Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Winter in the Garden

A new year has arrived, the days are slowly getting longer and we will soon be out in the gardens and yards. The month of January may find the garden asleep to the world, but there is always something to do especially when we have some warmer days throughout the month.
  • Take a walk through your yard and garden and pay attention to those flower beds and pots you may have sitting around the yard. Now is a good time to clean up those leaves left over from the fall and add them to a compost pile.
  • Cut back the perennials and pull out any annuals you may have left in your beds. Be sure to gather up any pesky annual or perennial weeds in your yard and try to get as much of the root as possible. 
  • If you have pots and containers that are not being used during the winter, be sure to empty them or turn them over to keep the from collecting water that could freeze and crack the container.
  • Lawns will also benefit from some attention even though it is the middle of winter.  Since we are in such a dry climate and have had very little moisture, it may be helpful to water the lawn on a warm day. If we have no snow or rain, it is a good idea to water your lawn once a week during the winter. Work done this time of year will reap good dividends for a healthier lawn in the summer.
  • If you have a water feature, check the pumps to be sure they are working properly. Larger pumps that move a lot of water typically will keep running throughout the winter without any problem. Small pumps, however, could freeze and should be turned off for the winter.
  • This is also a good month to catch up with repairs to fences, trellises and other clean-up jobs, which may not be exciting but will make all the difference to the appearance of the lawn and garden in the spring and summer.
  • Check back next month for tips on adding pre-emergents to your lawn in February to control those pesky weeds that tend to pop up in the early spring.
Remember to enjoy the winter beauty of your lawn and garden. It may look brown and drab but you will soon be seeing pops of green throughout your yard. Stop by our nursery and pick up some pansies and johnny-jump-ups to add some early color to your garden.