The floating bridge at VanDusen Botanical Gardens in January.
The Garden Website for January
A frosty rose is blooming out of season.
In This Issue
Last year my little girl statue needed a warm coat, this year, she needs an umbrella.
Introduction - January Garden Chores - Kill Overwintering Pests & Diseases - Winter Pruning
Houseplant Winter Care - Pruning Grapes & Wisteria - Pruning Fruit Trees - Hummingbirds in Winter
Plant & Seed Catalogues - Critters in the Garden - Birdies - Citrus Trees - Palm Trees
Taking Cuttings - Prune Your Own Garden Registration
January Garden Stars - Plant Police - January's Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: doghobble
Houseplant Winter Care - Pruning Grapes & Wisteria - Pruning Fruit Trees - Hummingbirds in Winter
Plant & Seed Catalogues - Critters in the Garden - Birdies - Citrus Trees - Palm Trees
Taking Cuttings - Prune Your Own Garden Registration
January Garden Stars - Plant Police - January's Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: doghobble
Fellow Gardeners..
I wonder what 2024 will bring.
Happy New Year Fellow Gardeners!
Here, in the Pacific Northwest and throughout most of Canada, we are still waiting for snow to fall. Old Man Winter has not graced us with his chilly presence. Apparently this has been the warmest year on record. We need winter. Plants need to go dormant, snow needs to fall, especially on our mountains. All that frozen water contributes to our reservoirs when it melts in the spring. Our forests are also in desperate need for that moisture. We don't need another year of devastating forest fires. Since we’ve had drought for a number of years, it’s even more important that the weather does what it is supposed to do instead of being weird. It’s obviously not a technical term, but it is an accurate one. With that said, I’m a bit afraid of the adage ‘be careful what you wish for’. I just hope Old Man Winter is not going to dump three months of snow on a Monday morning in April during rush hour. Fun times. So here we are at the start of a brand new year. What it will bring is anyone’s guess. And this is why I garden. It’s nice to shut out the noise of the world while I plan the upcoming year. May 2024 be good to you, your family, and may your garden be bountiful. Wishing you a very Happy & Healthy New Year. Best always, Amanda 
Woohoo! Happy New Year!
Need a Garden Consultation?
If you need help planning this years garden, click on the picture above to make an appointment,
|
Gardening Classes
I am offering numerous Saturday garden classes in Langley for Fraser Valley Continuing Education. Click on the links to below or the pics above to be redirected.
Pruning the Right Way: select Jan 20 or Feb 3 or Feb 10, 9:30 am to 4:00 pm Lawn Care: March 9, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm Grow Your Own Food: April 6, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Preparing for Spring: Mar 9 2024, 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm Garden Consultation
|
January Garden Stars
Chinese red birch, Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis, deciduous tree, 30-50’ x 40’, sun, part shade. Zones 3 to 8.
|
'Yuletide' winter camellia, Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide', broadleaf evergreen shrub, fragrant winter flowers, sun to part shade, 6’ to 14’ x 5’ to 7’. Zones 7 to 9. Click on pic for more.
|
Paperbark maple, Acer griseum, deciduous tree, zones 4-8, 20 to 30' x 15 to 25', sun to part shade. Click on the pic for more.
|
Chinese witch hazel, Hamamelis mollis, 10 - 15ft tall & wide, fragrant blooms Jan to March, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 8. Click on the pic for more info.
|
Winter heath, Erica carnea, 1' x 2', blooms from Dec to April, sun to light shade, broadleaf evergreen, ground cover, Zones 5 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
|
Late cotoneaster, Cotoneaster lacteus, broadleaf evergreen shrub, 6-12’ x 4-10’, sun to part shade, white flower clusters in spring followed by orange berries. Zones 6 to 8
|
Charity Mahonia, M. x media 'Charity', broadleaf evergreen shrub, 10’ to 15’, winter flowers, black berries, sun to part shade. Zones 7 to 9. Click on pic for more.
|
Himalayan sweetbox, Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, broadleaf evergreen, 2-5' x 2-6', part shade to shade, fragrant flowers, black berries. Zones 6 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
|
Lily-of-the-valley shrub, Pieris japonica, broadleaf evergreen, sun to part shade, 9–12’ x 6–8’. Zones 5 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
|
David viburnum, Viburnum davidii, broadleaf evergreen, 2-3’ x 3-4’, white blooms April to May, sun to part shade, blue/black berries, butterflies. Zones 7 to 9
|
Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens, broadleaf evergreen groundcover, 6” x 1’, white summer blooms, red berries fall to winter, part shade to shade. Zones 3-8. Click on pic for more.
