Frosty fallen foliage. Photo Amanda Jarrett

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January Gardening

January Introduction - January Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog -  January Garden Chores 
Time to Order Seeds - Preparing for Snow & Bad Weather - Pest & Disease Control with Dormant Oil & Lime Sulfur
Weak Houseplants - Ask Amanda: Holiday cactus - Plant Police: Pruning Cedar Hedges
January Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Chinese Witch Hazel 
New: Winter Pruning
New: Pruning Tools

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Job Opportunity

Landscapers Wanted in Sechelt:
We are looking for experienced full-time Landscape Maintenance Professionals based in Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast BC. continued...

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January Intro

The eerie beauty of the Fraser River wrapped in a winter fog.

Hello and Happy New Year! I've found that December always seems to fly by, but January seems to cling on with its icy fingertips. Despite the temperatures and dark dreary days, there are plants that take center stage by flowering their heads off.  “Come look at me!” they say and it is difficult not too while everything around them is sleeping.

Witch hazels, Hamamelis species, attract attention with their soft fragrant, spidery flowers in oranges, deep reds and yellows on naked branches. Oregon grape holly, prickly as it is, is looking its best these days as it bursts into flower. Their sprays of bright yellow blossoms contrast nicely with the deep green and red holly-like foliage. 

The shy, nodding cupped shaped flowers of the Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) hide their pretty faces to protect themselves from rain and snow. Their large evergreen leaves also act as an attractive deep green ground cover. Winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, is no shrinking violet either as its brilliant yellow flowers are borne on bare green stems.

There are numerous winter flowering plants as well as conifers and broadleaf evergreens that will give your garden some life and colour during the winter. So be inspired and bundle up and get thee to a garden nursery for some winter lovelies. 

Wishing you all a very successful gardening year in 2018. 
Cheers,
Amanda

Winter blooming jasmine sure is pretty on a grey January day.

Amanda's Garden Blog

Check out my blog on my gardening experiments, trials. tribulations and excursions. 
To subscribe to my blog click here. 

• New Pruning in Winter
• New Pruning & Training Grape Vines in Winter
• Insects & Diseases Control with Dormant Spray
• Why Christmas cactus Don't Blossom
• A Quickie Festive Swag
• Putting the Garden to Bed
• How to Drain Soggy Soil
• A Visit to the Arizona - Sonora Desert
• Banana, Palm Tree Winter Protection
• Lasagna Gardening, Sheet Mulching
• Saving Geraniums, Coleus, Bougainvilleas & Other Tender Plants 
• Spiders Everywhere - Oh My!
• Tomato Troubles & Soil Solarization
• Trees That Drip That Sticky Stuff
• Balcony Bliss
• One Huge Beetle! 
• A Summer's Day Harvest
• The Dunbar Garden Club Private Tour
• Leaky Birdbaths and Slug Free Strawberries
• Easy Roses
• Oops... Wrong Plant, Wrong Place
• I Had An Ugly Lawn...

An outstanding Oregon grape holly shrub called 'Charity'.

A Christmas rose is not really a rose.

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January PLANT COMBO

Dwarf Hinoki false cypress and winter heather.

Public and private gardens are a great way to find good plant combinations even in the depths of winter. This combo was found at VanDusen Botanical Gardens in Vancouver. Winter heather (Erica carnea) is an effective colourful flowering ground cover. It contrasts nicely with the deep green swirled foliage of the Dwarf Hinoki false cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis'). January need not be grey. 

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TIME TO ORDER Seeds & Plants

Plant & seed catalogues provide great information as well as lots of enticing plant pics.

Although it is winter outside, plant and seed catalogues are a great way of dreaming and planning the upcoming growing season. There are so many lovely plants and seeds to choose from, I wish I had a bigger budget and larger garden. Besides all that, the beautiful pictures of plants with their descriptions and growing needs is a colourful, inspirational and educational read, especially on a grey winter day. I love looking at all the introductions that are developed by breeders to give us improved versions of old garden standbys. For example Stoke seeds offers a delightful light blue scented multiflora petunia, which is low growing  and spreads. Their garden peas PLS 595, bears 2 pods per node with an average of 11 peas in each pod with resistance to powdery mildew and fusarium 1. The following list includes a few of the companies that I use, but there are many more out there on the world wide web. When you go online make sure out of country catalogues ship to Canada. Click on the names below to link to view the following websites.

