January:Frost:When frost is expected, cover your tender plants with a sheet or some light covering by 8 p.m. and remove it by 9 a.m. the next day. Make sure you do not use plastic. This can cause the plant to suffocate. The blanket should extend to the ground. Younger trees should have their trunks wrapped and their foliage covered when a hard freeze is expected. Place a Styrofoam cup over the tips of cactus and branches that may be susecpitable to frost damage. A mature citrus tree, older than six-years-old, should survive with minimal damage.
Grass:· Fertilize once a month with Ironite for a dark green lawn and less mowing.
· If you didn’t over seed the Bermuda grass, water the dormant Bermuda at least once a month.
Trees/Shrubs:· If you’re planting fruit or shade trees, do it as early in the month as you can. Plant the bare roots before they leaf out. It’s okay to plant potted deciduous trees.
· Prune deciduous fruit trees and grapes.
Flowers:· Bedding plants can still be planted.
· Try planting flowers and vegetables in pots to place on your patio, entry- way, or courtyard.
· January is bare-root rose planting time.
· Plant your roses where they’ll have afternoon filtered shade.
· Prune established roses for optimum blooming in April.
· “Cut canes back approximately one half. Remove all dead canes. Thin to remove weak or old canes. Strip off all leaves. Seal all cuts on canes with wood glue or a prepared sealer to prevent cane borers from boring into the cane,” says about.com.
Vegetables: · Plant beets, bok chov, carrots, chard, collard greens, leeks, lettuce, mustard, green onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach and turnips seeds.
· Plant transplants: artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce
· Prepare your soil for a spring/summer garden. Organic matter, mulch, manure or compost is very important.
Don't List for January:1. Wait to prune frost damage from plants or trees until temperatures start to warm up near the end of February and early March for protection.
2. Don't fertilize dormant Bermuda grass until late April or May.
3. Don't plant roses with western exposure because of the afternoon summer heat.
4. Don't over-prune your palms. Palms with only the top three or four fronds remaining have been pruned excessively and improperly. Only the leaves that have turned brown or are yellowing should be removed.
5. Too much fertilizer can cause salt burn and too little can cause nutrient deficiency problems. Water both the day before and immediately after applying granular fertilizers.
6. Don't water grass at night when the temperatures are coolest. This will foster the growth of fungal diseases.
7. Don't mow when grass is wet. This also may result in fungal disease.
8. Don't delay on weed control. Handle weeds while they are young, tender, and their roots are manageable, or before they sprout.
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Information provided by about.com
