By Jan Hale Barbo
Each New Year calls for rejoicing, and I’m gearing up to celebrate my 32nd year of cultivating this particular spot in northern New Mexico. Joseph Addison (1672-1719) wrote that “Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for,” and nothing fills the bill for me quite like gardening.
Though I’ve slowed the pace a bit and no longer add hundreds of new bulbs and plants each year, there remains an abundance of things to do, to love and to hope for. Here’s a month-by-month review of a few of them.
January – Named for Janus, the Roman god of gates and doorways whose two faces look in opposite directions, this dormant month is ideal for looking backward and forward, assessing the “bones” of the garden and inventorying seeds on hand before reaching for those dream-inspiring catalogs and plunging headlong into another season. Recycle holiday greenery by placing branches around the base of plants to insulate against temperature fluctuations and conserve moisture.
February – Alternate freeze-thaw cycles during cold nights and sunny days can damage plant roots. Apply fresh compost around the crown of perennials to maintain even temperatures. Begin pruning dormant apple and pear trees but hold off on stone fruits (peach, apricot, cherry and plum) until March. Cut down perennial foliage; add it to the compost heap.
March – Focus on soil improvement; successful gardening is, first and foremost, not about which plants to grow but about soils in which to grow them. Organic matter breaks down into humus, the glue that holds soil particles together with just the right amount of space for air and water. But humus is quickly reduced by hot weather and intense cultivation, so top-dress garden areas with organic matter each spring and fall.
Fertilize hardy bulbs (crocus, daffodil, tulip and iris) as soon as foliage begins to grow, timing fertilization to take advantage of moisture forecasts so nutrients soak into the ground. Take branch cuttings of pussy willow, forsythia, flowering quince and fruit trees to force indoors; plunge entire branch into a tub of water to remove dust; place cut stems in a few inches of water and keep in cool, light area until blossoms open. Cut back ornamental grasses before new growth begins.
April – On your mark, get set! Hard frosts are possible through mid-May, but sow tomato and pepper seeds indoors. Plant ornamental edibles: French tarragon, parsley, strawberry, rhubarb and asparagus. Divide crowded rhubarb plants when red tips appear, replant promptly.
Prepare beds and plant cool-season vegetables (peas, potatoes, onion sets, carrots, lettuce, spinach, arugula and other salad greens). Prune lavender, removing one-third of its height. Prune grapevines, removing up to 75 percent of last year’s growth. Prune and fertilize roses when forsythias are flowering.
May – Stake Oriental poppies and peonies when growth appears. I use tomato cages spray-painted black to recede into the landscape. Prune spring-flowering shrubs (blooming before July 4) when flowers fade and before buds set for next spring. Sow warm-season vegetables and herbs, such as dill, beans, corn and squash.
Supply ample water (a five-gallon bucketful) to newly planted trees and shrubs at each watering, once or twice weekly, to develop strong, drought-resistant roots.
June – Allow foliage of hardy bulbs to mature for eight weeks after flowering. Lift and divide crowded clumps; replant immediately, or place in a shallow layer and store in a dark, cool place for replanting in fall. Sow warm-season flowers, such as zinnia, cosmos and sunflower. Remove spent blossoms to encourage continued flowering of repeat bloomers.
July – Take time to smell the roses from the comfort of a hammock. Water, weed, deadhead, and note any crowded perennials that need dividing this fall.
August – Divide iris and daylily clumps; replant promptly, barely covering top of each iris rhizome with soil for best flowering.
September – Best month to plant new perennials, so roots establish in still-warm soil without battling springtime winds and summer heat. Diversity in plantings ensures a welcoming habitat for birds, bees and butterflies.
Dig, divide peonies. Pot up hardy bulbs for forcing. Force amaryllis into dormancy. Harvest flowering ornamental grasses for wintertime decor.
October – Forever optimistic, plant hardy bulbs. Sow seeds of larkspur, bupleurum, and bachelor button. Improve tilth and fertility by adding a layer of compost to beds. No compost heap? Resolve to start one, and let Mother Nature patiently tend the decaying process.
November – Repot amaryllis bulbs. Pot up paperwhites for holiday flowering. Don’t tidy up too much; leaves and plant stalks hold mulch in place, and seed heads attract birds.
December – After ground freezes, dump a five-gallon bucket of compost over the crown of each rose to insulate roots and improve soil structure. Create a wreath to celebrate the holidays!
