January always begins with the festivities of the Holiday Season, but reality soon returns as gardeners are looking at short and often cloudy days, cold temperatures and a sleeping garden. Looking on the positive side, we now have the leisure of working in the Garden when the time or the weather suits our schedule, since it is a time when the garden stands still. Continue taking notes in your journals on the temperatures, snowfall or rain amounts along with the sightings of visiting birds, all while enjoying your favorite winter beverage by a warm glow of a lamp.
Things to do:
- Plain your vegetable and annual gardens! As seed catalogues continue to appear almost daily in the mailbox, keep your designs handy so you do not buy more seed than is needed.
- Order your seeds early, as gardening is promising to be popular this year and certain varieties may sell out quickly!
- If this is the first time you are planning on creating a vegetable garden, think small to start. A 10’x12’ or similar sized area is perfect for a start. Also consider starting with easy vegetables, such as Zucchini, Bush Beans, Beets or Lettuce. Tomatoes are great but are best when staked, so make certain you also have staking materials. As a reminder, tomatoes can grow to 6’ tall, so it is important to plant a crop on the North side of tomatoes that will tolerate partial shade.
- Resist the urge to order too many of those vegetables that yield heavy amount of fruits. Three or four tomato plants is often all that is needed for a family of 4!
- Reread your journal from the past year. Take note of some of the major problems you encountered in 2020 (or even 2019) that can be resolved in 2021. Some of these problems may have included starting seed to early or planting vegetables too closely.
- Study the winter bones of the garden. During the calm of winter, give thought to improvements that can be made for a more colorful winter garden, such as the addition of colorful stems with Red Stemmed Dogwoods or Willows, the blooms of Winter Witch Hazels such as ‘Jelena’ pictured at right, views that need to be screened or new views that should be created, etc.
- Take care of your tools! Sharpen, clean, oil and otherwise repair saws and pruners. Sharpen the cutting edge of spades and lawnmower blades, repair the handles of shovels and wheelbarrows or any other tool placed on the ‘to be fixed’ pile. Compose a list of tools to purchase that are beyond repair.
- Start to evaluate pruning needs. Typically, most pruning is completed in January through late March, with the heaviest pruning reserved for late February and early March. January is the time to evaluate plants for heavy cuts, and to begin structural work, shaping and thinning of small trees and shrubs. All rubbing or potentially rubbing branches should be removed as well as any necessary shaping. All suckers (vigorous shoots originating from the roots) should be removed and water sprouts (vigorous shoots originating from branches) should be thinned.
- Study your shade trees for potential problems as well. This is a great time to hire a tree service to tend to these problems and the woodchips produced from the trimmed branches makes a great mulch or a surface for woodland paths.
- Cut some branches of winter blooming Witchhazels (Hamamelis hybrids), Winter Sweet (Chimonanthus praecox), Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) or Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume) to force and enjoy indoors.
- If snow is absent, start cutting back Hellebore Hybrids (Helleborus x hybridus) towards the end of January. It is easier to remove the foliage when the buds are not present and the foliage often turns brown by bloom time. The foliage of Helleborus niger ‘Joseph Lemper’ (photo at right) often remains green throughout the winter and nicely compliments the flowers.
- This past December I noticed a number of Hellebores breaking bud early. Helleborus niger ‘Joseph Lemper’ was blooming in early December and H. x ‘Royal Heritage’ were showing buds. Consider laying evergreen boughs of pine or even the Christmas tree on these plants, providing protection during cold days.
- Remove last year’s foliage of Cut Leaf Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum var. dissectum) that has accumulated on top of the plant branches, as it will hold snow and cause limb breakage. Pictured at right.
- If we receive snow, remove heavy snow from hedges and tightly grown plants to prevent breakage!
- Check any potted plants that you have in a lightly heated garage or basement for watering needs. Keep them on the dry side so they do not begin to push vigorous growth or start to decay. You may also wish to invest in a Min-max thermometer, which records the coldest and hottest temperatures. This will allow you to understand just how cold the garage is getting on those cold winter nights. For more tender plants, even though dormant, you may wish to put them on a table to keep them off the cold floor.
