Key highlights:
- Preparing gardens for California’s winter
- Water and soil prep while considering conservation
- Plant selection and January blooming plants
- Garden maintenance and to-do list for January
Southern California boasts mild weather year-round, a sunny Mediterranean paradise that rarely dips to freezing temperatures. Yet, if you’re looking to keep your landscape and garden colorful and flourishing, even in the winter, there are some tips to keep in mind. Making some minimal changes now helps your garden throughout this winter and in the coming months.
Winter months give us the opportunity to consider water conservation. For most drought tolerant gardens, January means that your irrigation system is either off, or working at a minimum. January and February are our biggest months for precipitation, so no need to over-water the garden. We also recommend allowing some of the Fall/Winter leaves to remain in your garden; let them decompose whole or chip and spread them as mulch, in time they will break down and enrich your soil. They also provide habitat for worms, insects, frogs, lizards, salamanders aiding in biodiversity (Denson, 2024). These helpful critters will also feed on any pests, acting as a sort of natural pesticide.
Some of our Favorite Blooming plants in January:
For full-sun annual options we recommend:
Pansies and Violas, Iceland Poppies, and Anemones
For shade-friendly annuals we recommend:
Impatiens, Begonias, and Coleus
Options that last year after year, we recommend these sun-loving Perennials:
Winter Jasmine, Reticulated Iris, and Witch Hazel
And for the shade-loving flowers that return every year, we recommend these Perennials:
Cyclamen, Hellebore, and Camellia
Finally, if your garden is designed to be a true Californian paradise, there are several drought-tolerant and native plants that bloom during this month. This would include Prickly Pear Cactus, California Lilacs, Brittlebushes, Manzanita, Fish Hook Cactus, Yarrow, and Aloe Petricola.
January Gardening To-Do List:
1. Plant Bare-Root Roses, Fruit Trees, and Berries:
Roses are considered “dormant” this time of year and it is a good time to plant Bare-Root specimens. Look for these plants at your local nursery or order online at these Architerra Approved Vendors that are all open to the public:
2. Plant Cool-Season Annuals:
Add a bit of color to your garden and landscape with annuals such as bachelor’s button, English daisies, linarias, lupines, pansies, poppies, tidy tips, and violas or any of the listed above options.
3. Transplant or Prune Roses:
Transplanting: “When transplanting roses, add humus and potash, but be sparse with nitrogen fertilizers, as these hasten new foliage which may be damaged by late frosts. Prune established roses even if they have not lost all their leaves. Remove crowded or crossed branches and open the center of the plant for good light exposure and airflow. Prune branches at a 45-degree angle just above a bud that faces outward or toward a side that needs filling in. Remove any leaves that have dead or diseased portions and throw-away (don't compost) them. Old-fashioned roses with a single bloom cycle in the spring, as with climbers, should be pruned following that bloom” (Gardening in LA).
4. Prune and Spray Fruit Trees
Pruning can seem a bit daunting, but it is well worth the effort to encourage a fruitful bounty. This is a great resource to learn how to prune certain fruit trees. In January you want to prune; “Prune plum, pluot, apple, and pear trees, cherries and peach trees.” And spray, “To smother overwintering insect eggs and pest such as aphids and mites, and scale, spray deciduous flowering and fruit trees as well as roses with dormant oil after the leaves have fallen. Make sure the weather will provide 24 hrs. for the spray to dry.” (UC Master Gardener Program, UCLA). Try Captain Jack's Fruit Tree Spray or Monterey Horticultural Oil for organic gardening.
5. Order Spring-Planted Bulbs
While it’s not time to plant the bulbs (which would be in February or March), now is a great time to ensure you get first pick and receive them in time to be prepared for planting time. We always encourage gardeners to consider California natives, and that includes bulbs, corms and rhizomes; “Many California gardeners don’t realize that California is home to over 200 species of native bulbs, corms and rhizomatous perennials. While many native bulbs can be found in coastal areas and in the mountains and foothills, most parts of California – even the deserts – are home to at least a few species” (Mother Nature’s Backyard). Some native bulb examples are Triteleia, Calochortus, and Dichelostemma.
6. Harvest Citrus
Citrus fruits like navel oranges, lemons, and tangerines are likely ripe for the picking this month. Grapefruit may also be ready. To determine ripeness, sample a few fruits from different parts of the tree. If they easily detach from the branch and taste sweet,
they're ready for harvest. Remember, taste is a more reliable indicator of ripeness than color.
A tip to keep in mind: Citrus fruits don't ripen after they've been harvested. So, ensure they're fully ripe before picking (Garden Design).
7. Protect tender plants from frost
Frost is most likely on dry, windless, clear nights, so keep an eye on the weather reports this month. “Keep frost-protection coverings, especially those made of plastic sheeting, away from the foliage, or the foliage may more readily freeze” (Gardening in LA).
For a Gardener’s To-Do List for a full year, check out this resource!
References: Shrub Hub Blog (2024), Garden Design (2024), UC Master Gardeners Program, UCLA (2024), Gardening in LA Blog (2024), Mother Nature’s Backyard, Blog (2017), UC Master Gardeners Program, Home Orchard, UCLA (2024), Gregg Denson (2024)
Credits: Author/Editor: Clara Boline, MBA
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