Plant vegetable seeds: Beets, Broccoli, Carrot, Swiss Chard, Collards, Endive, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Mustard, Parsnip, Peas, Seed Potatoes, Radishes, Rutabaga, Spinach, Shallot, Turnips.

Start tomato & pepper seeds indoors. See January To-Do list for more info.

Plant potatoes. Look for certified disease-free seed potatoes.

Plant vegetable plants: Artichoke and Asparagus crowns, Asian greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Onion sets, Spinach

Plant herbs: All hardy perennial herbs, such as Chives, Oregano, and Thyme; and cool-season annuals or biennials such as Dill, Fennel, and Parsley. Be sure Dill and Fennel are watered and protected before any freezes.

Plant annual flower/ornamental seeds: Sweet Alyssum, Calendula, Cosmos, Monkey Flower, Nasturtium, Petunia, Salvia.

Plant annual flower/ornamental plants: African Daisy, Alyssum, Balloon Flower, Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Calendula, Centaurea, English Daisy, Delphinium, Dianthus, Dusty Miller, Forget-Me-Not, Larkspur, Lobelia, Nasturtium, Pansy, Drummond’s Phlox, Poppy, Snapdragon, Stock, Viola (Johnny Jump-Up).
Plant perennial plants: There are so many perennials to choose from, depending on the situation. Choose Ruellia, Turk’s Cap, or Yarrow for shady areas. Four-Nerve Daisy, Salvia greggii, and Echinacea are just a few choices for full sun.

Plant ground covers and borders.

Plant strawberries. Plant in the first week of the month for the best production.

Last chance to plant bare root fruit trees, berries, and grapes. Talk to our staff, and pick up our handout “Planting & Maintenance Guide for Fruits, Nuts, and Berries.” The soil should be prepared first, and it is important to choose the right varieties for your specific area.

Transplant perennials and other landscape plants, as needed.

Prepare garden beds for the spring!

Work in some compost and organic fertilizer to vegetable and flower beds in advance of planting time. Choose from Lady Bug brand All-American Turkey, Farm Style Dairy, and Revitalizer Composts. At the same time, adding Lady Bug 8-2-4, Garden Pep Cottonseed Meal, or Flower Power organic fertilizer will boost growth and production in any planting. Add a mineral source, such as Lady Bug Glittering Greensand, if you haven’t done so recently. Greensand can be added about once a year.

Prune roses on or around Valentine’s Day.

Last chance to apply corn gluten! Apply corn gluten as a pre-emergent weed killer in early February (mid February at the latest).

At all costs, avoid the chemical pre-emergent herbicides. They are among the most toxic substances you can buy – for you, your children, your pets, your neighbors, and our drinking water! Corn gluten is a natural pre-emergent which should be broadcast at a rate of 20 pounds per 1000 square feet. A drop spreader works best. Corn gluten supplies 9% nitrogen, too! The suppression of seed sprouting lasts about six weeks. Remember also that using exclusively organic fertilizers, yearly application of good manure compost, and enhancing the overall health of your soil can prevent and/or eliminate most weed problems.

Spray apple, peach, pear, and plum trees with an organic fungicide when you see the flower buds begin to swell. Try Compost Tea, Potassium Bicarbonate, or Serenade as the least toxic choices. Copper has been traditionally recommended as the organic choice at this time, but it is extremely toxic.

Water! See November To-Do list for more information on winter watering.

Continue to protect tender plants, especially new seedlings, before a freeze.

Have a soil test done. We recommend Texas Plant and Soil Lab (http://www.tpsl.biz) in Edinburg, TX. They can be reached at (956) 383-0739.

Recycle your old phone books: Look for the phone book recycling dumpsters at your local grocery store, such as H.E.B.
 
(Thanks to the Travis County Master Gardener Association’s Garden Guide for Austin and Vicinity and the staff of the Natural Gardener for some of this month’s tips.)

Plant vegetable plants: Artichoke crowns, Asparagus crowns, Lettuce, Spinach. LATE JANUARY: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Onion Sets.

Plant herbs: Chervil, Chives, Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme.

Plant annual flower/ornamental seeds: Ageratum, Alyssum, Bluebell, Calendula, Candytuft, Cleome, Centaurea, Delphinium, Gerbera, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Lobelia, Drummond’s Phlox, Snapdragon, Sweet Pea, Viola (Johnny Jump-Up).

Plant annual flower/ornamental plants: Sweet Alyssum, Bluebonnet plants, Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Calendula, Centaurea, Dianthus, Larkspur, Lobelia, Pansy, Snapdragon, Stock, Viola (Johnny Jump-Up).

Plant perennial plants. Give newly planted plants some Tender Loving Care before a freeze: water and add mulch, and cover more tender varieties with a sheet or row cover.

Plant a tree for peace in the new year!

Plant hardy shrubs, vines, and ground covers.

Plant strawberries.

Plant bare root (or containerized) fruit and pecan trees, berries, and grapes. Talk to our staff, and pick up our handout, “Planting & Maintenance Guide for Fruits, Nuts, and Berries.” The soil should be prepared first, and it is important to choose the right varieties for your specific area.

Water new plantings with seaweed or a seaweed/fish emulsion every couple of weeks to help them get established.

Water! See November To-Do list for more infor
mation about winter watering.

