature centers who frequently host educational conferences and symposiums during the winter and early spring.
Depending on your interest, you will receive practical advice from local experts, or big picture ideas from nationally and internationally known garden speakers. Topics might include landscape, home and garden shows, smart gardening conferences, and local educational workshops on gardening.
Remember to keep your walkways and plants safe. Instead of sodium chloride rock salt for your icy walkways and drives, use calcium chloride, sand or even kitty litter, it’s less harmful to concrete and your precious plants. You could mulch with snow. Perennials love snow. When shoveling, (as long as the snow doesn’t have salt in it and isn’t slushy) don’t worry about tossing snow on to your perennials and small shrubs. Fluffy snow insulates against weather extremes.
Do you have ornamental plants in your cellar, garage, or shed that you need to check? Maybe they need water. Dispose of bulbs that have started to soften and may taint the rest. Continue to inspect your trees and shrubs for bark damage. If you find any, you most likely have a problem with voles, rabbits, or deer and need to take immediate action.
Get a jump start on our spring gardening now. You will be glad you did.