January Stuff To Do

January Stuff To Do    Yes, we know it is cold outside but that does not mean there are not things to get accomplished in the garden. Here are this months tips: Use this month to check your houseplants: divide and re-pot any pot-bound plants. Prune judiciously to create a compact, attractive specimen. Closely inspect houseplants. Remove aphids from houseplants with a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water and add a drop of dishwashing detergent. Apply this to troubled plants with a soft brush. Plan your vegetable garden and make a diagram drawn to scale before placing your spring order. Organize, clean, oil, and sharpen garden tools. A splash of bright paint on tool handles will make them easier to spot if misplaced out in the yard. Remember to supply fresh water and seed for the birds. Gently shake or brush off snow-weighted branches that have no support. Heavy snow cover protects evergreen foliage from windburn, but too much weight will break branches. Prune fruit trees now. Avoid walking over the same areas of your frozen lawn, or you may find bald spots in the spring. Plant lettuce in flats this month and harvest before it's time to start some of the later seedlings. Artificial light may be required, but the air should not be too hot. Finalize your landscape garden plans on paper (or better yet, call us and have our designers do it for you!).   Adapted from The Old Farmer's Almanac