January Gardening Chores for the Deep South

Although we have had some bitter cold weather this Winter and last, we still experience intermittent warm spells during the Winter in Alabama and Georgia. During these warm spells is when I like to get my outdoor chores done.

If you haven't already, clean up the garden before you do anything else. Debris from dead plants allowed to stay on the ground can be a haven for insect pests and mice. Exceptions to this are seed heads you know to be favored by songbirds, such as Black-eyed Susan.

Planting can be done year round in the South, but Fall and Winter are the best planting times for shrubs and trees in areas of the South that suffer brutally hot and dry summers. Planting of azaleas and camellias is best done in the Fall, to give the shrubs time to dig their roots into their new home before having to endure hot days with no rain. You can still plant them now, but you will need to water once a week if it doesn't rain.

Pruning of summer blooming shrubs and trees can be done anytime during the Winter and early Spring. Doing it on a warm day in January will give your garden a neater appearance and free you up for planting early Spring crops when the time comes.

There are actually some vegetable seeds we can sow now. Sugar Snap Peas and Snow peas will germinate in cool soil. If you plant them now, you can enjoy a crisp snack before warm season crops can even be planted.

January is the best time to plant bare root roses. They are available in most local garden centers now, or you can purchase them online.

If you are anything like me, you have some shrubs and trees that you planted in the wrong spot. January is an excellent time for moving those to a better location. 

Anytime is a good time to eliminate invasive privet and Japanese honeysuckle from the garden, but it's easier to do in the Winter. Both privet and Japanese honeysuckle are evergreen, so when growing amongst deciduous plants, they are easy to spot. With all the rain we've had recently, you might have an easier time pulling up small plants, but be ready to clip them off low to the ground if you can't pull them. Then spray the remaining stump with a good strong weedkiller. Wear gloves for this task, and watch out for deciduous vines intermingled with the privet and honeysuckle that could be poison ivy.

Wishing for that First Fall Frost

I can't help but look forward to that 1st frost of Fall. I'm embarrassed to admit that the weeds have truly overtaken my garden. What I intended to be a paradise of fragrant and colorful flowers has turned out to be a tangled mess of ugly vines and weedy plants with a few colorful beauties mixed in. The first frost will kill all the ugly things, for which I will be very grateful.

But also, that frost will make some plants better. Turnip and mustard greens are not really tasty until touched by that crisp first frost. Many of our shrubs and trees known for their vivid Fall colors will not color up until nights turn cold.

Itea Merlot in Fall

One of my favorite fall chores is riding the lawnmower around chopping up all the leaves before they are sucked up into the bagger. I then spread them out all over my planting beds. Winter rains (I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they come!) will help the leaves to rot and break down, enriching the garden soil.

Cooler temperatures in the Fall are absolutely perfect for planting and transplanting. Perennials, trees, and shrubs establish much better when put in the ground right before winter. Down South where we are, the ground doesn't freeze, so plant roots continue to grow all winter while topgrowth takes a rest. During the winter, plants can get their roots down deep into the ground to reach water and nutrients before having to expend any energy growing new leaves, stems, and flowers.

But also, that frost will make some plants better. Turnip and mustard greens are not really tasty until touched by that crisp first frost. Many of our shrubs and trees known for their vivid Fall colors will not color up until nights turn cold.

Cooler temperatures make gardening more enjoyable. Last week, the outdoor temperature was 96 and the humidity was so high that our heat index was over 100 degrees, so everything I had to do out there was a real chore. This morning, the cool breeze reminds me of my favorite gardening weather. When temperatures are cool enough to wear long sleeves in the garden, I will think I'm in Heaven. There's just something about working in the garden when it's too cool to sweat that I just love.

While others might dread the cold weather, not me. Is it wrong for me to wish for that first frost of Fall? I don't think so.

Garden Chores for Late Winter

In my previous post we established the fact that you should wait to prune away seemingly dead stems from winter damaged shrubs. But this weekend promises to be absolutely beautiful, and I know you are anxious to get out in the garden and do something! "What can I do?" you might be wondering.

Well first, one more "don't." Do not fertilize. Fertilizing should be done a little later on, when all danger of frost is past. 

But you can top-dress. Top-dressing is when you spread a layer of compost, composted manure, or worm castings around the plants. Top-dressing can be done any time of year, even in the middle of winter. I use the shavings from our hen house.

Poppies bloom in early Spring

You can spread mulch too, being careful not to cover the crown of the plant. Organic mulch is best--either wood chips, shredded bark, or straw. Gravel is not the mulch to use in Georgia, because it will heat the soil too much during summer and damage the plant roots.

You can plant cool season crops like collards, kale, mustard, and turnips. Sugar snap pea and snow pea seeds germinate best in cool soil. We have 3 batches of peas already coming up, and I plan to sow more today. You can broadcast seeds of larkspur and poppies now too.