• Stoke Seeds have a large array of untreated seeds as well treated ones. Their seeds are non GMO. 
• Westcoast Seeds offers heirloom, non GMO and organic seeds with a great selection of cover crop seeds. This is a local B.C. company based in Ladner, which also has a retail shop. Their catalogue is a wealth of information for the novice and the professional.

• B.C. Eco Seeds, is another local BC company that offers BC grown ecological and organic seed.
• Brother Nature Certified Organic Seeds offer Certified Organic, heirloom and heritage seeds and is located in Victoria, B.C. ​

• Renee's Garden is a popular American company that ships to Canada. A few of BC local retailers also offer Renee's seeds in their stores. ​
• Botanus specializes in bulbs and rare plants. Beware! Their catalogue is beautiful and very tempting for us plant nuts.

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Preparing for snow
​and Ugly weather

Heavy snow deforms branches so knock it off with a broom or pole.

Arm yourself with a long handled broom when heavy snow bends and breaks conifer and broadleaf evergreen branches. Evergreen magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora), bear brittle branches and easily snap off under the weight of heavy snow. Snow also distorts and destroys pyramidal and round shaped evergreens so wrap them with twine to preserve their pristine shapes.

Go outside and check the garden and property after a heavy downpour, strong winds and snow. Look for toppled trees, damaged plants and property damage. Remove broken branches and any other hazards. Shovel snow off balconies, roofs etc., to prevent them from collapsing under the added weight. Check any city drains around your property and remove any debris that may impairing drainage.
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If you suspect some of your plants are dead due to frost damage, don’t give up on them yet as the roots are probably alive. Don't cut them back either as that makes them even more vulnerable to further frost damage. Wait until March to remove the dead growth. If plants don’t sport new growth by March, then replace them. For more northern regions the Pacific Northwest, wait until April. 

​Since we are in the depth of winter, keep an eye on evening low temperatures. A few degrees below zero is usually fine and so is snow, but prolonged minus 5 degree Celsius temperatures may hurt non-hardy perennial plants. To protect plants, cover with breathable fabric such as old sheets. Don’t use plastic as it has no insulating value. Evergreen boughs and layers of leaves also work well. 

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pruning

​It is time to prune dormant plants before they start to sprout, but only if they need it. Before breaking out the pruning gear think about what you want to achieve. Winter pruning promotes lots of new shoots in spring, so it is not a good idea to cut plants back if want to discourage new growth. Besides, pruning should not be used to decrease a tree’s size, but to improve its health. If you want to restrict growth and lessen suckering prune in summer. If a plant is too big for its space, then remove it and replace it with something more suitable in early spring or fall. Trees especially should not be hacked back to nothing. In fact, a properly pruned tree should looked as though it wasn't pruned at all - really and truly, honest. 

Crossing and spindly branches need to be removed from this fig tree.

There's no need to cut back all the branches. Just remove errant stems and ones that are too low.

To improve a plant’s health by pruning, only remove dead, diseased, crossing and broken branches as well as any suckers, water sprouts, weak and old growth. Prune summer and fall flowering plants now. Use clean, sharp pruning tools designed for the job: Virginia creeper, Boston ivy, winter flowering jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) once flowers have faded. Cut back the stems of butterfly bush by 2/3rds and remove old, non-coloured stems of red and green twigged dogwoods so new colourful ones can take their place. Prune the side shoots of wisteria, grapes, fruit trees to 2 to 3 buds to promote for flowering (and fruit).

Don't prune any spring flowering plants if you want them to flower this spring. Pruning now will remove the flowers from upcoming bloomers: forsythia, camellia, rhododendron, azalea, ornamental cherries, magnolias, lilacs, alpine currants, quince, crab apples, kerria, beautybush, bridal wreath spirea, hawthorn, mountain laurel (Kalmia sp.), weigela and mockorange - just to name a few. 

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Pruning Grapes

Prune grapes by cutting back their side shoots to just a few buds. This encourages flowers and fruits.

Prune back grape plants now, while they are dormant. To train grape plants, prune off the lower branches so the grape vines have one main trunk. From that main stem, keep just a couple of lateral branches, one on each side of the trunk. Tie each of the side branches along a fence, wire or other form of a lateral, horizontal support. Along these lateral branches are other stems. Cut back each of these stems to two to four buds. You'll be left with a scrawny plant when you are finished, but along each one of those stems that you cut back to a few buds, flowers will form, which will develop into grapes. ​

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plant police

Although it might be tempting, shearing evergreen hedges is a bad idea this time of year.

