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Planter's Almanac: January Planting Guide

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 1, 2008

WHAT TO DO

Plant deciduous fruit trees: Winter is an excellent time to establish hardy, leaf-losing fruit trees.

Certain varieties of apples, blackberries, blueberries, figs, peaches, pears and persimmons do well in Central Florida.

Plant and fertilize cool-season annuals and vegetables: Check the planting guide to see which annuals and vegetables can be planted this month. Both benefit from frequent, light applications of fertilizer.

Apply 6-6-6 or a similar complete fertilizer at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet (or 1 pound of 12-12-12). Repeat on a monthly basis.

Plant or transplant cold-hardy shrubs and trees: Dig a planting hole twice the width of the root ball but no deeper. Place the plant in the soil at the same level it was growing in the container or ground.

Do not compact soil or prune foliage; the plant will shed what it can't support.

Prune deciduous fruit and ornamental plants: Leaf-losing plants such as crape myrtle can be pruned now, but certain fruiting plants, such as grapes and peaches, have specific pruning requirements. Contact your county extension service for pruning information.

Protect tender plants from cold: Use covers that extend to the ground and, if possible, that do not touch the plants. Properly arranged, the covers will trap heat from the ground.

Lightly prune annuals: Remove a half-inch to 1 inch of tip growth from each stem. Remember, flowering annuals produce blooms on the new growth. The more branching you encourage, the lovelier the display.

Irrigate to meet the needs of plants: Plants have reduced water needs during the cool, short days of winter. For lawns and most landscape plants, a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch of water every seven to 10 days (or less often) will suffice.

Adjust automatic time clocks to a winter watering schedule.

WHAT TO PLANT

Annuals: alyssum, bracteantha (strawflower), calendula, California poppy, carnation, delphinium, dianthus, diascia, dusty miller, foxglove, gaillardia, geranium, lobelia, ornamental cabbage or kale, nemesia, osteospermum, pansy, petunia, snapdragon, verbena, viola

Vegetables: beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collards, endive-escarole, green onions, lettuce, mustard, peas, potatoes, turnips

Herbs and spices: anise, basil, bay laurel, borage, caraway, cardamon, chervil, chives, cilantro (coriander), dill, fennel, ginger, horehound, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, Mexican tarragon, mint, nasturtium, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme, watercress

Bulbs: African lily, alstroemeria, amaryllis, Aztec lily, calla, crinum, day lily, gloriosa lily, hurricane lily, Louisiana iris, moraea, shell ginger, spider lily, tritonia, tuberose, voodoo lily, walking iris

Information provided by Hillsborough County Extension

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