In the food forest, it can really vary depending on the winter, so in the south we really have to be willing to flex from year-to-year, but that’s what makes it interesting and keeps us on our toes.
If you are reading this from a cold climate zone, however, please CLICK HERE for your January Garden to-do list. Now, without further rambling…
Here are some our hit list items on the January Gardening To-Do List for Zones 9-11.
In the Garden & Greenhouse
Plant from seed: Onions, beets, radish, carrots, corn, cucumbers, winter peas, squash, gourds, zucchini, turnips, watermelon. You can also keep doing many greens like arugula, lettuces, mustards, and komatsuna greens (or bok choi).
From Seedlings: Cabbage, collard greens, eggplants or peppers, Swiss chard, tomatoes. If it’s a warm winter, then I also plant potatoes and sweet potatoes now. If we are honest, I would still plant them on a cooler winter (just because).
Harvest: All tropical spinaches, ginger, turmeric, African potato mint, galangal. Harvest tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants as they ripen. If you have extra, leave a few on your neighbors front porch.
Bring in cuttings from tropical spinaches (longevity, Okinawa, Surinam, Bele, South Sea Salad) so you have “insurance” if they freeze off during the winter. Also, save slips (cuttings) from your most successful sweet potato vines and and start rooting them in water indoor.
Watch tomatoes and squash for any signs of powdery mildew. If you see anything, give them a quick spray with Basic H and organic Neem Oil and you’ll be all set.
Turn the compost pile every week to keep things decomposing over the winter. Add an occasional bucket of water to keep moisture levels up, especially if there are a lot of leaves in the pile.
Apply winter soil probiotic and microbial spray (We use a product called BioAg, which is produced in Kansas City, MO).
Start planning for your first time fertilizing in late February or early March (order compost, fish emulsion, etc). Typically I do my first foliar spray at the end of February and the compost and/or soil amendments in early March.
In the Food Forest
Plant: Loquats, peaches, plums, pears, nectarines, mulberries, blueberries, elderberries, figs, persimmons, and other cold hardy trees.
Prune existing peaches, plums, pears, nectarines, mulberries, etc. Remove branches that are preventing light from getting to other branches. Open and airy scaffold structure is best to promote fruiting. This is the most optimal month for pruning (all trees except mango and avocado).
First Year Flower / Fruit Removal: Personally, I always remove the flowers / fruit from trees the first year or two they are in the ground. This allows all the energy to go to healthy root and branch development. If you leave even a few flowers / fruit, then the tree will automatically take up more phosphorus and potassium, instead of focusing on getting established.
Grafting Scions: Get avocado cuttings and start grafting. This is a great month to graft avocados in most (subtropical / tropical) areas. CLICK HERE FOR A TUTORIAL
If you slacked off this winter and did not refresh your wood chips, then this is your last chance to do it before spring. 6-10″ deep, go out as far as the drip line of the tree, and keep chips and mulch a few inches away from the trunk.
Do NOT fertilize fruit trees until mid-February.
Order organic orchard supplies for the coming season – be sure to look for holiday sales! Include seaweed extract, BioAg, neem oil, Basic H (for all foliar applications), and fish emulsion.
In the Shed
Check mouse traps frequently. Add cotton balls with peppermint oil to deter rodents.
Finish oiling up any tools that got missed.
Refinish and moisturize wooden handles of tools with Danish oil.
Spray out old plastic pots and clean up the corners of the shed.
Look for online sales for any equipment that need to be replaced.
In the Chicken Coop
Feed extra protein (meal worms, black oiled sunflower seeds, bugs, etc.) to help them during their recovery season.
Do NOT use supplemental lighting to increase egg production. Chickens need this off season to let their bodies rest. Let them have a natural rhythm of rest too.
Add a small amount of corn or millet to their diet to help with caloric intake in the winter months. This helps keep them warm naturally. NEVER use heat lamps in a coop or run.
Rotate straw and bedding in the coop to keep things clean and sanitary.
Add garden and flower bed cuttings to their run for them to “go through” and eat bugs and seeds before composting them.
