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IT’S JANUARY. IT’S TIME TO...

Take a break! Put away the lawnmower and give it a rest. Mowing fescue grass when it’s in a frozen state will cause tissue damage and browning.

Selectively prune trees to correct the overall shape and force new shoots in the direction you want them to grow.

Fertilize trees near the end of the month using a 15-15-15 formulation fertilizer. Using 1 pound of fertilizer per inch of trunk circumference, spread fertilizer along the tree’s drip line.

Prune deciduous summer-flowering shrubs like Annabelle and PeeGee hydrangea, which both bloom white on new stems. Pink or blue hydrangeas bloom on old stems; don’t prune until after they bloom in spring.

Cut back Liriope severely while the weather is cold and before new shoots begin emerging in early spring.

Photo courtesy of Burncoose Nurseries

If you need a focal point for your winter garden, ‘Winter Sun’ mahonia can do the trick. This evergreen shrub features dark green hollylike leaves. Spikes of fragrant yellow flowers appear in late fall and can last for several weeks. The blooms are followed by bluish berries in spring.

‘Winter Sun’ is more compact than other mahonia varieties, but pruning is essential if you’d like to keep its height under 10 feet. It performs best with afternoon shade and is drought tolerant once established.

Botanical Name: Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’
Exposure: Partial to full shade
Height x Width: 7' tall and 4' wide
Hardiness Zones: 7–9
Water Needs: Regularly, until established