|
Yaupon holly, Ilex vomitoria, broadleaf evergreen shrub, 10-20’ x 8-12’, fragrant, white April flowers, and autumn red berries, birds, thornless. Zones 7 to 9.
|
Beautyberry, Callicarpa bodinieri, deciduous shrub, 3 to 9 ft.sun to part shade, North American native. Zones 8 to 10. Click on the pic for more.
|
Heavenly bamboo, Nandina domestica, broadleaf evergreen, white June flowers, orange berries, sun to shade, 3-8’ x 2-4’. Zones 8 to 10. Click on pic for more.
|
Winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, deciduous vine, 10 to 15ft, sun to shade, winter flowers. Zones 6 to 10.
|
Japanese skimmia, S. japonica, broadleaf evergreen, 3-4' x 4-5'. Fragrant flowers winter to spring. Red berries on female plants. Part to full shade. Zones 6 to 8. Click on pic for more.
|
Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo 'Compacta', broadleaf evergreen, 10’-20’ tall & wide, winter flowers & fruit. Zones 7 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
|
Lenten rose, Helleborus spp., 18 -24" x 24". Partial shade, blooms Feb to May, herbaceous perennial. Zones 4 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
|
JAnuary Garden Chores
Although it is winter, there's lots to do in the garden. Pruning tops the list. I've included some pruning tips for trees, fruit trees, vines, grapes and wisteria below. Other garden chores include controlling overwintering pests, dealing with snow & ice, preparing for seeding indoors, protecting tropical plants, palm trees & citrus trees down south during cold snaps. There's also more tips on how to deal with critters that feast on the garden. Read on for more January garden chores.
A Japanese maple is straining under the weight of heavy snow.
|
Branches broke on this false cypress during a snow storm.
|
Garden Inspections: Have a look around the garden, especially after bad weather. Help relieve the weight of snow laden plants by knocking it off and remove any broken branches. For hard to reach and difficult jobs, contact a certified ISA arborist. Avoid going near any fallen power lines: call hydro instead.
Removing all the limbs from a tree is wrong!
|
Remove suckers at their base and flush with the stem.
|
Cut off suckers and stubs on all trees.
|
It's Time to Prune: Pruning trees and shrubs whilst they are dormant is meant to improve plant health and to prevent personal injury from dodgy branches that may fall. Do remove errant, spindly, broken, dead and unhealthy growth. Step back occasionally to survey your progress; don’t get carried away. Only remove a quarter of growth no more.
Remove branches at their base, just above the branch ridge.
|
To shorten stems, just cut where two stems meet.
|
A stub is being sawn off.
|
It makes sense not to cut off all the branches from a tree. Not only does it disfigure them, it's often fatal. Trees that survive such butchery produce suckers to replace their lost limbs. Suckers are easy to identify as grow straight upright and tend not to branch. It's not just the way they look that's the problem as they easily break and fall off. To learn more about insidious suckers and how and what to prune click on Winter Pruning - Pruning Basics 101 - Pruning Tools.
This poor tree was not pruned correctly.
|
A Japanese maple before pruning.
|
The same Japanese maple after being pruned correctly.
|
Hiring someone to do your pruning? Do you research, as there are many untrained hackers that boast they have years of experience. Experience is not the same as knowledge. Hire an International Society of Arborists (ISA). Make certain that it is the ISA certified arborist that will do the pruning, not an unqualified person from their crew. Also, asks for references and inspect their work. I’ve seen too many butchered, hat-racked, topped trees that were done by so-called professional landscapers.
A fig tree from Hazelmere Organic Farm, before being pruned.
|
The same fig tree after pruning. Click on the pic for Hazelmere Organic Farm.
|
Apples: Cut side shoots to a few buds. They will become fruiting spurs in a few years.
Apples: Side stems become fruiting spurs when cut to just a few nodes (buds).
|
Pruning Fruit trees: Cut off diseased, spindly, broken and dead branches. Remove all stems that grow towards the centre of the tree, and ones rub against each other. After pruning, spray all fruit trees with a dormant oil, lime sulfur combination. It’s organic and it kills overwintering insect and diseases. To learn more about dormant oil/lime sulfur click on Dormant Oil/Lime Sulfur.
An unruly and unproductive grape vine.
Pruning a mature & neglected grape vine.
|
The same grape vine after pruning.
|
All side shoots have been cut back to a couple of nodes/buds).
