Gardening Just Got Easy With This North Florida Calendar


As we are about to enter a new year, I wanted to share with you a gardening resource that you can use throughout the year. This is the UF / IFAS Extension North Florida Gardening Calendar created by Sidney Park Brown, Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Environmental Horticulture at UF / IFAS. For each month, there is a section on “What to plant” for that month and a section on “What to do” in our lawns, landscapes and gardens in North Florida.

Here is the calendar for the month of January. As you can see there is plenty to do even in January here in North Florida. Each month follows a similar format.

What to plant

Annuals / Bedding plants: Cool-season annuals include pansy, viola, petunia, and snapdragon. See Annuals: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_annual_landscape_plants.

Bulbs: Crinum, Agapanthus and Gloriosa Lily can be planted now. Straw to protect from the cold. See Bulbs for Florida: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_bulbous_flowers.

Camellias: Select and plant camellia this month. Visit local nurseries now for the best selection of colors and shapes. See Camellias: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_camellia.

Vegetables: Irish potatoes can be planted now. Start with healthy seeds purchased from a local nursery or an online seed catalog. Continue to plant cool-season crops including broccoli, kale, carrots, and lettuce. See Vegetable gardening in Florida: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_vegetable_gardening.

The UF / IFAS gardening calendar has just been released.  Learn when and how to plant your garden during the cool North Florida season.

What to do

Deciduous fruits: Plant deciduous fruit trees now to give their roots time to develop before the hot, dry spring months. Prune and fertilize existing trees. See Temperate Fruits for the Home Landscape: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_home_temperate_fruit.

Cold protection: Be prepared to cover tender plants to minimize damage. Frosts or frosts are likely this month and next. See Cold Protection and Cold Damage of Landscape Plants: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_landscapes_and_cold.

Irrigation: Water the plants if temperatures remain above normal and rainfall is scarce. See Landscape irrigation: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_landscape_irrigation.

Shrubs and trees: Prune non-spring flowering shrubs and trees this month to improve their shape. See Pruning Landscaped Trees and Shrubs: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_tree_pruning.

Arbor day: Celebrate Florida Arbor Day (the third Friday in January) by planting a tree in your backyard or community. Consider a hurricane-resistant tree, such as living oak, bald cypress, palm kale, or crepe myrtle. See Arbor Day in Florida: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_arbor_day.

Pancake Myrtle: Remove seed pods, crossed branches, and small twig shoots to improve the appearance and shape of the plant, if desired. Hard pruning is not necessary. See Crapemyrtle: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_crapemyrtle.

Pests: Control evergreen mealybugs on citrus fruits, shrubs, camellias and deciduous fruit trees; apply horticultural oil while the plants are dormant. See Landscape Pest Management: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_landscape_pests Here is the link to the calendar. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/EP/EP45100.pdf.


Comments are closed.