January is a very good time for transplanting and pruning. Natives can be pruned lightly to maintain their uniform shape. Clean leaf debris around the base of the shrubs and plants to discourage snails & slugs. Spray dormant oil on fruit trees to control boring insects. For the best result, spray the trunk tree and soil around the base.

The high soil moisture levels are not ideal for planting. As you may notice most flowering plants are in their dormant stage during this season. However, not to worry, several plants are still blooming that will ensure your garden to look stunning all winter long.

Azaleas, Cyclamen, Camellias, all bloom in the winter. Remember, Camellias and Azaleas are shallow-rooted. When planting shallow-rooted plants raise the root ball an inch above the surrounding soil level then mulch up to the top of the root ball. Some Camellias and Azaleas start blooming in October and others last into June. However, Camellias and Azaleas will bloom year long with care and nurture. Azaleas and Camellias bloom white, salmon, orange, pink, purple, and all variations of red.

It’s a great time to do maintenance on all your garden tools. You can prevent rust by applying vegetable oil on picks, spades, and shovels. Clean, oil, and sharpening tools is key to maintain the tools lasting year long.

It’s ideal to time to run an irrigation system check and make certain all emitters and lines are clear. Observe your system and ensure everything is working properly and efficient. Turn off your irrigation systems on rainy days to save water. You can eliminate manually shutting off your irrigation system by installing a weather station control clock. The weather station clock automatically adjusts on a daily basis for local weather conditions eliminating over and under watering. These controllers will also shut off during periods of rain. It’s a great new add on for your landscape.