One stem is trained horizontally & all side shoots cut back.
|
Pruning Grapes: Prune off the lower branches so there is just one main trunk. From that main stem, keep just a couple of lateral branches, one on each side of the main stem. Tie each of the side branches along a fence, wire or other form of a lateral, horizontal support. After pruning spray with dormant oil/lime sulfur to reduce overwintering insects and diseases Dormant Oil/Lime Sulfur. For more on pruning grapes click here.
To control wisteria vines and to encourage more flowers prune in winter and summer.
|
Prune all side shoots to a few buds to promote more flowers.
|
Pruning Wisterias: Cut back all side (lateral) branches that grow from major stems back to just 2 to 4 buds. This not only does a good job taming the vines, but more blossoms are also produced.
Learn How to Prune in Your Garden. Make an appointment with Amanda to show you what to prune, what not to prune and how to prune the plants while in your garden. For more information and to register click here.
Learn How to Prune in Your Garden. Make an appointment with Amanda to show you what to prune, what not to prune and how to prune the plants while in your garden. For more information and to register click here.
Dormant oil kits include horticultural oil and lime sulfur.
|
Help dogwoods overcome anthracnose.
|
Spray dormant trees only.
|
Kill Overwintering Pests & Diseases: A combination spray of dormant oil and lime sulfur is an organic approach that kills overwintering insects and diseases: scale insect, spider mites, caterpillars: peach leaf curl, rust, brown rot, downy mildew and black spot on roses. To learn more, click on Dormant Oil/Lime Sulfur.
Use ecofriendly de-icers instead of salt to prevent contaminating soil and killing plants. Use sand, organic kitty litter, or sawdust.
|
It may look beautiful, but when branches are coated in ice, they are more likely to break, so no touching.
|
Keep off the lawn when it is frozen as it breaks off the little grass plants from their roots.
|
Prepare for Sowing Indoor Seeds Next Month
Use seed starting mix for indoor seeding.
|
A heated propagation mat stimulates root growth.
|
Disinfect reused pots & labels.
|
A seed starting kit includes a tray to hold the cell packs and a clear plastic lid.
|
Wash plant pots, starter and cell packs, drainage trays and any plastic labels in soapy water and bleach to disinfect. Take stock of your seeds, and pick up or order any that you need. Purchase seed starting soil, grow lights, cell packs, seed flats, a small spouted watering can to water seedlings and a spray bottle to mist them. Canadian Tire and Walmart usually have a good selection of seed starting supplies as do hardware stores and garden centres. For more on planting seeds click on Growing Seeds Indoors. Catalogues: Speaking of ordering seeds, click here for a list of catalogues. If you are in the plant business and want to include your catalogue, click on the catalogue link.
Check on stored gladiolus corms.
|
Healthy dahlia tubers.
|
Dahlia bulbs may rot if they are put away when they are still damp.
|
Dahlias, Glads, & Other Stored Bulbs: Check dahlias and other stored bulbs. Discard any rotten ones and soak those that have shriveled in water. Once they’ve plumped up, wipe them down, dust with cinnamon to deter rotting then return them to storage. For more info click on Dahlias or Tuberous Begonias.
Protect orchids growing on trees by wrapping layers of a frost blanket or other breathable fabric covering them entirely.
|
Tree ferns are wrapped in layers of burlap at VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
|
Down South: It’s not unusual for cold fronts to dip down into the southern, and occasionally the tropical states. Check nighttime lows especially on cold, clear, cloudless nights. Protect vulnerable frost-tender plants. Bring orchids inside when temperature dips to 40°F (4 °C). For orchids that are attached to trees, wrap them with cloth, frost blankets or other breathable fabric. Protect other tender plants the same way with fabric, or cover with soil, mulch, leaves, palm fronds. Plastic is not a good insulator and causes rotting. For click on Winterize Your Garden.
Bring in container grown oranges, grapefruits and lime trees at 0°C (32°F).
|
Garden grown citrus trees withstand a few hours of freezing temps.
|
Citrus trees: Lemons, limes, oranges and other citrus are hardy from zones 9 to 11. If you don’t live in the tropics, plant them in protected locations against the house, shed or other structures. Trees must receive full, direct sun for at least 8 hours of direct light. Avoid placing them in low lying areas as frost collects there. Avoid dry soil as it increases winterkill. To protect plants, place incandescent 100-watt light bulb or Christmas lights in their canopy. Protect small trees by wrapping them with frost blankets or other breathable fabric. It should cover the plant from the ground up. If plants are in pots, bring them inside during the winter. For more click on Winterize Your Garden.