- If you have Colocasia or Alocasia tubers stored in a peat, potting soil mix or shredded mulch for the winter, lightly water the mix periodically (around once a month) to prevent desiccation of the tuber. Or, if they were left in their containers and the foliage is still up, water them lightly and check for spider mites, especially in the case of any Alocasia that may serve as house plants for the winter. If you do have spider mites, wash the leaves thoroughly with regular tap water – obviously, this is more easily accomplished if you can bring the plant outside on a warmer day. If the temperatures remain cold, you can simply wipe down the leaves and stems with a moist rag.
- By and large, most of your houseplants need to be kept on the dry side during winter, as too much water will cause root or crown decay. Put your Poinsettias, Amaryllis or Cyclamen in a sunny southern window and water when the top of the soil becomes dry.
- Houseplants should be rotated 180 degrees every few weeks so that the plants receive equal light on all sides.
- Tillandsia or Air Plants should be soaked in warm tap water every 5-7 days. More frequently if they are located next to heat ducts. I have come to enjoy placing Tillandsia among the leaves of larger plants, such as the Jade Plant (picture at right). It provides great presentation and looks like the Jade Plant is flowering!
- If you have Coleus, succulents or other easy to root annuals in containers, you may wish to start cuttings of new plants in late January, building up your supply for the summer garden. With succulents, you can often place a leaf or a cutting on a table and over a period of several weeks, it will sprout roots, after which, it can be potted.
- Repair fences! Perennials, vegetables, vines or other plants whose roots resent foot traffic typically grow adjacent to fences and prevent access during the growing season.
- Set-up and fill bird feeders. Place them near windows so the birds can be appreciated!
- Most important – pour yourself a cup of good tea or a glass of wine to celebrate your garden accomplishments of 2020. It was a tough year for a number of reasons. Personal accomplishments deserve a personal reward and no one knows those accomplishments better than you!
botanist and entomologist Adrian Hardy Haworth (1767-1833) who described 21 species of the genus throughout his career, although he too classified them as Aloe! In 2013, based upon genetic studies, the British botanist Gordon Douglas Rowley (1921-2019) split the genus creating the new genus of Haworthiopsis. The new ending for the name is from the Greek Ópsis for appearance, indicating these plants appear like Haworthia. The most noticeable physical difference is the thicker and harder epidermis or outer covering of the Haworthiopsis leaf when compared to Haworthia. Both Haworthia and Haworthiopsis are native to countries in the southern regions of Africa with the predominance of species found in South Africa, although Mozambique, Swaziland and Namibia are also home to numerous species. Both genera exhibit CAM or Crassulacean Acid Metabolism whereby the leaf stomata open only at night to reduce the loss of water during the day and allow for gas exchange. This allows the plant to be very efficient at conserving water, but also rather slow growing since it can only produce a limited amount of sugars per day based upon the amount of CO2 absorbed at night.
The most commonly grown species, and the plant my mother used with seemingly reckless abandon is the Zebra Cactus or Haworthiopsis attenuata (pictured at right). The species epithet is from the Latin Attenuatus meaning diminished or lessened and refers to the form of the leaf, which tapers or diminishes to a sharp point. The common name of Zebra Cactus comes from the ornamental bands of small white warty projections called tubercles on the back sides of the dark green leaves, which with a touch of imagination resemble the markings of a Zebra. The tubercles allow the expansion of the leaf during the moister summer months without imparting any tearing or damage to the stiff epidermis of the leaf. The plants are stemless and produce 3-6” diameter rosettes of foliage that develop offsets or pups over time and eventually develop into sizable colonies. White to soft pink flowers are occasionally produced during late fall and winter, which corresponds to the spring and summer months in the plants native homeland. The genetic clock does not change simply because the plants are now in North America! The flowers are located along slender stems that bend like fishing poles under the weight of the flowers. The flowers actually consist of tepals, whereby the petals and the leafy calyx look identical and they are displayed in a bilobate arrangement, with a very distinguished upper and lower lip, as seen above. The tip of the lips reflex back, giving the flower a very pronounce appearance similar to a set of puckered lips. Green or reddish brown stripes run down the inside and outside of the flower and most likely serve as nectar guides or visual cues for visiting pollinators.
