January is a new start for gardeners. It’s time to start digging in on warm winter days and start a garden journal for the new gardening year. Some areas may be to cold to begin gardening outdoors, while others can start working the soil, but everyone can make a plan and gather seeds! An early jumpstart avoids last minute decisions in the garden.

A few things you can do now: 

• Sow early peas, broadbeans, lettuce and spinach under cloches in mild areas.
• Feed autumn planted garlic and onions with greensand or kelp meal.
• Sort seeds by checking old packets of seeds. Most seeds do ok for a second year, with the exceptions of parsnips, carrots, peas and beans, which are better used up the first year you purchased them. 
• Plan garden plots and purchase seeds for this years garden. The earlier you order, the better the selection. 
• Attend to tools by oiling and sharpening pruners, repairing equipment, etc. 
• Wash used pots that will be used for seed starting. This ensures no possible disease transfer from last year. 
• Grape vines should be pruned by the end of the month.
• Fruit tree pruning can begin.
• Spray fruit trees with copper if you have had peach leaf curl, coryneum blight, or shot hole diseases.