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Ice and snow challenges
Recycle holiday evergreens
For Chicago-area gardeners, January is primarily a time for planning, not planting. With winter in full swing in our USDA Hardiness Zones 5b and 6a, January is a great month to prepare for the gardening season ahead and to tend to the indoor plants brightening our living spaces. There may still be important outside tasks—primarily to help protect trees, shrubs, and perennials contending with winter’s often-harsh conditions.
Develop a plan
Devote time to develop your garden plans for the new year. What worked last season, and what didn’t?
Address winter hazards
Changing climate conditions are adding to winter’s challenges, with extreme cold temperatures and precipitation (including snow, ice, and sleet) interspersed with unseasonably milder weather that may confuse and potentially harm plants.
De-ice with caution
If necessary, use de-icing products on walkways and driveways. Because de-icing products may cause landscape and environmental problems, consider broadcasting sand on slippery surfaces. Be careful not to use too much sand, however, because it may clog catch basins and storm drains. Additional tips:
Tree and Shrub Care
Pruning tips: You can lightly prune deciduous trees and shrubs this month, weather permitting. Oak trees should be pruned in dormant winter months to minimize the risk of oak wilt disease. Heavy pruning is best performed later in winter or in early spring just before bud break. However, immediately prune back any branches that were damaged by snow and ice. Wait to prune fruit trees in late February or early March. Learn more here.
Ice and snow challenges
Take a gentle approach when ice or snow covers trees and shrubs. Using shovels and other heavy objects on branches risks cutting the bark, creating a possible point of entry for infection and insect attack.
Indoor Plant Care
Herbal harvest
Consider growing herbs on windowsills. Some herbs handle our drier indoor winter conditions better than others.
Winter TLC: Most houseplants slow their growth during the semi-dormant winter period. They require less water and less, if any, fertilizer. Succulents such as cacti and jade plants are in winter dormancy and require bright light but very cool conditions with no water for up to two months. Overwatering may create soft brown patches on stems and foliage. Smaller houseplants and some herbs may benefit from spending a few months under artificial lights to supplement winter’s diminished natural sunlight.
Monitor houseplants for infestation
Insect problems may occur when plants become stressed because of insufficient light; overheated, stuffy rooms; and/or improper watering and fertilizing. Isolate new houseplants or gift plants before adding them to your collection. Common pests include:
January is a great month to …
Recycle holiday evergreens
Put holiday evergreen material to work in your yard. Christmas tree branches (cut into 2- to 3-foot sections), swags, wreaths, etc., can be used as mulch for garden and perennial beds. Lightweight, open evergreens permit moisture to reach the soil but also insulate the roots and crowns of plants from the freeze-thaw-freeze cycle increasingly common in Illinois winters.