January

California’s diverse microclimates mean maintenance practices, while still inevitable, will change priorities and timing in different state regions. For example, Southern California has a short window for pruning roses to force their dormancy, while Northern California has a more extended winter pruning season. Yet in snow country, roses or other dormant shrubs may be blanketed under five, ten, or twenty feet of white.
January offers two primary opportunities: 1) to prune dormant species and 2) to rearrange movable plants to correct design compositions. Pruning is not just for trees but includes dormant shrubs and perennials. Winter helps us see where gaps need filling, or if we documented the landscape’s performance over the summer, we may have noted where the plant composition could use some adjustments. Transplanting plants in milder regions means they will adjust to their new locations much more quickly than if they are planted in late spring. Check local guides, such as the University of California Master Gardeners Extension, for their feedback about the best times to plant or transplant in our area.