Another very ornamental species is Haworthiopsis limifolia, commonly called the File Leafed Haworthia or Fairies Washboard. Herman Wilhelm Rudolf Marloth (1855-1931), a German born South African botanist and pharmacist, described the species in 1910, under the genus Haworthia. The epithet is from the Latin limo, meaning to diminish or file off, a reference to file-like appearance of the raised linear ridges of tubercles along the leaves. The common name of Fairies Washboard is also a reference to the raised ridges of tubercles. The leaves are arranged in stemless rosettes, although they are slightly broader, especially near the base when compared to its previously mentioned cousin. ‘Spider White’ (pictured above) is a relatively recent introduction with very white tubercles and is the recipient of the 2015 Dutch ‘Glass Tulip’ award for best new houseplant. The tubercles are a very showy white and give the foliage a very attractive creamy glow!
summer months, the plants are actively growing and are tolerant of our summer rainfalls, allowing them to be used in summer container arrangements or simply set outside for the summer. In the regions where they are native, they typically grow in the shadow of a rock and prefer a similar, lightly shaded location as an ornamental. Fertilize with a half dilute houseplant food that has a higher phosphorus content, such as 5-10-5. Come fall bring the plants inside and give them a windowsill with bright light or morning light. The key in winter is to let the soil dry out completely in-between watering, which can mean upwards of 2-4 weeks without the need for a watering can – something that may prove very difficult for some gardeners!
Peperomia is in the family Piperaceae or Pepper family, which derives its common familial name not from peppers we eat as a vegetable, but from Piper nigrum, the source of black pepper! The genus Peperomia consists of nearly 1,000 species, most of which are found throughout tropical regions of South America, although a few are located in Africa, Mexico and the Caribbean. The genus name was penned by the Spanish Botanists Hipólito Ruiz López (1754-1816) and José Antonio Pavón Jiménez (1754-1840) in 1794, following their 3 botanical tours of Peru and Chile during 1777 and 1788. The name Peperomia comes from the Greek Pipéri for pepper and Hómoios for resembling or similar, once again a tribute to its distant cousin Piper nigrum. The common name of Radiator Plant was coined by the famed horticulturist Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954); since the plants enjoy warm air and bright light, much as one would find on a window sill above a radiator, he deemed it apropos! For nearly all species of the genus, the foliage provides the primary ornamental appeal, although the flowers are intriguing. The horizontal rows of small flowers are located along a 2-5” long spike (image at right) that emerges from the apical tip of a stem. They are certainly not stunning, but they do provide a touch of interest. Very little research has been conducted on the flower pollination, but it appears many of the plants produce seed asexually via agamospermy, whereby unfertilized ovules yield viable seeds!
One of the easiest species to grow is Peperomia obtusifolia, commonly called Blunt Leaved Radiator Plant or Baby Rubber Tree. The species epithet comes from the Latin Obtusus for dull or blunt and Folium for leaf, providing the foundation for one of its common names. Originally described by the German botanist Albert Gottfried Dietrich (1795-1856) in 1831, this native of Mexico and the Caribbean has 1-2” glossy round leaves that appear along stout stems. The plant produces a low, almost shrubby habit, growing to 18” tall by 2’ or greater in diameter. The stems are somewhat brittle and care should be exercised when handling. For December, the form ‘Variegata’ sports attractive creamy white and soft green variegation. Interestingly, there are several forms of ‘Variegata’ on the market. Some have a broad, creamy white margin with an irregular, silvery green central splash that nicely compliments the deep red color of the younger stems (as seen on the left). Others have mottled white and green foliage that is somewhat less impactful yet still very attractive. Regardless, these forms provide great colors for the season.
Another easily grown species is Peperomia clusiifolia, the Red-edge Peperomia. Originally named Piper clusiifolia in 1789 by the Dutch Chemist, Doctor and Botanist, Nicolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727-1817), it was not until 1829 that the British systematic botanist William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865) properly described the plant. Native to the West Indies and Venezuela, the species name describes how the leaves are similar to the tropical genus of woody plants Clusia, which was named after the famed Artois botanist, Carolus Clusius (1526-1609). The plants have thick waxy paddle shaped leaves, growing to 3-4” long with a prominent red margin and red stems. The variety named Tricolor (pictured at right) features foliage splashed with red, white and green, producing a most attractive plant for the home that can be paired very nicely with some Poinsettias! As with the previous species, plants reach upwards of 18” tall and gradually spread to 18-24” around.
