Welcome to your Arizona backyard in January information. Regardless that January is usually the coldest month within the low desert, you don’t have to remain indoors ready for hotter climate. Now could be the right time to give attention to necessary backyard duties—like pruning roses and fruit bushes—to maintain your panorama wholesome.
For these within the low desert areas (under 3,500 ft), reminiscent of Phoenix or Tucson, this information will allow you to confidently backyard through the cooler months.
Tip: Wish to know precisely what to plant this month? Take a look at my What to Plant in Arizona in January information for an entire checklist of cool-season veggies, flowers, and extra to get planting.
“Anybody who thinks gardening begins within the spring and ends within the fall is lacking the perfect a part of the entire yr. For gardening begins in January with the dream.”
– Josephine Nuese
Click on on the title to leap to that part and study extra about what to do throughout January:
January YouTube Movies:
Vegetable Gardening Duties for January
When you make just one gardening decision this yr, let it’s spending time in your backyard every single day. This one behavior could make an enormous distinction to your backyard. Typically, our gardens can get uncared for after a trip or a busy time like the vacations. Spend time going by means of your backyard mattress by mattress and cleansing issues up. Prune unruly crops. Take away useless leaves. Harvest the greens, herbs, fruit, and flowers that have to be harvested. Preserve your backyard cleaned up by eradicating useless crops. Add mulch to areas that want it. Be taught extra about what to make use of for mulch on this information.
When you didn’t begin seeds indoors for tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers in December, get them began this month. The seedlings will likely be able to be planted by February or March. Learn this submit for extra details about learn how to begin seeds indoors. Here’s a hyperlink to my favourite seed-starting provides.
Proceed planning for February and March plantings. That is seed catalog season; get concepts you wish to try to order seeds. Have a look at your backyard and plan the place you’ll plant every part—analysis completely different varieties to see which of them do properly in Arizona. You’ll be able to see my favourite varieties right here. A great rule of thumb is to search for short-season crops. Be sure you rotate the place you plant every year. Need extra details about gardening in Arizona? This weblog submit shares seven ideas for learn how to develop a vegetable backyard in Arizona.
Are you going to develop candy potatoes this yr? Begin your candy potato slips to be able to plant in March. This text explains learn how to begin candy potato slips.
Purchase natural turmeric and ginger to plant out in March. Discover ways to pre-sprout ginger and turmeric on this weblog submit.
Check out your backyard beds. Do any want changing or fixing? What about your watering system? Is every part working accurately? January is an efficient month to make changes and add or substitute raised beds. I exploit the metallic raised beds and watering grids from Backyard in Minutes. Use code Angela10 to avoid wasting $10 off $100 or GITG5 to avoid wasting 5 p.c on any dimension order.
January is the time to chop again your asparagus. Reduce dry stalks and amend with 2-3 inches of composted manure and a 2-inch layer of wooden chips, straw, or compost. Feed flippantly with a balanced natural fertilizer.
My January Backyard Journals
Twice a month, I ship my private backyard journal to members of “Rising within the Backyard Academy.” From the primary seedling to the final harvest, you possibly can observe my gardening adventures in Arizona’s distinctive low desert. Entry the previous three years of backyard journals and month-to-month courses as a member.
Pests & Wildlife to Watch Out For This Month
Gray aphids are energetic within the desert through the cooler months. They love tender new progress on brassicas. Spray them off with a robust stream of water.
Whenever you deliver your harvested brassicas inside, fill a bowl with salted water and soak the leaves for a couple of minutes. The salt helps loosen and take away hidden aphids, which then drop to the underside of the bowl. Afterward, rinse the kale underneath operating water earlier than cooking or consuming.
Container Gardening Duties
When you nonetheless have empty containers, now could be the time to plant them with cool-season crops and spring flowers. Nevertheless, keep in mind that container crops are extra liable to frost injury. Cowl your frost-sensitive crops in containers with frost material or burlap if freezing temperatures are within the forecast. You can even transfer them underneath a patio or near the home to present them additional safety. Be taught which crops to cowl in a freeze on this information.
Flower Gardening Duties
Cool-season annual flowers and wildflowers planted from September by means of December ought to start blooming this month and proceed by means of not less than March. If seedlings are developing in tight clumps, gently skinny them to present every plant sufficient area. Intention to water your cool-season annuals as soon as per week, soaking the soil about 4–6 inches deep.
For greater, higher blooms on seed-grown annuals, skinny the seedlings once they attain 3–4 inches tall so their leaves contact one another. Additionally, contemplate pinching again spring-blooming flowers to encourage branching. Though it might really feel drastic, a fast trim can result in extra—and longer—flower stems. Be taught which flower stems profit from pinching on this information.
The Perpetual Annual Flower Planting Calendar, out there in my store, helps you study when to plant flowers within the low desert of Arizona and whether or not to plant seeds or transplants.
Caring for Roses Throughout January
January is an enormous month for roses. It’s the perfect time to plant new roses. It’s additionally the perfect time to maneuver roses to a unique spot in your yard.
Are you fascinated about including extra roses to your backyard? I get all of my roses from Heirloom Roses. I like that they’re own-root roses (no grafts!) and have the very best requirements for illnesses. You realize you’re getting strong, disease-free roses with sturdy roots once you get them from Heirloom Roses. Use Code GARDENAZ20 for 20% off any rose order by means of December 31, 2025.
