Well, there's not much gardening to DO at this time of the year, even here in sunny Florida!The colder weather is a great time to clean the outdoor potted plants of leaves and debris, before having to bring them inside or into the greenhouse (if you are so blessed!).Outdoor tropical plants (schefflera, croton, dieffenbachia, pothos, philodendron) should be protected from temperatures below 55°F and citrus from temperatures below 28°F. And, make sure you continue to water everything during these drier, colder months - including the birds and squirrels. (It's also a great opportunity to add bird houses to your yard, so they can have time to weather before spring.)
Now IS the time to transplant any plants you want moved for the upcoming spring (we have two camilia bushes we're going to have to move again) No pruning though - only dormant shade and fruit trees. And, you should prune poinsettias and holiday mum plants before setting them into the landscape. If you happen to have flowering spring bulbs, now is the time to get them in the ground as well; remember, if you live here in N.Fl./ S.Ga., you should have had them chilled in the fridge for the past 8 weeks.
Annuals that can be planted in January include: calendula, carnations, foxgloves, pansies, petunias, snapdragons, statice.
Since they return year after year, perennials are a great addition to any garden; Perennials to plant this month include African lily, amaryllis,calla, day lily, gladiolus, spider lily, walking iris.
If you want to plant peppers and tomatoes in March, you should plant your seeds indoors, now, as it takes 4 to 5 weeks to grow small transplants. Veggies to plant now include beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, mustard, potatoes, radishes and turnips.
And, as you make your way thru 2009, remember:
Anyone who has a book collection and a garden, wants for nothing. ~Cicero
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