Start tomato seeds indoors. If you have a heated greenhouse, a cold frame, or supplemental plant lighting indoors, you can get a head start on starting tomatoes from seed. Normal interior lighting is not enough. A very sunny, south-facing window can work, only if you rotate the seedlings daily so they don’t reach for the window. If you choose to use supplemental lighting, place the florescent or grow lights no more than one or two inches above the seedlings, and raise the lights as the seedlings grow.

A combination of florescent and tungsten (incandescent) lights are said to be close to full-spectrum lighting, or use full-spectrum bulbs or grow lights.

Apply corn gluten as a pre-emergent weed killer in late January: At all costs, avoid the chemical pre-emergent herbicides. They are among the most toxic substances you can buy‚ for you, your children, your pets, your neighbors, and our drinking water! Corn gluten is a natural pre-emergent weed killer which should be broadcast at a rate of 20 pounds per 1000 square feet. A drop spreader works best. Corn gluten provides 9% nitrogen, too! The suppression of seed sprouting lasts about six weeks. Remember also that using exclusively organic fertilizers and enhancing the overall health of your soil can prevent and/or eliminate most weed problems. This is a long-term solution to weeds and many other lawn problems.

Clean, oil, and repair tools. Scrape off any rust or debris, using steel wool or a wire brush, if necessary. Oil the metal parts with honing oil, WD-40, or clean motor oil. The wooden handle can be oiled with mineral or linseed oil. Some brands of tools, like Felco pruners, have replacement parts available if yours have been lost or worn out. Take the time to sharpen your blades, too. Take the lawnmower or other machinery to the shop for repairs and sharpening.

Set up or repair your drip irrigation system.
Water beds, trees, and shrubs, as needed. If we haven’t received at least a one-inch rainfall in four to six weeks, established trees and shrubs will need a deep soaking. Plantings less than two years in the ground will need watering more often, depending on your soil. Test the soil with your finger to determine water needs.

Fertilize asparagus, strawberries, and cool-season annuals such as pansies. Use a bloom-promoting organic fertilizer, such as Lady Bug brand Flower Power, on strawberries and flowering plants. Use Lady Bug 8-2-4 or Garden Pep Cottonseed Meal for asparagus and other green produce. Topdress with good compost at the same time, such as Lady Bug Revitalizer, Farm Style, or All-American Turkey. You could use Sylvan Formula mulch instead, which contains mulch and compost with minerals, corn meal, and molasses. For a quick boost, water any plant with a solution of John’s Recipe. Plants and the soil love it!

Spray fruit trees (or other susceptible plants) with dormant oil. Dormant oil controls scale and other insects. Fruit trees (or any deciduous plant with a current infestation of scale) should be sprayed two or more times with dormant oil over the winter. If you have used copper as a fungicide, be sure to wait at least ten days before spraying dormant oil. Mixing the two can cause burning on the plant.
Last chance to prune grapes, fruit trees, or other plants for the dormant season.

Things warm up and buds begin to break in February, so plan your pruning in early January at the latest. The danger of pruning grapes too late is that the sap is running and the vine will “bleed” too much. Research proper current pruning techniques for your specific fruit before starting the project.

Here are some websites:

www.tree-pruning.com
“Pruning Trees: A Step-by-Step Guide” This site contains a good diagram of the branch bark ridge and the branch collar – tree anatomy you must know to prune a tree properly. It does not have specific information on pruning fruit trees, however.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag29.html “Training and Pruning Fruit Trees” from North Carolina State University. Their varietal recommendations do not apply to Texas growing. In addition, substitute organic fertilizer and pesticide wherever they recommend chemicals.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/fruit/piercegrapes/pdr.html
“Growing Pierce’s Disease Resistant Grapes in Central, South and East Texas” from Texas A&M University. Substitute organic fertilizer and pesticide wherever they recommend chemicals.

Thanks to the Travis County Master Gardener Association’s Garden Guide for Austin and Vicinity and the staff of the Natural Gardener for some of this month’s tips.

1 Budget Set a budget you would like to stay within for the project that gives you a great outdoor space without breaking the bank.

2 Goals, Wants, & Needs Make a list of your family’s short and long term goals, wants and needs for the space you would like to transform. Elements such as playscapes, pools, patios, water features, herb & vegetable gardens, butterfly gardens, outdoor kitchens and irrigation systems may make your list. Be sure to keep in mind those often forgotten features such as security, drainage, climate, sunlight and soil depth. Be sure to focus on what you like and do not like about the existing landscape.

3 Prioritize Prioritize your list while keeping in mind the need to create a seamless transition between not only the inside and outside, but between each outdoor feature in your overall space. You will want to have an open air feel so you feel one with nature, yet still have your desired sense of privacy. Also keep in mind what you would like to see from inside the house as you alter the view.

4 Design Select a professional landscape designer to translate your vision into a beautiful, functional design based on both prioritized and original lists. You should receive an itemized estimate of each project feature.

5 Expectation Determine what combination of items in the design will meet the budget and priority list. Fully discuss the project with your contractors and landscapers so you know what to expect of the selected items in the finished project.

6 Installation Have the selected custom backyard installed and receive instructions on how to maintain each space.

7 Maintenance Carefully monitor the progress of your new backyard because a healthy landscape enhances the appeal and value of your home. With proper maintenance, you can enjoy your new living space for years to come!

For more information, Contact Shawn Blazek at blazeklandscapes@mac.com, or call 512-923-0210.