January may seem like a non gardening month when you live in Northern B.C., but at the garden centre we are already hard at work getting ready for spring.

Seed racks arrive in January as well as seed starting trays, inserts, starter mix, and seed starting kits. January is the ideal time to start going through the seed racks and plan the garden.

Starting your own seeds has its benefits.

• There is a much larger selection of seed varieties than bedding plants.
• It is more cost effective to grow your own bedding plants from seed.
• There is a sense of pride, knowing that you grew your own seedlings.

There are some seed varieties that require a very long growing period and these should be started in January/February/March depending on variety.

Check the back of the seed packets and it will state how many days to maturity. Prince George and area have a very short growing season from the last frost in the spring to the first frost in the fall. Starting seeds indoors will give them a head start and will lengthen the growing season, enabling local gardeners to grow a larger assortment of different flowers and vegetables.

When starting seeds indoors, don’t become eager and start seeds too early. Count back from the last spring frost (generally mid/late May depending on the area).

This is also a good time to look at the bones of your landscape and see what, if any, future changes can be made. Does your winter landscape lack evergreens or plants that add winter interest?  Perhaps a windbreak to stop snow from drifting in unwanted areas would be a plus. Make sure to take notes and photos so that in the spring you will know what needs to be done.

If you have questions, ask someone with gardening knowledge. This is a good time of year to be asking for help, as staff at the garden centres have more available time.

Tender bulbs such as dahlias, begonias, callas, gladiola, etc., that are stored over winter, should be checked periodically. Check bulbs for rot, or disease and remove them immediately so that the rest of the bulbs won’t be affected.

Overwintering geraniums, and fuchsias, should also be checked for pests and disease.

It won’t be long and spring will be here, so January is a good time to get prepared!

-Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:

• Highway 16 West at Kimball Road

• Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road ( closed for the season)