Feed spent pumpkin and squash (from fall decor) to chickens. It helps boost their immune systems and can be a preventative for worms. NOTE: Pumpkin seeds are NOT a proven treatment for worms, but a great as part of your preventative maintenance regime. You may need to break them open for the birds to get at the inner meat of the pumpkins.
Give healthy protein / omega 3 treats: One cheep way to do this is to go to a local pet store and get feeder fish (cheep minnows). Put them into a shallow tray (with a bit of water) and watch the birds catch them! You can also purchase live crickets from pet stores and feel them fresh veggies for a day or two. Feed several per day to your birds for a healthy winter treat.
Around the House & Perennial Beds
Dead head spent perennials (i.e. purple coneflower, laitris, or hibiscus), and either save seed OR scatter / cover them for new plants in the spring.
Plant native perennial wildflowers. If you are in central Florida, look at Green Isle Gardens in Groveland. Or check out the native wildflower seed mixes at Hancock Seed Company.
Apply BioAg probiotic spray the day before a rain (to the soil) in order to inoculate the soil with healthy microbes. This will help prevent a lot of common diseases and pests.
Water house plants sparingly.
Only water them when you can put your finger in the soil and it feels dry up to your first knuckle (about 1″ deep). If the soil feels or looks damp – do NOT water.
Water in the sink until water runs out of the bottom, so you know the full root ball is saturated. Let it drain for a few minutes before returning to a sunny spot near a window.
Rotate plants every view days for even light distribution.
In the Pasture
Plant Rough Pea (Lathyrus hirsutus), which is a high quality protein (especially for beef cows), helps maintain a healthy gut microflora. High quality digestible fiber.
Winter wheat, Burmuda grass
Radish, turnips, or clover
Plant bamboo, Muberry, Napier grass, and Elderberry on pasture edges for chop-and-drop foraging or privacy.
Winter Bird-feeding for the Entire Family
Bird feeding is the perfect kids activity this month! My favorite bird-nerd store is Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU), which is found nationwide. They are not only knowledgeable, but often give free feeders to schools and libraries. Not to mention, the quality of their feed is far superior to box stores. Customize your feeds with different seeds for different birds. Each feed needs a different style feeder, but you can learn more about this by taking your kiddos to WBU.
Nyger and Sunflower Chips: For finches, vireos, and smaller birds
Safflower: Great to keep squirrels away, but cardinals and bluejays love this seed (especially in a hopper feeder)
Shelled Peanuts: For bluejays and woodpeckers
Black-oiled Sunflower Seeds: Everyone loves these! A must have for the feeder. Woodpeckers, sparrows, nuthatches, titmouse, etc.
White Millet: Indigo or painted buntings
Suet: Woodpeckers (ladder back, downy, hairy, red headed, etc.)
Time to Plan
During these winter months while the fruit trees are mainly dormant, it’s the perfect time to plan for the spring. So make a cup of nice winter tea, open up your sketch book, and start brainstorming. But please reach out if we can help you in the process!
If you are interested in a personalized permaculture consultation for your property, we do both in-person visits to your site AND virtual consultations (for those out of our area). These come with varying levels of property designs, maintenance plans, and even recipes for using the items in your food forest! CLICK HERE to learn more.
We offer a wide variety of consultation types to fit an array of budgets and project sizes.
If this content was helpful to you, please help inspire other gardeners by sharing the link on social media or with your favorite gardening group.
What’s included with your Patreon Membership
On-going permaculture / property mentorship
1st Week of the Month LIVE Q&A
2nd Week of the Month Practical Permaculture PDF
3rd Week of the Month Permaculture Class
4th Week of the Month Farm Interview & Spotlight
Ad-free videos
Behind-the-scenes content
Digital downloads
Exclusive content
Earlybird ticket pricing for in-person events
Early access to all events
Live event VIP
Live Q&As
Livestreams
Video tutorials & lessons
Private community
Exclusive voting power
Quarterly Online Classes – EXCLUSIVE
Monthly Practical Permaculture PDF
NOTE: Membership offerings vary depending on the level of patron support.
