Fantastic Lakes Gardener's January Checklist
Many Great Lakes gardeners are holed up inside dreaming of spring right now. Apart from curling up with a hot toddy and a garden catalog or site, anglers can find some pleasure from the winter garden and get a jump on the gardening time to come.
Barbara Pintozzi
Enjoy the beauty of the winter garden. Without snow, there is stark beauty in the winter garden. Dew, or Hoarfrost, transforms plants into lace. Grasses, like this native switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) are especially showy when coated with hoarfrost.
Barbara Pintozzi
Maintain winter interest with evergreens. As snow cover can be unreliable and fantastic Lakes gardens can vie during a January thaw, it is important to have evergreen perennials for winter attraction, such as hellebores (Helleborus x hybridus, Helleborus niger), coral bells (Heuchera hybrids) and hepaticas (the native Hepatica nobilis var. Obtusa, shown). Water these evergreen plants to prevent dessication, if there isn’t any snow.
Barbara Pintozzi
Sow seeds. January is the best time to sow seeds of hardy annuals and perennials that need a period of cold or stratification for germination.
Some could be sown in containers outside, while others, like these breadseed poppies (Papaver somniferum), should be sown directly into the backyard. The seeds can be sprinkled on top of the snow where they are to be grown.
Barbara Pintozzi
Discover your garden’s bones. The snow-covered fantastic Lakes garden is all about lines and shapes. The almost monochromatic setting shows off the arrangement of well-branched trees and shrubs, like this young native redbud (Cercis canadensis).
This simplicity of snow and construction can enable the gardener to observe the bones of the backyard, indicating areas for improvement. The middle of winter is an superb time to dream of this backyard and draw up strategies for modifications to be made next spring and summertime.
Barbara Pintozzi
Snow transforms even nonwoody plants. All these coneflower seed heads (Echinacea purpurea) appear to be wearing hats.
Look around and take photographs from windows of this midwinter backyard to ascertain where points of winter interest could be improved or incorporated.
Barbara Pintozzi
Give birds a beverage. Bird-watching can help get a fantastic Lakes gardener through winter. The ideal way to attract birds to the winter garden is to provide a heated birdbath. Even more than meals, birds need clean, open water for drinking and bathing. Whether electric or solar powered, on the ground or elevated to a deck or stand, a heated birdbath will draw more and diverse birds compared to any lone bird feeder. Site the birdbath at which it can be seen easily from a cozy chair inside.
Barbara Pintozzi
Bring blossoms inside. Great Lakes anglers can endure from blossom withdrawal in the midst of the winter. In addition to forced bulbs, orchids can be a fantastic fix. Bring an insulated bag in case you go to buy one on a bitter-cold afternoon, as plants and blooms could be ruined by the cold between leaving the shop and putting them into the home.
There are lots of publications on orchid care, such as Bloom Again Orchids, to guide your purchase and care of orchids. Start with less overpowering, easy-care orchids, like this moth orchid (Phalaenopsis hybrid).
Barbara Pintozzi
Have a field excursion. If everything else fails, the best remedy for a serious case of cabin fever is to head out to your local conservatory to observe flowers and breathe from moist, fragrant air. Standing under swaying palm fronds (here, Dypsis leptocheilos) on a sunny day can make you forget about the snow and the cold.
More guides to Great Lakes gardening