To winterize palm trees, wrap the top of the palm with fabric.
|
Frost blankets are available where garden products are sold.
|
Plant palms in protected areas.
|
Palm trees: Windmill palms, Trachycarpus fortunei, are hardy palm trees that do quite well in the lower mainland of British Columbia. Although they survive temperatures of -12°C (10°F) and are hardy from USDA zones 7 to 10, winter protection is prudent. The most important part of the palm to protect is the bud. It lies in the centre of the fronds at the top of the palm. If you can reach it, wrap it securely with frost blankets, layers of burlap or other breathable fabric. Don't use plastic as it may cause the bud to rot. Wrap the stem with a frost blanket or other breathable fabric. Keep them mulched all year with a 3-inch layer spread on top of the ground. For more click on tropicals winter protection.
Outdoor planters: Bill is adding more soil to a pot where snow & rain have exposed the roots.
|
Before placing cuttings in soil, make a fresh cut underneath a node.
|
Cut the top off the cutting, just above a node.
|
Outside Planters: Don’t forget they exist. For ones out in the open, make sure plants aren’t rotting and soil isn't eroding away. For planters under under the eaves, make sure plants are too dry.
Take cuttings: Hardwood cuttings are taken this time of year. Select healthy vigorous stems that are a little rigid, that don’t bend easily. Use sharp clean pruners to cut stems 6 to 8 inch long. Sever each cutting from the stem just above a leaf. Re-cut the end of the cutting, directly beneath a leaf or node (bud). For more information on how to take cuttings click on Taking Cuttings.
Take cuttings: Hardwood cuttings are taken this time of year. Select healthy vigorous stems that are a little rigid, that don’t bend easily. Use sharp clean pruners to cut stems 6 to 8 inch long. Sever each cutting from the stem just above a leaf. Re-cut the end of the cutting, directly beneath a leaf or node (bud). For more information on how to take cuttings click on Taking Cuttings.
Winter gardens don't have to be boring like this scene at Queen Elizabeth Park. Click on pic for more.
|
Use a combination of deciduous trees & shrubs with evergreens of different heights & shapes.
|
A beautiful winter garden: If your garden needs a pop of colour or something interesting to look at, visit your local gardening centre for some ideas. Suitable plants of the season are showcased and on display. Take notes and pictures of the plants, and especially their labels. Knowing their botanical and common helps you find out more information about them including mature height and width, how fast they grow, invasive tendencies, flowering times if relevant, and the correct growing conditions. For more ideas, visit parks, public gardens and botanical gardens.
Grow lights keep overwintering geraniums strong and healthy.
|
Speckled foliage is a symptom of a spider mite infestation.
|
Soapy water used to kill the spider mites clings to their tiny webs.
|
Houseplants & Indoor Tropical Plants: How are they doing? Two thumbs up if they are still looking good. If they are not, let’s figure out why. If all the leaves have fallen off, it doesn’t mean it’s dead. New growth no matter how small, is a good indication. Scratch stems with your thumbnail to see if they are alive.
Split leaf philodendrons that fail to split, variegated plants that lose colour, yellow leaves and leggy stems are low light symptoms. Plants need at least eight hours of light a day, which we don’t get in the winter so replace regular bulbs with grow lights or buy fixtures and put them on a timer. For more click on Houseplant Winter Care.
Split leaf philodendrons that fail to split, variegated plants that lose colour, yellow leaves and leggy stems are low light symptoms. Plants need at least eight hours of light a day, which we don’t get in the winter so replace regular bulbs with grow lights or buy fixtures and put them on a timer. For more click on Houseplant Winter Care.
Suet is much loved by many birds.
|
Overwintering birds such as these bushtits appreciate extra help in winter.
|
A thick sock helps keep hummingbird nectar warmer.
|
Birdies: Baby it’s cold out there and food is limited for all wildlife. Keep feeders stocked with good quality, fresh seeds. Hang them high so furry animals can’t reach them.
Hummingbirds: Anna’s hummingbirds don’t migrate south; they would rather stay in British Columbia over the winter. Providing them with nectar is a delight as it brings these colourful wee birdies into the garden. Before you buy a feeder, I warn you that it is quite a responsibility to provide a steady supply of nectar, especially when the temperatures plummet. The nectar freezes when temperatures drop a few degrees below freezing, however, there are ways to keep it flowing. Click here for more.
Hummingbirds: Anna’s hummingbirds don’t migrate south; they would rather stay in British Columbia over the winter. Providing them with nectar is a delight as it brings these colourful wee birdies into the garden. Before you buy a feeder, I warn you that it is quite a responsibility to provide a steady supply of nectar, especially when the temperatures plummet. The nectar freezes when temperatures drop a few degrees below freezing, however, there are ways to keep it flowing. Click here for more.
