Happy Green New Year: Your January Garden Checklist

It’s cold outside, but winter is an excellent time for garden maintenance and prep so that it's ready to go come the spring thaw. Andrew Fletcher/Shutterstock

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.

Christmas trees can be shredded for mulch and used in the garden. Jean Faucett/Shutterstock

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.

Before ordering new seeds, test a sample from the existing batch by putting them on a wet paper towel, folding it, and placing it in a Ziploc bag to see if they germinate.ThamKC/Shutterstock

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.

Going through seed catalogs to pick out seed packets for spring can be the best part of winter. Alex Yeung/Shutterstock

Savoring the Selection

There is a simple joy in sitting down with a stack of seed catalogs; it is a signal that spring is on its way when the world outside is still blustery and gray. Before getting distracted by the vibrant photos of new and exciting cultivars, compare the variety of selections, prices, and shipping costs. A larger order is usually cheaper to ship, meaning there may be savings to be had in ordering from only one or two sources. The exception is companies like Baker Creek Rare Seeds, which offers free shipping on all orders in the continental United States.

Before ordering new seeds, test a sample from the existing batch by putting them on a wet paper towel, folding it, and placing it in a Ziploc bag. Place it in a warm spot out of sunlight, such as on top of the refrigerator. Viable seeds should sprout in the germination period listed on the packet. This simple test can add up to significant savings over the years, as most gardeners don’t use an entire packet of seeds in one season, and it will entertain the kids. Extra seeds are also valuable for swapping. Never toss any seeds without testing them first.

Planning the Plot

Give a gardener a pen and paper, a whiteboard (for easier changes), or an app (for even more versatility), and watch their imagination soar.

The Initial Map

Start by drawing out the yard, including shade trees, existing plants, hardscape, slope, water sources, and anything else that will impact the overall design and affect plant growth. Also, consider view angles, particularly when planting less-attractive specimens.

Digital Assistant

Apps such as Veg Plotter provide easy garden design and remind the busy gardener to sow and harvest. They offer advice on companion planting, succession planting, and starting plants indoors to jumpstart the season.

The Moveable Garden

Not sure about a plant or two? Place a pot in the ground. Instead of putting a plant directly into it, set the plant in a second container of the same size inside it. This allows the container plant to be relocated until final placement is chosen, and works well for plants brought inside at the end of each season.