Pruning Established Roses: Now could be the time to prune in case your roses have been within the floor for over a yr. Take away useless wooden, crossing branches, canes that rub in opposition to one another, and people which are not producing. Reduce about one-third (and not more than half) of the earlier season’s progress, specializing in opening the middle of the bush to enhance airflow and daylight.
Cleanup and Fertilizing: After pruning, clear up any fallen leaves or particles round your roses to assist forestall illness and pests. Maintain off on fertilizing throughout January—save that step for when new progress begins.
Take a look at my detailed rose care weblog submit for extra in-depth data on rising and caring for roses.
Herb Gardening
Garlic chives are a hardy perennial herb that thrives in Arizona’s local weather. When you haven’t grown them but, contemplate tucking them into your backyard this month. If you have already got garlic chives, January is the right time to chop again and divide any overgrown clumps. Trim them right down to the soil degree, divide them as wanted, and add a layer of compost or manure. You’ll see tender new shoots sprouting by early spring, prepared for an additional season of progress.
Maintain off on slicing again different herbs for now—garlic chives reply greatest to a January trim. For extra particulars, try my article on learn how to develop garlic chives.
Fruit Bushes and Citrus
January might be one of many busiest—and most rewarding—instances for fruit tree care within the Arizona low desert. Deal with these backyard duties for fruit this month:
Harvest CitrusMany citrus varieties—reminiscent of blood oranges—are ripening this month. To verify for sweetness, choose one and style it. When you’ve got established citrus bushes, water them each 3–4 weeks in January. Keep away from pruning citrus this month.
Plant Deciduous Fruit TreesJanuary is good for planting deciduous fruit bushes within the low desert. Select varieties that require fewer than 400 chill hours, mature early, and are self-pollinating. Discover ways to plant fruit bushes on this information. If a few of your current bushes haven’t totally dropped their leaves, take away any remaining leaves to encourage dormancy. Seek advice from this Fruit Planting Information for recommendations on choosing bushes well-suited to the low desert.
Prune Deciduous Fruit TreesPrune these bushes earlier than they break bud. Take away useless, diseased, damaged, or crossing branches and water sprouts (shoots rising straight up). Contemplate making use of horticultural oil to assist management pests earlier than buds seem.
Fertilize Deciduous Fruit TreesFeed your bushes on the finish of the month, and water them totally earlier than and after fertilizing. This helps transfer vitamins into the basis zone and prevents fertilizer burn. Use this compost feeding methodology or an natural fruit tree fertilizer.
Feed Fig TreesEstablished fig bushes profit from a dose of aged manure in January. This gives important vitamins for wholesome spring progress. For extra particulars, see the Fig Rising Information.
Prune GrapesGrapevines produce fruit on one-year-old wooden, so annual pruning is essential. Through the first couple of years, give attention to constructing a stable framework. By the third yr, your vines will likely be able to yield an excellent crop. For extra particulars, see the Grape Rising Information.
Clear Up Round TreesRemove any fallen or rotting fruit to discourage pests and illnesses. Retaining the realm round your bushes tidy will assist them keep wholesome all through the season.
Panorama Plant Duties Throughout January
Plant Chilly-Tolerant Varieties: January is a wonderful time so as to add cold-hardy bushes, bushes, and perennials to your panorama. Defend new transplants from freezing temperatures by masking them or shifting containers underneath shelter if wanted.
Propagate Succulents: The cooler climate within the low desert makes this month good for propagating succulents. They’ll have time to develop sturdy root programs earlier than the summer season warmth arrives.
Wait on Frost-Delicate Vegetation: Maintain off till mid-to-late February to plant or prune frost-tender varieties like lantana and hibiscus. Pruning them now can expose recent cuts to chilly climate, which can trigger injury.
Prune Chilly-Hardy Bushes and Shrubs: Go forward and take away any useless branches on cold-hardy crops.
Handle Fallen Leaves: Contemplate leaving fallen leaves in place as a pure mulch. When you rake them up, bag them and allow them to decompose for leaf mulch in spring, or add them to your compost pile. For extra particulars on composting, try my composting article.
Watering Your Backyard and Panorama Throughout January
Regulate the climate this month. When you’re getting common rain, flip off your irrigation system—bushes and shrubs may solely want watering a couple of times in January. I often water my backyard beds about as soon as per week throughout January, however verify the soil first. If it’s nonetheless damp, wait a bit longer. After a heavy rain, you won’t must water in any respect. If it’s dry, water bushes and shrubs each 2 to 4 weeks. For additional ideas, go to wateruseitwisely.com.
Attempt to not overwater annual flowers. Water them till the soil is moist (about 6 inches down), then let the highest dry out earlier than watering once more. For container crops, use a moisture meter or poke a finger within the high inch of soil—if it’s dry, it’s time to water. Established citrus bushes sometimes want water each 3 to 4 weeks, whereas fruit bushes are good with deep watering each 10 to 14 days.
Freezing Temperatures & Frost Safety
One of many greatest challenges in a winter backyard is the occasional freeze. In case your crops have suffered frost injury, resist the urge to prune them instantly—wait till your final frost date to trim off broken leaves or branches. Within the meantime, hold burlap or frost material readily available to cowl newly planted citrus, younger lemon and lime bushes, and different frost-sensitive crops each time the forecast requires temps under 32°F (0°C).
When you’re undecided which crops want safety or learn how to cowl them correctly, I’ve obtained a number of guides that may assist:
