Some people welcome January with the post-holiday blues and weigh a pound or two heavier – or both. Not the gardeners! (Well, maybe the weight gain part, but that will be easily resolved as the garden muscles come back into action.)
Turn any blues into New Year’s garden resolutions that can recharge your attitude and set January in motion – think and plan ahead for a bountiful harvest and colorful landscape. Dreaming of spring is officially here.
Where to start? We all know the basics: which parts of the garden worked well and to your liking last year and which need improvement. You can go so far as to sketch the current layout using internet tools to draw it to scale or do as I did: wing it with lines and curves here and there as well as x’s and o’s to distinguish trees from perennial plants. A visual plan helps you formulate a game plan for the upcoming season in which you can take notes and play with plant ideas and designs.
If your budget allows, consider hiring a professional landscaper or contractor, which I have also done successfully over the years. They will view your outdoor digs with new ideas and help you immensely, especially if your goals include major plant conversions such as incorporating less water-thirsty plants, replacing areas of turf, or any other ideas you have . Always keep in mind when trying to conserve seasonal outdoor water that trees, shrubs and new plantings will always need water and your attention.
Now the fun begins (the dreaming of spring part), whether you’re a DIYer or working with a designer: deciding which plants are in the wrong place, need to be divided or, dare I say, passed to the green pasture compost pile . Do the homework related to finding new plants and suggestions for landscape renovations or complete overhauls. This is used to confirm your choices and for final approval of the proposals.
My plant homework includes searching my small library of gardening books for plant and landscape ideas as they are regionally applicable, as well as using my trusty computer search engine to send me often in a three-hour plant adventure. Inevitably, I find plants that should not be planted in a zone 5 landscape. I ultimately conclude that I cannot move to Arizona just so I can grow a Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) and a pipe cactus. organ (Stenocereus thurberi), two of my favorite plants that remind me of visiting my parents. who spent their retired winters in their RV parked in some of the most beautiful parks in the state of Arizona.
To help you in your research, don’t overlook the excellent gardening educational resources available locally. January is the time to sign up for a gardening class or two at local independent garden centers and botanical gardens. Check their websites for the latest course listings. Full-day gardening seminars and symposiums are very popular throughout the Front Range during the winter months. Refer to the resources below for a list of workshops, events and more.
One of my oft-used IT favorites takes me to the listings for free CSU Extension webinars, covering topics from starting seeds, unique annuals and fire-resilient landscapes. Find the link under Planttalk below for recent past programs and new ones for 2025.
January is the perfect time to take stock of your startup supplies and equipment and refresh your cache if necessary. Outdoor seeds for popular vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, as well as many annuals including zinnia, cosmos and sunflowers, will not need to be started until March or later. If you are using early planting material like cold frames, it makes sense to start seeds earlier. Additionally, some plant seeds need 10 weeks or more to germinate and be ready to plant outdoors. The short list includes artichokes, feverfew, chamomile, celery, angelonia, and lemon balm. Planting charts that include the calendar for annuals, herbs and vegetables and more information can be found in the resources below.
Moisture has been very scarce along the Front Range. Our landscapes are dry. We must act on behalf of our factories. Connect hoses and sprinklers and deeply water last year’s newest landscape plants, followed by trees, shrubs and perennials.
While you clear out and put away old Christmas decorations, do something for the planet by recycling Christmas trees. Check with your local municipality if your county is not listed. Recycling artificial trees is doable, or consider donating or repurposing, see the link for more tips.
Happy New Year of Gardening!
Recycling Resources
Arvada Christmas Tree Recycling: arvadaco.gov/717/Christmas-Tree-Recycling
Boulder County Christmas Tree Recycling: westerndisposal.com/materials-management-center/#!/yard-waste
Broomfield Christmas Tree Recycling: broomfield.org/1031/Tree-Branch-Recycling-Facility
Denver Christmas Tree Recycling: https://www.denvergov.org
Fort Collins Christmas Tree Recycling: fcgov.com/recycling/atoz/items/?item=136
Greeley Christmas Tree Recycling: greeleygov.com/government
Lafayette Christmas Tree Recycling: lafayetteco.gov/2612/Christmas-Tree-Disposal
Littleton Christmas Tree Recycling: littletonco.gov/Community/City-Calendars/Events
Longmont Christmas Tree Recycling: longmontcolorado.gov/waste-services-trash-recycling-composting
Gardening Resources
Colorado Gardener’s Calendar: coloradogardener.com/calendar
How to recycle, reuse or donate an artificial Christmas tree: marthastewart.com
Regional and current garden information, including helpful online garden webinars: planttalk.colostate.edu/
Seeding and planting charts by Betty Cahill: https://gardenpunchlist.blogspot.com/2019/02/seeding-and-planting-charts-all-of-them.html
Winter watering: planttalk.colostate.edu
Betty Cahill speaks and writes about gardening in the Rocky Mountain region.
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