Your January Garden Checklist for South Florida
With the warmer months approaching now is the right time to get your garden chores off to a good start, what you do now can help to make your garden jobs easier and can impact the health of your garden plants. Putting a plant in place is your blueprint to success so when the warmer months (spring & summer) arrive you will be at the head of the game that’s a win-win for you and your garden plants. Below we will be discussing your garden checklist for January for your South Florida Garden.
Garden Tool Check
Garden tools can make those projects a breeze as we seek to achieve the desired results therefore make sure that your garden tools are in good repair and well-oiled or lubricated for ease of use. Pruning tools for example hand pruners, looper shears, and pruning shares should be sharpened to produce a clean cut. Dull blades will not only make your garden chores difficult but can rip the branches and limbs of trees and garden plants causing the wound to take longer to heal which can encourage disease and garden insect pests. The blades of pruning saws can be sharpened with a tool file. The blades of lawnmowers can also be sharpened with a tool file or your other option is to take your mower to the machine shop because a dull blade can also rip the blades of grass encouraging disease and insect pests.
House Plant Care
An indoor living space with plants not only beautifies but house plants will also pull or filter toxins boosting indoor air quality, here is what to do to ensure that your plants continue to thrive and grow healthy.
- Remove leaves that are yellowing or that have turned brown, broken branches can be removed as well
- If plants are overgrown prune back to control their height and growth direction, pruning will also help your plants to keep their natural forms.
- Inspect for insect pests for example mealybugs, aphids, scales, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies, to bring control apply a spray solution of soap and water or apply an organic insecticide such as insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Ensure that your plants are continuing to get sufficient lighting, if not then locate an area that is getting the right amount of sunlight and locate your plants there or simply install grow lights.
- Check the soil twice a week and water as needed, you can use your finger to check the top 2-3 inches of soil for moisture or use a soil probe or soil moisture meter
- Once the water has drained from the pots remove and empty the saucer before returning it
- If plants have accumulated dust then a feather duster or a damp cloth will clean those dusty leaves
- Repot house plants into larger pots if needed
Working in Your Garden
- Rake and remove leaves and other debris
- Any sign of weeds then remove them immediately before they mature, weeds not only make a garden look unattractive but will compete with garden plants for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Weeds have also been known to harbor garden insect pests
- If you did not add a layer of mulch to your garden bed during the fall season then now is the time, top- dress your garden beds with compost or composted manure. Mulch has many benefits from suppressing weeds to acting as insulation protecting plants’ roots from the cold once the ground freezes, protecting bare soil from soil erosion to retaining soil moisture for garden plants, and adding nutrients to the soil
- Reseed areas of your lawn that have bare spots
- The best time to prune non-spring flowering trees and shrubs is the month of January
Install these Bedding Plants
Keep your January garden colorful and beautiful with the installation of these cool-season plants.
- Dusty Millers
- Dianthus
- Nicotiana
- Begonia
- Lobelia
- Browallia
- Petunias
- Marigolds
- Tulips
Install these Bulbs
Planting these blubs now will bloom during the spring months.
- Agapanthus
- Clivia lily
- Crinum
- Amaryllis
- Spider lilies
- Canna lilies
Cool Season Vegetables to Plant
Vegetables are a must for your January garden, so we want to start the year right by planting these in our gardens.
- Broccoli
- Lettuce
- Mustard green
- Turnip
- Brussels Sprout
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Beet
- Celery
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Tomatoes
- Beans for example lima beans, pole beans, snap beans, or bush bean
- Arugula
- Leeks
- Onion
- Chard
- Winter Squash
Take Care of Your Fruit Trees
Once properly maintained fruit trees will yield a good harvest.
If you have not done so as yet now is the best time to prune pear and apple trees while they are dormant, when pruning seek to prune in a way so that your tree can maintain its natural form or a goblet shape.
Cool Season Herbs to Plant
Garden herbs can excite the taste buds with their many flavors that will give your food recipes a pleasant delightful bang, here is what to plant in your garden.
Outdoor Potted Plants
Outdoor potted plants have their flavors sprucing up our outdoor living space so spend some time giving your potted plants some tender loving care
- Inspect plants for any insects that may be lurking or overwintering, and check the undersides of leaves, leaves that have fallen to the soil surface inside of the pot should be removed and inspected for insects that may be hiding. Take appropriate measures to bring insect pests under control
- Remove yellowing and brown leaves from your plant and properly dispose of
- Prune branches that may be broken or overgrown branches for plants to maintain their natural form
- Check the soil for moisture level and water as needed, remember we are still in the cold months so monitor how much water your plants are receiving
- If potted plants have saucers empty saucers.