Winter is not the time to prune cedar (Thuja sp.) hedges. Wait until late spring. Pruning now causes winter kill and brown foliage. Remember to prune just the live growth when shearing them as they only form new growth at the ends of the branches. 

Ask Amanda

Hi Amanda,
How come my Christmas cactus didn't flower at Christmas?  
Kathy

Christmas cactus usually starts flowering in December.

Hi Kathy, 
How disappointing. I’ve also had a few Christmas cacti that didn’t flower at the right time or not at all. The reason why was because I was not providing adequate darkness at night and not restricting their water at the right time of year. It’s not difficult to give them what they need to set bud, but you do have to mindful.

In October, allow the top inch of soil to dry before watering and keep them in total darkness for 12 to 14 hours. Cool evening temperatures also spur on blossoms, although I've found it's not essential. After 6 to 8 weeks pink buds should be on the ends of their leafy stems. Once in the plant has lots of buds, increase its water and don’t worry about keeping the lights off at night - but don’t move it to another location as this is a sure-fire way to make them all fall off  – oh my! Bud drop and a lack of flowers may also be caused by full sun. Surprisingly, these succulents from the jungles of Brazil don't like to be in full sun; they'd rather have bright filtered sun.

There also could be another reason your Christmas cactus doesn’t flower at Christmas besides their care. Read more... 

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January Garden Chores

Check stored dahlias and other stored plants and discard any that bear rot.

Summer Bulbs Storage: ​​If you have dahlias, gladiolus and other tender bulbs in storage, give them a quick peak to make sure they are okay. I'm also reminding myself as they dried out one year, and during another year, they all became a mushy mess -argh! If you get it early enough you can thwart a total disaster of them all dying while they are instorage. Discard any that are rotting and moisten overly dried ones by spraying them with water. Place them back in storage and slightly moisten the vermiculite or whatever media you have them stored in.

Don't worry if snow burys your containers as it's a great insulator.

Outside Planters: Make sure outside containers get a drink if they are positioned under eaves and away from rain. For containers in the open, make sure they are not flooded, and move to a more sheltered location if needed. Don’t worry about snow as it is a great insulator, but do brush it off it is squishing the plants underneath.

A Stellar Jay eats peanuts on a chilly winter's day.

Birdies: Our fine feathered friends will love you during the winter when you supply them with seed and suet, but they do become dependent on you. Keep them well stocked as an empty bird feeder results in very sad, hungry birds and maybe even angry birds and no one wants that!

Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs. like this beautiful dwarf variegated weigela (Weigela 'Florida Variegata').

Take Cuttings: ​Take hardwood cuttings of escallonia, currants, quince, dogwoods, willows, forsythia, roses, weigela, abelia, deutzia, mock orange, viburnums, grape, honeysuckle, jasmine, Boston ivy, Virginia creeper and laburnum. If you aren't sure, take cuttings of your desired plants anyway. Experiment and see what happens; you might get lucky. 

Keep hardwood cuttings outside, burying their pots, to encourage roots to form.

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January Arrangement

Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis), skimmia (Skimmia japonica) lily-of-the-valley shrub (Pieris japonica), winter heather (Erica carnea) Emerald n' Gold wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

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Houseplants 

Check houseplants and any tender, tropical plants overwintering inside for insects and diseases. Discard any that are too far gone. Wash or dip in soapy water any buggy plants. Use just a teaspoon of a gentle dishwashing liquid to a litre  or two of warm water. This will kill the adults, but not any eggs so repeat in 7 days and continue to repeat every week until the insects are gone. Don't be afraid to dunk plants in a bucket of soapy water. For larger plants use a soapy dripping sponge. 

Extra lighting keeps houseplants healthy during winter's dark days.

If your houseplants are looking pale, leggy and lacking vigor, they probably need more light because our sun is having a great time vacationing in Australia. Not only are the daylight hours shorter, the sun is weak and lacks intensity. Providing suffering plants with more light is the obvious solution. If they are not in front of your sunniest window, they should be. Grow lights or even fluorescent lights on a timer is a great idea to supplement any window.  Keep it on for 12 hours and 2 to 6 inches away from the plants. Avoid placing them too close to a regular incandescent bulb as it would get too hot. ​

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This light-deprived overwintering geranium's leaves are yellowing and leaning towards the light.

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CONTROL BUGS & DISEASEs Dormant OIl/Lime Sulfur 

Apply dormant oil and lime sulfur before bud break to prevent overwintering pests & diseases.

