garden checklist

Southern Living, Jan 2004

JANUARY 2004

* Monkey grass-Cut back the old foliage of this dependable ground cover now before the new leaves emerge. Trim small plantings by hand; for larger ones, use your lawnmower with the blade set 2 ½ to 3 inches high. If working with a string trimmer, just remember to cut off approximately two-thirds of the plant. If you cut it back too severely, you may damage the new leaves.

* Houseplants-Overwatering can kill houseplants, especially during the winter months. They need less moisture then because most are not actively growing. An easy remedy is to use an inexpensive moisture meter. This will tell you when the soil is too dry, so you will know when to water. For a goof-proof plant, try Chinese evergreen. To learn more, read "The Easiest Houseplant" on page 70.

* Seeds-Think about seeds for your spring garden. Purchase them now to get the best selection, and you'll be prepared to plant when the weather warms.

* Horticultural oil-Apply it now, and you won't need to spray as much during spring and summer.

Use an oil such as SunSpray Ultra-Fine on camellias, fruit trees, hollies, citrus, and other ornamentals to help control scale and other pests. It is important to direct the spray to the undersides of foliage on evergreen plants for complete coverage.

* Greens-Continue to pick collards and kale. Cooler weather sweetens the foliage. Harvest the lower leaves regularly, working from the bottom up so plants will keep on growing.

* Fragrant shrubs-You can introduce sweet scents to your landscape this season by planting winter daphne (Daphne odora), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), and winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). These shrubs will perfume the air and make treasured additions to your garden. Their fragrances are most noticeable on warm, sunny days. They are available now at garden centers and by mail order from Woodlanders nursery, (803) 648-7522 or www. woodlanders.net.