|
|
This Month in Your Garden
JANUARY |
Roses |
January is the best month for rose pruning. With hybrid teas and grandifloras that repeat bloom, cut back the canes to just above a outward facing-bud. Prune away all dead canes and twiggy growth, and reduce the remaining canes by one to two thirds (although it is really a matter of choice and recent debate as to how much to prune). Leave three to five canes extending out from the bud-union. While examining the bud-union, check for “suckers” coming from the root stock and cut them out at their base.
“Once blooming” and most climbing roses bloom on last year’s wood. Their blooms are produced on the stems off of the main canes that have been there for at least one season. Pruning these main canes prior to blooming means you will have pruned away most of this year’s blooms. The exception is any main canes that are very old, diseased, or interfering with growth of healthy canes. They should be removed all the way down to the bud union or root crown, and can be removed while the plants are in a semi dormant state (we don’t get true dormancy because we don’t get the freezing temperatures.). Prune these after their full bloom flush in the spring or early summer. With climbers never remove more than one third of the cane length. This can be as late as May or June here.
You should be removing the leaves of all roses now. This can be very tedious but it is important to give them a healthy start this spring. Because of the horrible year we all had with fungus, it may be a good idea to, after pruning, spray roses with lime-sulfur dormant spray to control over-wintering insects and disease. Only do this if all roses in the area are pruned (it can be caustic) and all leaves removed. One caution in applying dormant spray is that the temperature must be 40 degrees or higher for 3 to 4 hours after the spray is applied. It also shouldn’t be used if the temperature is over 80 degrees. Follow the directions carefully. First you should clean up all the rose leaves on the soil. An outdoor vacuum does a great job!
Remember, this is the time when you can “rearrange” your roses. When they have had their leaves removed they won’t lose moisture and are pretty safe to move. Plant them quickly though, before they dry out. Maybe the rose you planted last year got too tall for the site, or you realize the area wasn’t sunny enough, or maybe you just changed your color scheme. When planting a rose where another one has been, it might be a good idea to replace some of the soil. Microscopic roots left in the soil from the old rose can cause problems for the new rose. If you are adding roses this year (there are such wonderful new roses -very disease resistant) buy them early before they dry out or leaf out in the store. Get them in the ground quickly and by April they will be blooming!
You can apply organic fertilizers any time, but wait on any chemicals till you have at least four inches of growth or the reddish growth turns green. January is a busy month in the garden, but the work you do now will reward you with great roses this spring! |
|
|
Perennials and Shrubs |
If you are suffering from the winter blues, brought on by the sight of your naked, pruned, roses in January, then you need to learn to embrace the beauty of camellias. These easy to grow bushes are to fall and winter what roses are to spring and summer. Although they may lack the scent that makes roses so appealing to many people, they make up for it by remaining untouched by rust, mildew, black spot, aphids and rose slugs. They prefer to be fed only once or twice a year, rarely need pruning, and make a valuable foliage plant for background enhancement when out of bloom.
Although once relegated to the back of the flowerbed and grouped with other acid-loving plants such as azaleas and gardenias, the savvy gardener is taking a new approach to using these beautiful plants. The sasanqua camellias can take much more sun than most people realize. With the variety of structure and leaf form that camellias offer, they are placing them in new and exciting combinations that have never been used before.
January may bring more rain, but if not, don’t neglect watering, especially your native perennials and shrubs that expect to be wet this time of year. If there is rain and the ground gets soggy, try to avoid stepping on it while completing your winter chores. Standing on wet soil leads to soil compaction which is a problem with heavy clay soils that most of us are plagued with in Southern California .
Deadheading perennials that bloom throughout the year should be your chore this month, as well as cutting back those that bloom in the fall and winter and have finished. If you aren’t sure how much to cut back, going all the way down to the first signs of new basal growth is a good rule of thumb. Add some compost and a layer of mulch around the base of the plant and it is ready for the new year. Do not cut back spring flowering perennials or shrubs. You may be cutting off the flower buds that are forming in the stems. A general rule of thumb is always prune after bloom.
You can still plant perennials (with the exception of tropicals) as long as the ground is not soggy. Why not find space somewhere for a beautiful, blue ceanothus with variegated dark and light green foliage? Or a sprawling white camellia? Or both? |
|
|
Fruits and Vegetables |
Leafy greens are favorite winter crops in Orange County gardens, so maintaining adequate amounts of nitrogen for leafy growth is essential. The best source of nitrogen in the soil is compost, but because microbial activity slows down in cold or wet weather, less nitrogen is available for crops this season. Chilly, damp soil will benefit from some extra nitrogen to assure full growth and lush leaves on spinach, cabbages, lettuce and chard. Fish emulsion can be applied in diluted forms every two weeks during the coldest months. If you are not following organic practices, there are now some granular, time-released fertilizers that do continue to leach nitrogen to your crops even in cooler soils.
One leafy crop that is very easy to grow is Swiss chard. My favorite variety, Brite Lights, features colorful stems with tinted leaves that mature quickly and remain tender. Seedling pony packs can still be found in some nurseries and will be ready for harvest in only 4 to 5 weeks. Space plants 6” to 10” apart so you can harvest the outer leaves for continuous production through late spring. Mulch the bed and water regularly to retain moisture, and fertilize regularly. Chard has substantial amounts of vitamins A & C, as well as magnesium and iron. It can be used whenever spinach is called for in casseroles, soufflés, pasta dishes, or simply sauté or steam it. Renee Shepherd and Rosalind Creasy both have great chard recipes in their kitchen garden publications.
Winter temperatures will not deter pests from luscious greens so a frequent stroll through the garden is a must. Trapping or hand picking snails and slugs, and using sticky barriers for ants will avoid a great deal of damage. Aphids, flea beetles and cabbage looper caterpillars like leafy greens too, so apply Bt and/or insecticidal soap on a regular schedule for control. As Roger B. Swain, of Horticulture Magazine says, “When it comes to insects and pests in the garden, the best protection has always been the gardener’s shadow.” |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
