Gardening

Gardeners' Checklist For January Includes Several Educational Programs

by Dr. William M. Johnson, Galveston County Extension Agent - Horticulture

January 4, 2006

January is an ideal time to perform any needed pruning on landscape trees. Use proper tools and cut small limbs or branches back to their point of attachment; in other words, do not leave stubs (shown above) which interfere with proper healing of pruning cuts and promote internal trunk decay. Photo Credit: William M. Johnson

The Christmas of 2005 was a NO-peat as there was no waking up to a scenic blanket of snow and the temperature was on the warm side. At least some things are more predictable such as the days becoming longer with the arrival of the New Year.

To keep the momentum, Master Gardeners have planned several educational programs that will be of benefit to area gardeners. Texas Master Gardeners are volunteers who have completed an intensive training on a variety of horticultural tropics and who provide valuable assistance to the County Extension Office.

Review the following educational program announcements and make notes on your gardening calendars to attend programs that are of interest to you. While all educational programs are free-of-charge, note that some programs require a reservation due to space limitations. Reservations may be made in person at the County Extension Office located at 5115 Highway 3 in Dickinson or by calling 281-534-3413, ext. 6. Reservations may also be made through our website address provided at the end of my column or by e-mail (GALV3@wt.net).

Gardening by the Square Foot Seminar: Saturday, January 14, 9:00 -11:00 a.m. at the Galveston County Extension Office, 5115 Highway 3, Dickinson. Presented by Master Gardener John Jons. Basic designs, soil preparation, plant selection and establishment, insect pest & disease control, and general care. Class size limited to 18 participants. No fee but reservation required.

Spring Vegetable Gardening Seminar: Saturday, January 21, 9:00-12:00 noon at the Galveston County Extension Office, 5115 Highway 3, Dickinson. Presented by Master Gardener Luke Stripling. Soil preparation, variety selection, disease/insect management. No fee but reservation required.

Peach & Plum Workshop: Saturday, January 28, 9:00-12:00 noon at the Galveston County Extension Office, 5115 Highway 3, Dickinson. Presented by Master Gardener Herman Auer. Variety selection, planting, disease/insect management, harvesting and pruning. No registration fee but pre-registration is required.

Fruit Tree Sale & Seminar: Saturday, February 4, Carbide Park’s Wayne Johnson Community Center, 4102 FM 519 in La Marque. Master Gardeners Fruit Tree Sale and Seminar. Seminar begins at 8:00 a.m. with speaker Heidi Sheesley of TreeSearch Farms. Sale begins at 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. with many varieties of fruit trees and citrus. Open to the general public. No reservation required.

Master Gardener Training Course: Starts Thursday, February 16, and every Tuesday and Thursday from 1-5 p.m. thereafter through April 6. Galveston County Extension Office, 5115 Highway 3, Dickinson. Contact the County Extension Office for applications.

Gardener Checklist for January

Now to January's other gardening suggestions. The month of January is an ideal time to carry out many needed activities that will help ensure healthy and vigorous growing plants when the growing season starts this spring. Review the following checklist for activities that need to done around the home site.

Pruning Landscape Trees: January is an ideal time to perform any needed pruning on landscape trees. Wait on pruning gardenias, climbing roses, azaleas, camellias and other spring flowering shrubs until after they bloom. Prune with a purpose, not because there's nothing else to do.

Use proper tools and cut small limbs or branches back to their point of attachment; in other words, do not leave stubs which interfere with proper healing. Remove all damaged or rubbing limbs first then remove other limbs as needed. Application of pruning paint is not recommended in most instances.

Leaf Buildup on Lawn Grass: Keep the lawn free of heavy leaf buildup to prevent smothering the grass. A few leaves won't hurt the lawn but leaves should not be allowed to completely cover the lawn, especially if they become heavily packed and stay wet for long periods.

Planting Trees and Shrubs: Continue to select and plant ornamental trees and shrubs to fill landscape needs. Always plan ahead before planting. Remember that like little puppies, plants grow up. In the case of some trees, they can get large so be prudent about what you plant below electrical and telephone lines. The tree–and the homeowner–will ultimately lose in such standoffs.

Dormant Oil Sprays: Apply dormant oil sprays to control scale and other hard-to-manage insect pests on landscape trees and shrubs. Read and follow all directions provided by the manufacturer.

Fertilize Annuals: Apply a light application of a complete fertilizer (such as 13-13-13) to established beds of winter flowering annuals (pansy, calendula, snapdragon, etc.).

Gladiolus: Select and order gladiolus corms for February and March planting. Planting at two-week intervals will prolong the flowering period. Choose some of the newer varieties for a vivid color display.

Tulips and Other Bulbs: Last but not least, don't forget to plant those bulbs that you put in your refrigerator to provide for a chill treatment. They won't flower in the fridge!

Dr. Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston County
Extension Office of Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University. Visit his web site at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.htm

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