January Tasks in the Yard and Garden

I thought that life in the yard and garden goes dormant in the winter time.  It may be so, but that is a busy time for us at the Back Forty Garden and Park--lots of tasks to do.  First, it's time to get those frost blankets out and cover up tender plants and bushes.  The cold weather is coming to Zone 9 in Northern Florida

A few things to do:

1.  This is a good time for transplanting in the landscape and while doing so, keep the plants out of the ground as short a period as possible, water immediately after transplanting, and continue to keep the plants moist.

2.  This is also a good time for pruning those trees and bushes that are dormant, including fruit trees.  After pruning the citrus trees, use a generous dousing of horticultural oil to spray the trees that have scale problems.

3.  If a hard freeze is predicted, water the lawn, ornamental plants, and the garden 24 hours ahead and then cover up with frost blankets or regular bed sheets. Avoid plastic since it will not hold the heat.

4.  Landscapers recommend that lawns, woody ornamental plants, and the garden should be watered about 3/4 inch every 10 to 14 days in dry weather.  Water drought tolerant plant should be watered every three weeks, if there is no rainfall.  Be your own judge.

5.  Finally, this is the time to plant seeds indoors or in a greenhouse, especially peppers and tomatoes.  It takes about five weeks to grow small transplants in the best of conditions.

The above things to do is only part of the short list.  Don't hesitate to share with us at the Back Forty what you are doing in your yard and garden.  Hopefully, we will have another successful garden in this new year.

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