Things to do in January

Design-

                The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to think about your landscape design.  Though the weather may be bleak, and the last thing you feel like doing is going outside, you can spend some time thinking and planning.  Envision the landscape you want, and form a game plan for the upcoming season. 

Chores-

                January is an excellent time to prune any woody, mid-to-late flowering plants or shrubs. Fruit trees, vines, and ornamentals all fall into this category.  By pruning during a dormant season you will prevent damaging the plant, and will not destroy its ability to bloom during the coming season.

Doing some light pruning on berry bushes will encourage them to produce healthy growth and more fruit.

                Some acid-loving plants prefer to be fed while they are dormant, and January is a good time to do this.  An organic fertilizer (5-10-5) is the best choice.  Plants that benefit from this procedure include azaleas, hollies, laurels, and rhododendrons.

                Keep an eye on your evergreens after any substantial snowfall.  The weight of snow clinging to an evergreen’s branches can cause it to break apart.  Though this may not be fatal to the plant, it ruins the aesthetic value of the tree or shrub.

                If snow begins to accumulate on an evergreen, simply brush it off gently.  Avoid breaking ice and frozen snow off of a tree; when ice is forcefully removed it often tears and breaks foliage.  If possible, let the sun melt the ice off naturally.