January gardening tips are available to download as a free PDF: January Gardening Tips. I also have a free garden journal page-per-day template too (see below) for you to download and print.

Although it may seem like the whole world is asleep in the cold, there’s still plenty to do in the garden. The focus in January is on preparation: planning your spring, summer and fall edibles garden, identifying landscape opportunities, and more.

January Gardening Tips

This January, make it a point to tackle some or all of the following gardening tasks.

Feed wild birds, and turn your garden into a backyard bird sanctuary. Place feeders in strategic locations, preferably hanging from tree branches where birds can flee to evergreens if a curious cat or other predator ventures near. Squirrel-proof bird feeders can cut down on the backyard raids. If you’d like more tips on how to turn your garden into a wild bird sanctuary, my little book, Attract Birds to Your Garden, is just 99 cents (ebook) and an inexpensive paperback book.
Don’t forget water for the birds. Most gardeners who feed the birds fail to ensure they also have an adequate supply of water, too. Birds cannot make do with ice or snow. In my yard, we have a spring-fed creek for the wildlife, but a birdbath heater can keep water in a liquid form during the wintertime.
Water, fertilize, and check house plants frequently. Make sure that humidity levels are adequate near your plants. My house gets very dry from forced-air heat during the wintertime, and I mist my orchids and African violets frequently with room-temperature water to ensure their health. The mister was just $1 at the local discount store; any clean spray bottle will do, or you can place your house plants on a tray of pebbles and keep the pebbles moist with tap water. As the water evaporates, it will increase the humidity levels near your plants.
Plan your garden. Now is the time, when all the pretty catalogs arrive in the mail, to plan your garden. Sketch your garden beds; mark the existing permanent structures, plants and pathways, then write in pencil your dream garden. Who knows if you’ll achieve it, but if you don’t plan it, you certainly won’t achieve it!
Start a garden journal. A garden journal can be a simple three-ring binder with ruled sheets inserted into it and pockets to hold information, or you can purchase an elaborate journal system from a garden supply company. I’ve created a free garden journal page for you to download and print here. You can print it, write on it, then hole punch it and keep it in your three-ring binder. It’s a great way to keep track of your gardening activities! Feel free to print each month’s gardening tips too and include them in your garden journal binder.