January Gardening Calendar

Houseplants

• Some plants are sensitive to the fluorine and chlorine in tap water. Water containers should stand overnight to allow these gases to dissipate before using on plants.
• To clean heavily encrusted clay pots, scrub them with a steel wool pad after they have soaked overnight in a solution consisting of one gallon of water, and one cup each of white vinegar and household beach.
• Be sure newly purchased indoor plants are well protected for the trip home. Exposure to icy temperatures for even a few moments may cause injury.
• Fluffy, white mealy bugs on house plants are easily killed by touching them with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.
• Allow tap water to warm to room temperature before using on houseplants.
• Insecticidal soap sprays can be safely applied to most house plants for the control of many insect pests.
• Wash the dust off of house plant leaves on a regular basis. This allows the leaves to gather light moreefficiently and will result in better growth.
• Set the pots of humidity-loving house plants on trays filled with pebbles and water. Pots should sit on the pebbles, not in the water.

Ornamentals

• Gently brush off heavy snows from tree and shrub branches.
• Limbs damaged by ice or snow should be pruned off promptly to prevent bark from tearing.
• Make an inventory of the plants in your home landscape. Note their location and past performance. Plan changes on paper now.

Miscellaneous

• Avoid foot traffic on frozen lawns as this may injure turf grasses.
• Store wood ashes in sealed, fireproof containers. Apply a dusting around lilacs, baby’s breath, asters, lilies and roses in spring. Do not apply to acid-loving plants. Excess ashes may be composted.
• Week 1: If you didn’t get your bulbs planted before the ground froze, plant them immediately in individual peat pots and place the pots in flats. Set them outside where it is cold and bury the bulbs under thick blankets of leaves. Transplant them into the garden any time weather permits.