​​To control overwintering insects and diseases on fruit trees and other deciduous (non-evergreen) trees and shrubs, spray them with a mixture of dormant oil and lime sulfur during their winter’s sleep. This organic pesticide works to kill any exposed insects AND diseases. Common targeted insects include scale insect, spider mites, caterpillars and their exposed eggs. It also does a great job controlling common diseases on fruit trees such as peach leaf curl, apple scab and powdery mildew. Use on roses to reduce black spot. Continued....

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Plant of the month
Chinese Witch Hazel

Chinese witch hazel are known for their bright and fragrant flowers during the dull days of winter.

This orange hybrid witch hazel, is called Jelena (Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena').

Copper red flowers of the hybrid Diane witch hazel (Hamamelis intermedia 'Diane'), grows 12'x8'

The typical open vase shape of most witch hazels.

Brevipetala Chinese witch hazel, Hamamelis mollis 'Brevipetala', bears many short ochre coloured petals.

Chinese witch hazels line a path at VanDusen Botanical Gardens.

Common Name: Chinese witch hazel
Botanical Name: Hamamelis mollis
Form:  open vase shape with a coarse texture 
Family: Hamamelidaceae
Genus: Hamamelis (together with fruit as it bears flowers and seed at the same time)
Species:  mollis
Plant Type: deciduous shrub     
Mature Size: 10' to 15' tall  and wide 
Growth: fast
Origin: China
Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8 (place in protected location in Zone 5)
Foliage: matte green that turn bright yellow in autumn, simple, undulating margins (leaf edges), alternate, ovate
Stems: tan coloured with lenticels
Flowers: flowers January to March, fragrant, yellow spider-like with 4 thin petals, reddish brown calyx
Seeds: a two part capsule
Exposure: part shade to full sun, leggy in too much shade
Soil: average soil with good drainage, prefers a rich organic soil, avoid drought by mulching and watering in summer
Uses: garden beds, perennial & shrub border, woodland gardens, winter and fall interest, cut flowers, H. virginiana, is used to produce the witch hazel astringent. 
Propagation: suckers, softwood cuttings mid spring, layering
Pruning: To keep plant compact, prune after flowering by 1/3rd.
​Problems: Remove suckers that arise from the roots to prevent them from spreading. Avoid planting too deeply as this promotes suckering. Plant so the crown (where roots and stem meet) sits at the soil surface. Do not bury the graft on grafted varieties as this also encourages suckers. Suckers sprout up from the base of the plant and keep their leaves on longer than the rest of the plant. No serious insects or diseases. Sometimes gets powdery mildew if soil is dry and not mulched. Root rot is common with wet soils. 
Cultivars: The hardier native witch hazel, H. virginiana, is commonly used as a rootstock for the less hardy Chinese species. The native species flowers from October to December and not as fragrant as the H. mollis. 
Hybrids and cultivars are bred to have larger flowers in reds, oranges and yellows. H. virginiana also is used to produce the witch hazel astringent.All types tend to sucker, including grafted ones. Remove suckers as soon as possible so they don't take over. 

Not even a deluge of heavy and chilly winter rains deter witch hazels from flowering.

Witch hazels are not that noticeable during the summer, except for their open vase shape.

A Chinese witch hazel seems to glow during a sunny November day.

Their wavy and simple leaves gradually are nothing fancy until they turn yellow in fall.

Flower buds dot the stems during the summer so prune right after flowering. Pruning later will remove their flower buds.

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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX

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​About & Services ​                        Contact ​                         Job Postings ​              Ask Amanda                     Classes & Workshops

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Learn How to Garden Introduction 

• Planting Know How
• Soil Building
• Cover Crops
• Composting
• Compost Tea

 ​ Growing Food Introduction

• Crop Succession, Crop Rotation, Companion Planting

​Pruning
Lawns

Container Growing 101

• Choosing a Container

Monthly Flower Arrangements
Growing Roses Introduction 

• Types of Roses
• Climbing Roses
• Rose Insects & Diseases
• Pruning Roses

Mulching & Types Introduction

• Living Mulches – Groundcovers​

Fertilizing & Feeding Plants Introduction

• Fertilizers & Ratios
• Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities
• Organic Plant Food

Propagation Introduction

• Growing Seed Outdoors
• Growing Seed Indoors
• Taking Cuttings

​Amanda’s Blog
Plant of the Month

for the tropical Gardener

While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here. 

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Love plants, love to garden. ​
​Amanda's Garden Company
The Garden Website ​

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