January gives us all breather in the garden. A chance to assess what worked and what didn’t. Our January garden goals are all about planning and coloring in calendar dates. So grab a pencil and your calendar, and let’s do a little planning.
Dates to Mark: Because We’ll Forget if We Don’t
- Mark a January day to pick up or get your mulch delivered. If you’re in Asheville, call our B.B. Barns Landscape office about getting it spread at 828-650-7300. Get this chore done before the perennials start showing.
- Pencil in a February weekend for pruning deciduous trees and shrubs, including fruit trees, berry bushes, and brambles. Here’s the how-to on pruning.
- Flip the calendar over to March and jot down a day to fertilize all the trees, shrubs, and perennial beds and grow grass seed.
- Are you planning a vegetable garden? Use a planting calendar to schedule like the Asheville area planting guide.
- Mark a date for cleaning up the garden shed. Check bags of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, and all your tools. Do they need to be sharpened? That’s an easy inside activity!
If you’re itching to plant something, try seeds indoors…
Starting Seeds Indoors: Because We’re Dying to Plant Anything
When can I start my seeds indoors? What about cool-season crops? Is it too soon or too late to start those? So go the questions of enthusiastic gardeners who enjoyed the holidays, but are now ready to grow something—anything! Starting seeds indoors is one way gardeners can fight that winter itch to plant, even when snow covers the ground. If you’re looking for information or inspiration, here’s the how-to on starting seeds.
But first, are you thinking about using the leftover seeds you have? You might want to consider testing their viability. And remember, you’re testing germination rates, not vigor. The rule of thumb is that most seeds will last a couple of years, more or less. If you can’t see the date on the package, it’s probably time to toss them.
How to Test Seeds For Viability
- Dampen a couple of paper towels, place ten seeds from one leftover seed packet between the layers, and roll them up.
- Place the damp paper towels in a plastic bag to keep them moist, but not airtight.
- Leave them in a warm place for a few days.
If three germinate, that’s a 30% germination rate. If seven germinate, then you have a 70% germination rate. The lower the rate, the more likely you’ll need a new packet of seeds. If you want more information or inspiration, check out How To Start Seeds Indoors.
The good news? We have seeds here at the garden center and everything else you need to start your seedlings. The temptation is to buy more seeds than you have space for or will eat. Instead, choose the veggies you love, purchase enough for succession planting, and experiment with a few new vegetables for fun. Oh, and don’t forget the flowers. We need lots of flowers, don’t we?
Houseplants: Because They’re Our Winter Love
Turn all that garden-nurturing love you’re missing toward your houseplants. Now is their time for a little TLC! Double-check for spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects. If you catch problems early, it’s easy enough to take care of; a gentle shower, insecticidal soap, or horticulture oil works. So does alcohol with a Q-tip. But hold off on the fertilizer. Wait until early March, a bit closer to spring, to feed your indoor plants. The same goes for transplanting. Many houseplants would love a pot full of fresh soil and fertilizer, but wait until March or so.
Before you go, read about the best low-light houseplants. Stop by the garden center for a splurge on a few additions to the houseplants. For those of you with four-legged family members or housemates, look for our signs throughout the houseplant area for our pet-friendly varieties.
Design and Review: Because Now is the Time
January is the month to review and dream a little. What worked last year, and what didn’t? What area of your yard needs some serious attention? Do you have a drainage issue? Should irrigation or hardscaping be considered (is this the year you get that patio)? We have a landscape department that can help you with all of that.
Do you have the “onesie look” happening? This is the year to unify the garden with sweeps and masses (masses don’t have to be large scale; three of something counts). Our garden coaches can help with that.
Then our installation program takes care of the digging for you, especially if you’re planting oversized items or lots of things. Ask for a consultation as you do your walkabout. Speaking of walking, Go for walks around the neighborhood and if you see something you like take a picture and bring it to us here at B.B. Barns in spring. Our staff loves to play name that plant! And chances are, we will have it. Now, back to the fireplace with those seed catalogs.
