What To Do In Your Garden In December And January 2017

This winter has been cold so far, with winter-like temperatures sticking around for a while. Hopefully we won't receive any freezing temperatures, only enough chilling hours for the temperate fruit crops to set flower.

With the start of a new year comes new classes. Look for a new seminar and class scheduled for February and April. For more information or to register, call 321-633-1702 or visit bit.ly/ufbrevard.

• A Florida-friendly landscaping seminar, with vendors, will be at Eau Gallie High School, 1400 Commodore Ave. Melbourne, at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. The topics for this free seminar: Calling All Composting Canoodlers, Going Wild for Natives, Indian River Lagoon update, and Soils, Fertilizers and Pests, Oh My!

• Florida-friendly landscaping class series will be from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, starting April 3. Two topics will be covered each class for the eight-class series.

For some ideas of activities that you can do outside this month, here are some suggestions.

• The shorter days of winter cause the turf to stop putting on new growth, so watering and mowing won't need to be done very often, maybe just every 10 days to two weeks. Lawns should be watered deeply, with about 3/4 of an inch of water, when water is applied. If your irrigation is currently watering more than once a week, change your settings.

• Take a soil sample of your turf, so when it's time to fertilize this spring, you will know what nutrients to apply. The soil testing form is available at http://soilslab.ifas.ufl.edu/ESTL_files/SS18700.pdf and it comes with directions on how to take a soil sample. Be sure to order the $7 test B, which measures the nutrient levels for phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, along with pH of the soil.

• Flowers that enjoy cooler temperatures include: alyssum, dianthus, pansy, viola, petunia, phlox, stock, flowering kale, and snapdragons.

• To protect tender plants from a freeze, cover them with a blanket or quilt and weight the edges down if windy weather is in the forecast. If using a plastic tarp to cover the plants, don't let the plastic touch the foliage, or cold damage will occur.

• Herbs for January planting include chives, chervil (winter annual), cilantro, fennel, mint, parsley, lavender, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

• Prune deciduous plants now, if needed, when they are dormant, including all dead and diseased wood. For crepe myrtle trees, remove seed pods, twiggy growth and crossing branches. For detailed information on pruning deciduous fruit trees, shrubs and vines, visit our Fruitscape site at http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/fruitscapes.

• For transplanting in February, this is the month to sow arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, sweet corn, cucumber, eggplant, kale, peppers, squash, watermelon, kohlrabi, endive/escarole, beets, collards, lettuce, mustard, English or snow peas, spinach, Swiss chard, tomatoes and turnip seeds.

• Vegetables that can be planted in January include arugula, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, cucumbers, endive/escarole, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, cauliflower, collards, lettuce, mustard, English or snow peas, Irish potatoes, radishes, celery, kale, kohlrabi, spinach, squash, sweet corn, Swiss chard, and turnips.

• To save space when seeding carrots and radishes, sow them in the same row because carrots are slower to germinate. The radishes will be harvested before the carrots need the space. Also, cover the seeds with some vermiculite to help mark the row.

• Here is a list of fresh produce that could be available at produce stands or farmers markets in January: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, radishes and strawberries. Brevard County farmers market, held from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at the Wickham Park Equestrian Center in Melbourne, may have these as well.

Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences.