Winter has definitely arrived and seems to be settling down for a nice
long visit. The temperatures this past week were the lowest we have
experienced in a long time. The garden soil is now frozen, so go ahead
and mulch the perennial border if you haven’t done so already. I like
to
use a light mulch, usually the cut branches from Christmas trees. If
there aren’t enough branches to cover the entire bed, concentrate your
efforts on the newly planted perennials. They are the plants most
likely
to heave up after fluctuation in temperature since their roots may not
be established.

If you have a wood burning fireplace or stove collect the ashes to use
in the garden. Wood ash is a good source of potash. The ashes can be
added to the compost pile or saved to spread around the root zone of
certain plants. Each plant only requires a small amount so spread the
ashes sparingly as you would lime. Dogwoods, lilacs and plants
preferring a higher pH will benefit from an application of wood ash.

One task that can be done at this cold time of the year is pruning the
trees that tend to bleed. Birch, dogwood and maple are all species that
tend to bleed a lot of sap when they are pruned during the warmer
months. It is also easier to see what needs to be removed and create a
pleasing shape.

Winter storms necessitate spreading of salt and other de-icers on roads
and paths. Protect sensitive plants from the run-off and splashing with
burlap screening. Place the screen 12-18 inches away from the plant.
This should help protect those plantings near the road or driveway.

January is the month to start planning for the gardening season. The
new
plant and seed catalogues have arrived in the mail. And any seed
company
you haven’t heard from most likely has a website, too. If you have
seeds
left over from previous years, sort through them. Some seed, such as
corn and beans, remains viable for only a year or two. Others,
tomatoes,
peppers and lettuce for example can be kept for several years. If in
doubt, run a germination test on a small amount before saving the rest
to use in the garden this year. Any seed with less than a 75 %
germination rate should be thrown away.

Whether you buy new seeds from a local garden center or send away for
them from seed catalogues, do it early for the best selection. The
newest varieties for 2004 will sell out quickly.

Plan a layout of the vegetable garden now and make a list of new
varieties of vegetables and flowers. Rotate the placement of the
varieties of vegetables you plant each year. Don’t plant the same
vegetable in the same row or section of the garden year after year. It
can lead to a build up of disease pathogens and the depletion of
certain
nutrients.

If you have never kept a garden journal, try starting one this year.
There are journals available at bookstores specifically for gardeners.
Or you can put one together simply using a three ring binder. Pocket
folders can be included to hold plant labels from new purchases,
planting directions and equipment warranties. Graph paper for garden
plans and lined paper for notes should also be included.

The basic entries should include when, where and what has been planted.
Temperature and weather information is important to note as well. The
dates of the first and last frost of the season, weekly rainfall totals
and temperatures can be entered. Note when the first vegetable is
harvested or how early you picked the first tomato. When the season is
over, write down how well the plants faired. It can be as simple or as
detailed as you want.

Gardeners that have kept journals for many years are rewarded with a
wealth of information specific to their own plot. Correlations between
weather patterns and which plants succeed or fail become more apparent
over time. Prevention or early detection of insect or disease problems
will be easier when you refer to the notes from previous experiences.
The garden journal provides a history as well as a fined tuned
instruction manual to refer to year after year.

Beth Nardone, botanist, is a resident of Hillsborough and is the
Nursery
Manager at the Belle Mead Co-Op. Questions and comments can be sent to
bethtanical@patmedia.net