What can you plant in January? Not a whole lot. That’s why it is the best month of the year to plan for your upcoming growing year. Here are five things you can do to prepare your garden during this dormant month:
Decide what you want to grow. This is your starting point. What will inspire you and bring you joy? Is it something to eat or something of beauty? Do you want something easy and low-maintenance, or are you ready for a challenge? Do you know what grows well in your local environment? Texas Gardener Magazine is a great resource if you’re in Texas. Each issue delves into what grows well in the Lone Star State, and they publish a great planning calendar each year.
Prepare your space. The environment for your plants is critically important in their long-term success. Is your space in full sun or shade? Do you have water access, and, if not, how will you irrigate? Do you have the right amount of space for what you what you want to grow?
Amend your soil. We underestimate how important soil quality is to growing good plants. If you’re not sure how good your soil is, you can get a low-cost soil test at most nurseries, or you can mail in a sample to the soil lab at Texas A&M. Soil test measure Ph and nutrients and help you determine how you need to amend your soil. If you have compacted urban soil that hasn’t been used in some time, you should amend it by adding equal parts of compost, expanded shale, and mulch. Mix these three items into your existing soil – they will increase nutrient content, attract microbes, allow for aeration, and help retain water.
Sharpen your tools. Sharpening doesn’t take much time, but it is important to do routine maintenance (at least yearly) of your outdoor tools. A simple sharpener, a rough cloth, and some oil (read up on what oil will work best for you) is all you need. Keeping your tools maintained increases their lifespan and also makes your plants like prone to disease and damage.
Educate yourself! Now is a great time to attend a local course about a horticulture subject you’ve been wanting to learn. We love reading seed catalogs from the growers listed below – you can learn a lot from these wonderful companies about plant varieties. Yes, you can watch some Netflix and geek out simultaneously on plants.
