January · month 1 of 12
What to do in the garden in January
Every job worth doing in January, built from the real care schedules of the plants gardeners grow — with the exact plants that need each one.
Prune in January
Cut old foliage back to 4-6 inches before new growth starts (late winter).
Spring Cleanup in January
Cut back foliage to 4-6 inches from the ground before new growth starts.
Fertilize in January
Apply bulb fertilizer as new shoots emerge in early spring
Propagate in January
Take softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in winter.
Harvest in January
Harvest sprigs as needed year-round, taking no more than one-third of the plant.
Winter Prep in January
Cut back to a few inches above the ground in late fall or late winter.
Spray Treatment in January
Apply dormant oil in late winter to control overwintering spider mites.
What's blooming in January
In flower around now.
Frost dates and bloom windows are typical ranges, not guarantees — your microclimate moves them by weeks. Sow uses your real local forecast instead.
January questions
What should I do in the garden in January?
The jobs that matter most this month are prune, spring cleanup, fertilize, propagate. Each section above lists the specific plants that need that job in January — drawn from the care schedules of the plants gardeners actually grow.
Does this calendar change by hardiness zone?
The tasks are the same, but which plants you can grow is not. Pick your zone below to see this month's jobs filtered to plants that survive your winters.
What's blooming in January?
Hellebore Wedding Party Mix, Lenten Rose Hybrid Mix, Lenten Rose Double Queen Strain, Lenten Rose Hellebore, Peppermint Ice Lenten Rose and others are in flower around now. The full list is above.
Keep exploring
Get January's tasks for your own plants
Sow builds this checklist from the plants actually in your yard — and adjusts it to your real forecast, so a wet week skips the watering and a frost warning reaches you first.