Bunnies have eaten these tulip leaves.
|
Deer have eaten this cedar hedge.
|
Protect suet feeders from squirrels.
|
Animal Damage: Animals prey on plants when there’s a lack of food, even ones they don’t particularly care for. It’s infuriating, but they are just trying to survive when food is not plentiful. Even thorns and prickles don’t deter them. It’s impossible to protect all plants, but there are many options that can help. To learn more click on Critters in the Garden.
Plant POlice
This badly planted dogwood tree days are numbered. There's a few things wrong here. First, it was planted too high. The white line indicates the appropriate depth. The roots were also not loosened prior to planting so they are strangling itself. To learn how to plant trees correctly click on Planting Know-How.
|
January's Arrangement
January 2024
January's arrangement features foliage and berries. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements.
|
January's Plant of the month
dogHobble - leucothoe
A mature leucothoe displays its graceful flowering stems.
Red and pink new foliage contrast nicely with the green and cream coloured leaves.
Doghobble's arching stems making it difficult for dogs and anyone else to step through them.
New buds & foliage emerge red then don a pinkish tinge.
Flowers hang from flexible stems.
Stems become heavily laden with the weight of the flowers.
Flower clusters form at the leaf axils.
|
Flowers are slightly fragrant and are held in grape-like clusters.
Common Name: Rainbow doghobble, leucothoe
Botanical Name: Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow' Form: arching branches, vase shaped Family: Ericaceae Genus: Leucothoe Cultivar: ‘Rainbow’ Species: fontanesiana Plant Type: evergreen shrub Mature Size: fontanesiana Growth: 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide Origin: Southeastern USA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9, plant in a protected location Foliage: thick, glossy, marbled variegation in creams, reds & pinks that turn burgundy in autumn, lance-shaped 4” long, Flowers: showy, fragrant, white urn-shaped held in drooping clusters that hang from the undersides of the foliage in April, May Fruit: brown, ¼” dry capsules held in clusters that hang down. Stems: arching red stems with alternating leaves Exposure: partial sun to shade Soil: tolerant of acid, clay & sand, moist, acid soil best, add 3 inches of mulch on soil surface Uses: specimen, massing, ground cover, foundation plant, hedges, underplanting for shrubs and trees, cottage Maintenance: low, easy to grow, disease & pest free Toxicity: toxic to cats, horses & dogs Attracts: bees Invasive Tendencies: none Propagation: seed, semi-hardwood cuttings Pruning: not necessary, but if needed do so after flowers fade Problems: roots rot in wet soil, dislikes strong wind and drought Comments: Rainbow leucothoes gets noticed for their unusual variegated green and cream foliage that forms rows along arching stems. New foliage is bright red, which fades to pink as the leaves mature. Variegation and marbling of the leaves differ from plant to plant, with some being more colourful than others. It’s an attractive vase-shaped evergreen shrub that looks good all year long. Add them to borders, multistory plantings, cottage gardens and use them as accents and specimens throughout the garden. Because they prefer shade rather than full sun locations use them to bring colour, form and life to darker areas of the garden. Leucothoes are native to the southeastern part of the US. Unlike the rainbow cultivar, they are plain green, but still have the densely packed arching stems. This makes them difficult to walk through, hence their common moniker, doghobble, as dogs can’t walk through them either. The rainbow leucothoe, like all doghobbles, prefer a shady location, but can handle full sun in temperate climates and hot climates if the soil is moist. With that said, they will rot if the soil doesn’t drain well as they are not bog plants. They will grow in most soils but prefer it to be rich and moist with good drainage topped with a 3-inch layer of an organic mulch. The mulch keeps moisture in the soil and increases soil fertility. Leucothoe’s lance-shaped leaves are leathery, glossy and colourful. Colours fade if there is too much shade and become bleached out where there is too much sun. Around April and May, slightly fragrant white flowers hang down from underneath the foliage. They dangle from the axils where the leaf stem (petiole) joins the stem in long lush clusters. A plethora of seed capsules follow. The seeds within are viable, however, cultivars do not come true from seed. Coastal Leucothoe, L. axillaris is also referred to as coastal doghobble and fetterbush. It is a north American native that grows to 4 feet by 6 feet in width. It’s flowers are white, but with pinkish tinge. It grows best in USDA zones 6 to 9. |
Leucothoes are suitable to place at the feet of other plants as seen in the front of this raised bed.
|
|
|
THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
Click on the links below to be redirected.
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.
|
|
Copyright 2017 The Garden Website.com, Amanda's Garden Consulting Company - All Rights Reserved