January Garden Checklist

Staying on top of your gardening chores can be quite the task. When do you plant shrubs? When do you prune crape myrtles? That’s why we’re here! Each month, we’re going to put out a checklist for you to stay on track with what you should be doing in your garden and landscape throughout the year. 

Time to bundle up and get some fresh air! Here are tasks you need to complete in your garden and landscape during the month of January.

1. Protect tender plants during extreme cold weather. Bring in indoor plants or add an extra layer of mulch to new plants.
2. Plant sweet peas, poppies, and larkspur.
3. Apply lime to your yard if needed. Need to know how to apply lime? Check out this blog post!
4. Repair and sharpen gardening tools and mowers. Southern Gardening’s Dr. Gary Bachman offers a great video demonstration on how to sharpen your tools.
5. Make plans and order seeds for the remainder of the year.
6. Set out new trees and shrubs. Our blog post on how to plant trees will be a handy resource as you get started.
7. Fertilize trees and shrubs. This task can be done anytime from January to March.
8. Trim nandina plants. 

If you have bird feeders around your home, don’t forget to keep feed and water stocked! You can print out the full garden calendar here to help you stay ahead of the game. Extension is always here for you if you have questions or need help. Contact your local Extension office and they’ll put you in touch with one of our Extension agents or Master Gardeners.

If you’re on Facebook, check out our MSU Extension Horticulture Hub group for resources, tips, and top-notch, research-based information.