Other Garden Chores
- Order seeds for Spring and Summer by contacting seed and bulb companies for their New Year’s catalog
- Start seeds indoors to get a jump start on the warmer months
- Make repairs to your garden fence
- If you have bird feeders then remove the old seeds that remain and replace them with fresh seeds, the feeders can be cleaned with a solution of mild soap and water or 1 part bleach to 9 parts water
- Don’t forget to give your bird bath a spring cleaning, rinse and scrub with 9 parts water and 1 part vinegar
- Ensure that your bird boxes are in good repair
- It’s best to prune roses early in the year while they are dormant
- Clean and clear away moss, leaves, and algae from your decks, stairs, and patio
- Seed trays and pots that are empty should be given a good scrubbing with soap and water to prepare them so when the growing season arrives
The final word on January Gardening in South Florida
Your January garden chore checklist list is your blueprint and will guide you as the warmer months approach, I believe that having a to-do list will save us time and a few dollars by allowing us to focus on work that must be carried out to ensure that we have much success during the spring and the summer months. If you’re looking for ways to make some garden improvements even in the cool season then this guide is just for you. Look no further as you implement these proven methods that give good results.
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About the author
Norman loves being in the garden, both at home and for his job....
he is 'Natures Little helper' being outdoors, growing his vegetables and flowers from an early age.
Now having spent over 22 years in the profession he want to give some of his knowledge to others...
his vast array of hints and tips you will find scattered over this site will help you no end growing plants in your garden.
Hello Norman! I have had the pleasure of reviewing your post on January Gardening in South Florida! From a fellow gardener please accept my congratulations on an outstanding coverage of your subject matter. My wife and I are on Canada’s east coast and it is currently -14C. Accordingly, all of our prep is, of necessity, done indoors. We have our seedlings inside getting ready for spring planting and you are quite right that now is also the time to ensure that your garden tools are ready to go.
Your inclusion of indoor plants, outdoor potted plants, veggies, fruit trees and herbs is truly impressive. It is obvious that you have a firm grasp of your subject matter and I don’t believe I have seen any other reviews that can match your coverage of the content. Congratulations on a job well done and I have no doubt that your audience is loyal and appreciative. Count me in as a follower!
Grant
Hello Grant, thank you so much for your kind words, when it comes to gardening timing is so important to yield good results. There is so much we can do right now to put our gardens in a good position once the warmer months return.
Wow, Canada seems to be very cold but the good news is once the warmer months return we can take advantage of the spring and summer months. Thanks again for your words of encouragement.
This article makes me want to move back to where there are gardens of flowers and the lush green yards are in abundance.
I currently reside in the desert, Pheonix area of Arizona. There are some places with beautiful gardens and fantastic landscaping. As you can imagine, in the desert, they are not abundant.
I have decided that I need to get a house and grow my very own garden. This article is inspiring me to do just that. I may be in the desert, but the tools checklist is the same, for the most part. And many of the gardening chores are the same, save for clearing the moss.
But our warm seasons are very similar in timing, we just do not have the colder winters. That is what brought my attention to this article. I figured I would be able to pick up some good tips, and I did. Now I just need to get my house and start researching which plants will do best in my area and what time of year is best for all. We have, what I feel could be an endless growing season.
Anyone can have a cactus landscape here that is the easy way out. I want beautiful flowers and greenery too. I will be researching what the best foliage for my area would be, but do you have any desert floral suggestions? Sorry to be a tad off-topic. I hope it is not too much of a bother.
Stacie
Hello Stacie, I am so happy to help and you are not a bother at all, it is good to know that you are interested in beautifying your surroundings with garden plants. There are just so many benefits to having a garden, when you say desert floral I am thinking of indoor arrangements. There are low-maintenance plants such as zz plants and bromeliads with bursts of colors that can be used that will bring that wow. These are just a few of the many plants you can try. I hope this helps and I hope you get your home. All the best to you.
What a comprehensive and well-organized guide for January gardening in South Florida! Your checklist covers a wide range of tasks, from tool maintenance to house plant care, and even includes specific recommendations for bedding plants, bulbs, vegetables, fruit trees, herbs, and outdoor potted plants. The attention to detail, such as pruning tips and reminders about bird feeders and baths, reflects a deep understanding of the needs of a South Florida garden during this time of year. This guide serves as a valuable resource for both novice and experienced gardeners, providing a clear roadmap for a successful and vibrant garden in the months ahead. Well done!
Hello Ela, thank you so much for your kind words, I am so happy that I could help. All the best to you!