In cold climate regions, January is a time of deep rest. After the holidays end, it’s like our body exhales and realizes that the deep of winter has finally arrived. Instead of dreading it – lean into it. Enjoy it. It’s the perfect time to curl up with a warm blanket, read a new permaculture book, look through seed catalogues, and start planning the garden for next year in sketch books. Not to mention, it’s a great time to review the January Garden To-Do List. However, if you are in USDA Zones 9-11, we have a separate (specific) list for you. CLICK HERE for the warm climate to-do list.
It’s a great time to watch a few permaculture documentaries, catch up on our Patreon classes (if you are a subscriber), take an online course, or even look into local permaculture events in your area. For many of us in cooler climates, the winter can get a little depressing if we just hide away in our caves. So, be sure to get out and connect in your local community and spend nice days outside enjoying the changing of the seasons.
But when the slightly warmer days pop up, be sure to get out into the garden, because there are definitely things that can be done in the food forest and garden in the deep of winter.
January Garden To-Do List for USDA Zones 3-8
In the Garden & Greenhouse
Continue to cover the soil with organic matter. You can use chopped up leaves (i.e. picked up with the lawn mower), straw, compost, etc. Better yet, use layers of each!
Continue to plant garlic and spring bulbs. CLICK HERE for a list of what you can plant between snows.
Take soil samples on warmer days and have them tested at your local extension office. Personally, I don’t use their “fertilizer” recommendations (because it’s rarely organic), so instead I see what nutrients are lower and improve in those areas. Honestly, in 99% of cases the regenerative answer is almost always COMPOST and more organic matter. By adding compost, you automatically improve NPK and build soil structure.
Check seeds that are cold stratifying outside or in the refrigerator (chestnut, paw paw, acorns, etc.)
Apply winter soil probiotic and microbial spray to compost piles (I use a product called BioAg, which is produced in Kansas City, MO). I always have this on hand to spray on the soil or trees / shrubs during warmer spells in the winter months. I shoot for every other month, because it will prevent many of the pests and diseases that can come in warmer months. Be proactive!
Sort through your seed inventory and reorganize when possible.
Look through seed catalogues for what you want to plant this year. Use heirloom seeds when possible, because these have not been modified or hybridized since before WW1. Often, heirloom varieties produce a healthier fruit and have much better flavor. One of my favorite websites is rareseeds.com for veggies and an Etsy Store called Seed the Stars for some tropical edibles that can be grown as annuals in cold climates..
In the Food Forest
Wait to prune until the end of January or early February. Let the trees rest for now. Most fruit trees should be pruned during a cold / dry period. The colder temps make the sap stop flowing, and the dry weather helps prevent immediate fungal or bacterial infections. When you prune, take no more than 1/4 of the tree off in a given year, and NEVER apply a wood sealer. Let the tree heal on its own.
Watch for rabbit or pest damage and protect trees accordingly.
Check for deer damage (eating branches, buck rubs, etc.) weekly. Save some deer bones from hunting season to make bone sauce for deer repellant (recipe coming soon). Pack the snow around the base of tree trunks to pack down vole and rodent tunnels.
Order organic orchard supplies for the coming season – be sure to look for holiday sales! Include seaweed extract, BioAg, neem oil, Basic H (for all foliar applications), and fish emulsion.
Finish any winter mulching (wait for compost until spring, so you don’t add too much nitrogen now).
Water compost piles during dry periods.
In the Shed
Check mouse traps frequently. Add cotton balls with peppermint oil to deter rodents.
Repair garden tools. Sand down wooden handles and reseal them (I like a good Danish oil or non-yellowing varnish).
Sharpen all tools (pruners, cutters, shovels, etc.)
Look for online sales for any equipment that need to be replaced.
In the Chicken Coop
Feed extra protein (meal worms, black oiled sunflower seeds, bugs, etc.) to help them during their recovery season.
Do NOT use supplemental lighting to increase egg production. Chickens need this off season to let their bodies rest. Let them have a natural rhythm of rest too.
