·         Cold hardy transplants outdoors during mild weather. If you’d like to roll the dice on  the future weather try cabbage, calendulas, dianthus, flowering kale, pansies, snapdragons.

·          Spring flowers and vegetable seeds indoors.

·         Seeds in greenhouse conditions for later transplanting.

·         Fruit and pecan trees, anemones, asparagus, berries, English peas, grapes, onions, potatoes, and ranunculus.

·         Shrubs, vines, trees and other permanent plants.

·         Complete tulip, daffodil and other bulb plantings in early January. “Force” bulbs in pots indoors.  Paperwhites are the easiest to grow and smell terrific.

·         Transplant plants during this dormant period.

FERTILIZE:

·         Drench Garrett Juice as a root stimulator for new shrubs and trees monthly until established.

·          Asparagus beds in late January with manure-based organic fertilizer and compost.

·         Cool season grasses at ½ rate, about 10 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.

·         Apply greensand to any plants that appeared chlorotic (Yellow leaves with green veins) at about 80 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.

PRUNE: 

·      Remove all vines from trees and pull groundcovers back from the bases of trees. ·      Shade trees by removing dead, damaged and out of place limbs, water sprouts and ground shoots.
·      Do not routinely “thin” trees unless more light is needed for understory plants. ·      Summer-flowering trees as necessary to control form.
·      DO NOT prune the tops of crape myrtles. The seed pods are decorative and some bird species like the seeds.
·      Evergreen shrubs lightly if needed.
·      Fruit trees and grapes. However, the best time is just before bud break as late in winter as possible. 
·      Do not make flush cuts, protect the branch collars, and do not use pruning paint.   Do  not overprune any wood plants, other than large perennials such as butterfly bush.

WATER:   

·      Spot water any dry areas to avoid plant desiccation.
·      Potted plants.
·     Entire properties during drought periods.

PEST  CONTROL:

·      WEEDS:  Spray dormant turf with vinegar-based herbicide for cool season weeds.  Do not use the so-called vinegars made from 99% acetic acid. Use real 10% vinegar made from grain alcohol.

·      INSECTS:  Horticultural oil if needed on scale-prone plants such as: camellias, euonymus, hollies, oaks, pecan and fruit trees. Remember that this organic pesticide kills good bugs as well as pests.

·      HOUSEPLANTS: mealybugs, spider mites, scale – spray with plant oil products or lemon joy soap at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water.  Apply horticultural cornmeal to the soil.   

ODD JOBS:

·     Cover tender plants with floating row cover during extreme cold.

·     Have soil tests run at that give information on organic matter, what nutrients are available to plants and the level of biological activity.

·     Turn compost pile monthly or more often and keep moist.  There is no reason to try to keep it warm with coverings or sunlight.   The compost action is down in the center of the pile, not on the outside edge.

·      Plan spring landscape improvement projects and begin hard construction activities.

·      Prepare garden soil by adding compost, lava sand, and mulching bare soil. Take mowers, tillers, trimmers into shop for repairs before spring.

·      Don’t forget to feed the birds!

*Planting recommendations based on North Texas climate, which is zone 8. Check with your local nurseries and extension service for specific varieties and timing.