January

• January brings great prep time to plan and start your spring vegetables and flowers for your garden. The weather is typically dry and daytime temperatures rarely go above 85°F. The nights get cool, but rarely below freezing.

• Evaluate your citrus trees this month–which should be easy as navels and early-fruiting oranges are ready to enjoy- and inspect for pest, plant disease, freeze damage and nutritional deficiencies.

• Central and South Florida folks, go ahead and start watermelon seeds inside do they’re ready to be transplanted outside as soon as the weather turns. North Florida residents, you’ll need to wait until March. If you’ve planted ahead, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, beats and much more may all be maturing at this time. With the heat on hiatus, you can cut back on the amount of water you’re applying. Try skipping a week a month. Not only does this help reduce your household’s water use, you should notice a difference on your water bill too.

• With less time needed on lawn maintenance this month, take some time to inspect yard equipment and make any necessary repairs while your use is low. Be a weather watcher: Cover tender tropical and young plants when temperatures are expected to go below their survivability threshold. Be certain to uncover them when temperatures rise as they can also overheat.

• With the cool weather keeping outdoor activities to a relative minimum, take time now to enjoy your houseplants. Houseplants are a great addition to any indoor environment as they help filter volatile organic compounds and boost oxygen levels.

• Add annual-like plants that require a winter chill to flower well in the spring.