Add a small amount of corn or millet to their diet to help with caloric intake in the winter months. This helps keep them warm naturally. NEVER use heat lamps in a coop or run.
Rotate straw and bedding in the coop to keep things clean and sanitary.
Keep water unthawed
Use an electric water heater (OR)
Use two watering containers and bring them in at night / rotate them
Note: The salt water bottle in the container does NOT work outside of 1-2 degrees below freezing and only for a short time. This can work as an addition, but should not be your primary means of keeping water unthawed.
Feed spent pumpkin and squash (from fall decor) to chickens. It helps boost their immune systems and can be a preventative for worms. NOTE: Pumpkin seeds are NOT a proven treatment for worms, but a great as part of your preventative maintenance regime. You may need to break them open for the birds to get at the inner meat of the pumpkins.
Give healthy protein / omega 3 treats: One cheep way to do this is to go to a local pet store and get feeder fish (cheep minnows). Put them into a shallow tray (with a bit of water) and watch the birds catch them! You can also purchase live crickets from pet stores and feel them fresh veggies for a day or two. Feed several per day to your birds for a healthy winter treat.
January Garden To-Do List for USDA Zones 3-8 Continued…
Around the House & Perennial Beds
Continue to plant spring bulbs every time the soil thaws. This can be done all winter. Click here for some of our favorite bulbs to plant in the winter.
Pay attention to windows and address any drafts immediately. Older winters should have plastic over them (purchased at a local hardware store), which will help save $$ on heat bills. Pull blinds to keep heat inside at night and open them during the day to let natural light inside.
Water house plants carefully.
Only water them when you can put your finger in the soil and it feels dry up to your first knuckle (about 1″ deep). If the soil feels or looks damp – do NOT water.
Water in the sink until water runs out of the bottom, so you know the full root ball is saturated. Let it drain for a few minutes before returning to a sunny spot near a window.
Rotate plants every view days for even light distribution.
Mid-Winter Banana Fertilizer for Houseplants: Soak 3 banana peels in a large jar of water for 3 days (make sure they stay submerged). Remove the banana peels and add 1 cup of the mineral rich banana water to one gallon of water. Use this ONCE this month to give your house plants a mid-winter boost.
Winter Ideas for Kids
Bird feeding is the perfect kids activity this month! My favorite bird-nerd store is Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU), which is found nationwide. They are not only knowledgeable, but often give free feeders to schools and libraries. Not to mention, the quality of their feed is far superior to box stores.
Customize your feeds with different seeds for different birds.Each feed needs a different style feeder, but you can learn more about this by taking your kiddos to WBU.
Nyger and Sunflower Chips: For finches, vireos, and smaller birds
Safflower: Great to keep squirrels away, but cardinals and bluejays love this seed (especially in a hopper feeder)
Shelled Peanuts: For bluejays and woodpeckers
Black-oiled Sunflower Seeds: Everyone loves these! A must have for the feeder. Woodpeckers, sparrows, nuthatches, titmouse, etc.
White Millet: Indigo or painted buntings
Suet: Woodpeckers (ladder back, downy, hairy, red headed, etc.)
Time to Plan
During these winter months while the fruit trees and gardens are dormant, it’s the perfect time to plan for the spring. If you are interested in a personalized permaculture consultation for your property, we do both in-person visits to your site AND virtual consultations (for those out of our geographical area). CLICK HERE to learn more.
What’s included with your Patreon Membership
On-going permaculture / property mentorship
1st Week of the Month LIVE Q&A
2nd Week of the Month Practical Permaculture PDF
3rd Week of the Month Permaculture Class
4th Week of the Month Farm Interview & Spotlight
Ad-free videos
Behind-the-scenes content
Digital downloads
Exclusive content
Earlybird ticket pricing for in-person events
Early access to all events
Live event VIP
Live Q&As
Livestreams
Video tutorials & lessons
Private community
Exclusive voting power
Quarterly Online Classes – EXCLUSIVE
Monthly Practical Permaculture PDF
NOTE: Membership offerings vary depending on the level of patron support.