Valhalla Gardens is located on Mayne Island in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada. The maritime growing conditions have a hardiness rating of Zone 8. (See www.mayneisland.com for more information about Mayne Island.)

Even in the warmer zones where it is possible for the die-hard gardener to continue working in the garden through out the winter, most of us take this time to pause and reflect upon the successes of the year that has past and begin plans and dreams for the new garden to come.

The following is a list of suggested gardening activities and chores for the current and up coming months:

January

Garden Design
· The winter garden reveals colour unnoticed in summer. Some woody plants now expose their structure and vibrant-hued bark.
· Study your garden and any notes you made over the year. Plan changes for next season.
· Evaluate your garden's structure and add shrubs and trees where more winter interest will improve the garden's appearance. Place fragrant shrubs close to the house or where you pass by so you can enjoy their fragrance - examples include daphne, Viburnum x bodnantense, sweet box (Sarcococca hookerana), autumn flowering cherry (Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis'), and the early flowering forms of Camellia sasanqua. Add early spring blooming flowers such as the Christmas rose (Helleborus niger), and winter jasmine to the garden. Make note of where colour is lacking so you will remember next fall to add early blooming bulbs such as snowdrops, crocus and winter aconites.

Protection
· The weather is unpredictable. A cold snap can happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Be prepared to quickly mulch or cover the crowns of tender plants should temperatures suddenly dip. Protect tender plants from wind and sunburn.
· Do not walk on the grass if it is frozen.
· Be prepared to carefully clear away heavy snow from trees and shrubs as it can easily break and deform them.

Seeds
· Seed catalogues flood the mail. Plan summer gardens and make a list before you order choosing only plants you need - plants that you have the time and the space to grow and plant out in the garden

Bulbs
· Bring potted spring bulbs out of cold storage to force for indoor blooms - such as hyacinths (after 4-8 weeks), tulips and daffodils (after 12-16 weeks) .
·Plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs in gravel and water for fragrant winter bloom in 6 weeks.
·After amaryllis bloom has finished, cut old flowers but leave the foliage. Place the leafy amaryllis in a sunny location. Water and fertilize the bulb until the end of summer for next year's bloom.
· Check stored tubers - dahlias, begonias and gladiolas - along with any over wintered geraniums. Mist if they are shriveling and discard any that are showing signs of rot.


Trees, Shrubs and Perennials
·Check your cuttings and discard any failures.


· Use discarded Christmas boughs as extra insulation around tender perennials and shrubs.


· Prune evergreens and woody plants any time during winter dormancy.
· Water plants under rooflines and close to the house, especially in dry winters.
·Spray fruit trees deciduous trees and shrubs with dormant oil and lime sulphur.

Containers
· Tuck cool weather spring flowers such as primroses, cyclamens or winter pansies to your winter containers or make up baskets of new plantings to brighten up dull days.


Pest Control
· Spray deciduous shrubs and trees with dormant oil and lime sulphur to kill over wintering insect eggs and disease spores. Choose a day when the weather is warm, not windy and with no rain forecast for several days. Read the label carefully - the lime sulphur can damage some trees (such as maples) and these should not be sprayed.



Clean up
· Clean up and destroy fallen rose leaves. Black spot spores will over winter in the soil and reinfect the rose leaves next spring.
· Rake up and remove any plant debris or leaves from the beds.
· Remove annual weeds as they flower and reseed in cool weather.

February

Indoor Plants
· To increase humidity around tropical plants and help them through the dry winter season, cluster plants on trays of gravel and water. Repot, prune and fertilize plants as light levels increase in late February.

Bulbs
· Check stored bulbs: keep soil barely moist and if tips have sprouted more than 5 cm, then bring out into a bright, cool room (12°-15°C). Gradually increase warmth and indirect sunlight.

Vegetables, Annuals and Perenniels
· Plan the garden for the year and order the seeds that you will need.
· Start lettuce and early greens in cold frames.
· Sweet peas can be sown outside if the ground is not frozen.
· Prepare soil in the vegetable garden by adding compost and lime.
· Seed early blooming perennials such as Aubretia and Pelargoniums (Geraniums).

· Lift, divide and replant late-blooming perennials.

Pruning

· Repeat dormant oil spray on ornamental and fruit trees. Three sprayings, two weeks apart is recommended. Do not spray after the buds start to break.
· Weather permitting prune grapes, fruit trees, small fruits (raspberries) and late-flowering deciduous shrubs. Most pruning can be done except for spring-flowering shrubs that are pruned after they have finished flowering.
Prune modern roses when the Forsythia is in bloom.
· Prune summer flowering (type C) clematis.

Lawns
· Apply dolomite lime to lawn at month's end. do not apply chemical fertilizers until two weeks after the lime has been applied.
· Rake to remove thatch and moss.

Pest Control
· Keep weeds pulled in beds and remove any that appear in the lawn.