January Gardening

We are in Zone 7, and it is that time to start prepping for the Spring. I really start itching to get back in the yard this time of year. Luckily there are things to do.

Mostly, it's things like planning that can be done now. But in January, I start pruning. I don't have much to prune, but I do go around and remove dead growth on bushes, trees that I can see now that there are no leaves.

I have a lot of Limelight Hydrangeas and I prune them back this time of year. I started out only having a few.

But then I added more, and the lonely few weren't creating the hedge I was looking for.

Since they are not the same age, I am trying to trim them back to help them all get the same height.

Last year, the boys helped me trim and they did great. I don't remember exactly what I did, but you can see the older bushes have some straight stalks. We'll see if I can get the newer bushes growing that way.

Older LimeLight

Younger Limelight

I also trim my one and only Crepe Myrtle. This will be the last year I trim it. The past few years, I have been training it to be a tree. I think it is finally there. The tops of the limbs where I trimmed were not that thick, but they should thicken up this year and I don't wont to commit crepe murder!

The little tree has come a long way!

Plants can be time consuming at the beginning to get them "trained" as I call it. But once they are mature, it is smooth sailing and you can sit back and enjoy!

I need to start posting more about the yard. It has come a long way and I didn't realize it until I went through old pictures.  Makes me appreciate all the sweat and sore muscles.