January is not a particularly fairly month at the Mid-Atlantic backyard. Few plants are in bloom, there’s hardly any green in sight and there are months of snow-covered bareness to look forward to. Chilly temperatures are settling in for a long winter remain, and the frigid winds create many gardening tasks things to avoid.
Nearly all of our feathered friends, save the cardinals and jays, have removed to more temperatures, and birdsong is sorely missed. This month let us prepare for the return of spring, take care of our avian friends who stay and seek out minutes of beauty.
Amy Renea
There might be no flowers, but a couple of berries persist on the hardiest of plants. As you might have used some for Christmas decor, make certain that you leave as many as you can on the plants to the birds that stay. This origin of food is vital to them. In case you did use berries decorations, then be sure to toss them back outdoors to your critters.
Amy Renea
Among the prettiest sights in my winter garden is the contrast of vibrant red against the wheat-colored colors of winter grasses. I abandon them both standing as long as possible, but the ice and snow will claim the grasses at some stage this month. When they have lost their upright posture and so are bent and hanging like sad, limp spaghetti, it is going to be time to take the chain saw to the ornamental grass clumps.
Amy Renea
While most birds have escaped the grasp of this Mid-Atlantic winter, some will begin scouting and seeking out spring houses for their own families. Now’s a fantastic time to get birdhouses into prime shape so that they’ll be prepared in summer time for the birds to phone them home.
Amy Renea
Remember those grasses that can get chopped down? They are the perfect bedding for a chicken coop or a addition to the compost pile. Do not waste them!
This is also the opportunity to put in a dirt or sand tub to the coop to your feathered friends. When the ground has frozen, they will not be able to wash as they need to, thus a small box of loose dirt and sand is a must.
Amy Renea
Also make certain that your winter coop is warm enough to your hens. Though cows can defy a surprising quantity of cold, a simple pane of glass to break the end in the coop can make their life much more pleasant. You might also look at a heat lamp depending on the era and place of your own flock.
Amy Renea
January is the month that I actually start getting in my mulch pots (also called winter pots or trash pots). Essentially, compost process has slowed down, and it’s much too many measures through icy snow into the pile, so I create these compost baskets all winter. I maintain a stack of empty, clean pots on the porch and one by one I fill them halfway up with our kitchen mulch.
Amy Renea
When the winter strands are half full, I put in a layer of potting soil, then pantry plants such as sprouting potatoes, radish and onion tops, and leek roots. Topped off with another layer of potting soil, these crops will start growing inside and are going to be able to be planted outside in mid-March.
Amy Renea
These pots work nicely for winter bulb forcing. Simply fill the pot halfway with compost materials, then put in a layer of soil and a thick layer of spring bulbs. Cover the bulbs with soil and put the pots in a cool, dark locaiton for a couple of weeks, then put them out into the heat of your house and water off. In a few more months, tulips, daffodils and crocuses will start peeking up their heads to get a springtime preview.
Amy Renea
Meanwhile, tiny small buds and baby plants will start showing outside. Protect and cover those buds so they will endure the long winter ahead.
Amy Renea
Mulch piled along with budding roses and plants can mean the difference between life and death by the time April rolls around. Leaves, burlap and pine needles are several other fantastic protectors to your delicate plants.
Amy Renea
If I get a couple of comparatively pleasant times in January, I start laying out my beds and weed barriers for spring. Only lay down old cardboard boxes, newspaper or weed block and weight them down with rocks or bricks. Top the cardboard with a layer of compostable material (if you want) then a layer of mulch. It will all begin breaking down over winter but will nevertheless offer weed-blocking benefits by spring.
Amy Renea
So while things might not look pretty, wear those rose-colored glasses and look at January’s backyard at a new light. This can be a time for renewal in the backyard. It is an opportunity to start again, to protect the new life hoping to grow, and a time to slowly prepare for the next growing season. Take the time to enjoy the hidden pieces of beauty and to dream about what’s going to be in only a couple of months!