January

Plant

• Start vegetables and perennial flowers indoors.

Light Pruning and Chores

• Boxwood can be pruned December through July. Thinning to promote adequate interior light and air circulation should be done when the air is above freezing. Keep boxwood heavily mulched to help stave off boxwood blight and keep splashing water off boxwood too.
• Remove broken branches, dead and diseased wood or plant matter but otherwise plan to keep a messy winter garden for birds and pollinators.
• Use greenhouses and/or cold frames for winter vegetables.​​

Fertilize and Mulch

• Mulching beds improves soil texture and helps the bed retain moisture during dry spells and insulates during cold spells.
• Applying 3 to 4 inches of mulch helps keep weed growth down.
• Pine needles, straw and ground leaves make excellent mulch.​​

Chores

• ​​​Keep tools sharp and clean after use.​

Tips: 

• Relax and start or update your garden journal. Start making  your spring planting plans. ​​​ 
• Wear gloves for all of your gardening and yard chores;  protect your skin from sun, dirt, bugs, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and other plant toxins.  ​

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Thanks to Suzanne Aiello who compiled these tips for the Dolley Madison Garden Club.