Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

January gardening

Dec. 29, 2007

Even though our temperatures have been warmer than normal for this time of year it is still a lot more enjoyable (then in the summer) to get out in the yard and work. With somewhat lower temperatures you can work all day long without working up a huge sweat. Though I will not be able to list everything that could be done in the yard, I will try to list some of the main items.

  • Remember, the cooler temperatures and shorter days means that turf (and other plants too) doesn’t need as much water. Usually, during this time of year, St. Augustine only needs to be watered deeply (about 3/4 of an inch of water) once a week.
  • An easy way to keep winter annual weeds from spreading is to mow often enough so that the flowers don’t set seed.
  • Sometime this winter sharpen your mower blades.
  • Flowers that need the cooler temperatures and may survive a freeze include: alyssum, dianthus, pansy, viola, petunia, phlox, stock, flowering kale, and snapdragons.
  • To protect tender plants from a freeze, simply cover them with some hay, a blanket or a quilt. If using a plastic tarp to cover the plants, don’t let the plastic touch the foliage or damage could occur!
  • Bulbs to plant: Agapanthus, amaryllis, Aztec lily (Sprekelia formosissima), calla lily, crinum, kaffir lily, walking iris (Neomarica gracilis), African iris (Morea spp.), daylily, gloriosa lily, hurricane lily (Lycoris spp.), society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea), spider lily (Hymenocallis spp.), Tritonia (Tritonia crocata var. miniata), Tuberose (Polianthus tuberose), Watsonia (Watsonia spp.) and rain lily (Zephyranthes spp.).
  • Herbs for January planting: Chives, chervil, comfrey, catnip, coriander, fennel, mint, parsley, lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme.
  • Watch out for tiny caterpillars on your vegetable plants and control when needed. Remember, the easiest method for control of large caterpillars is to pick them off and destroy them. For the smaller caterpillars (the young ones) Thuricide is an environmentally friendly choice.
  • For vegetable plants that are flowering and producing fruit, spray the foliage with liquid seaweed (ex. Maxicrop) once a week. Spray both sides of the leaves until they drip.
  • Delay fertilizing trees, shrubs and the lawn until at least the end of February.
  • If needed, prune apple, grape, peach, pear and fig plants to shape, and remove any dead or diseased wood. For more detailed information on pruning deciduous fruit trees and grapes go to the website http://fruitscapes.ifas.ufl.edu/ .
  • Plant bare root deciduous fruit trees, shrubs and vines now while they are dormant.
  • If you want to relocate a deciduous tree or shrub, now is the time. Don’t prune prior to transplanting. Water the plant well, dig up as large of a root ball as possible and then plant in its new location. In well-draining soil, water it daily if we have sunny, warm weather and no rain.
  • Sow beans, cantaloupe, sweet corn, cucumber, eggplant, peppers, squash, watermelon, pumpkin, kohlrabi, endive/escarole, beets, celery, collards, leeks, lettuce, mustard, English peas, turnips and tomatoes seeds for transplanting in February.
  • Vegetables that can be planted in January include; beets, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, endive/escarole, egg plant, peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, cauliflower, collards, lettuce, mustard, onions – bunching & multipliers, leeks, English peas, potatoes, radishes, celery, kale, kohlrabi and turnips.
  • To save space in the garden when seeding carrots and radishes sow them in the same row because carrots are slower to germinate. The radishes will be harvested before the carrots need the space. Also, cover the seeds with some vermiculite to help mark the row.
  • Here is a list of some of the fresh produce that could be available at produce stands or Farmer’s Markets in January: avocado, broccoli, cabbage, canistel, carambola, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, endive/escarole, grapefruit, guava, honeydew, kumquat, mamey sapote, oranges, passion fruit, peppers, potatoes, pummelo, radishes, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, tangerines & tangelos, tomatoes and watermelon.