Be-leaf it or not, January is a good time to get gardening. Now is the time to shop seeds, do some routine maintenance, and even sow certain plants.
đ± Spring for seeds
Peruse seed catalogs and grab those springtime favorites that are so popular they tend to sell out come the thaw. Weâre talking seeds like snap peas, radishes, specialty lettuces, and heirloom tomatoes. You can also get your wishlist going for the spring planting of fall bulbs like hostas, gladiolas, and dahlias.
Check out these local spots to nab your favorites:
While youâre at the nursery, grab some seeds that you can plant right now (or, at least, very soon). Use this tool to calculate when to sow some of these early-season crops:
Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kale
Lettuce
Canât wait for that final frost date? Now is a good time to prep your seed trays. Clean and organize your trays, then sow these plants indoors with a growing light to be moved outdoors when the time is right.
đ± Routine maintenance
Every green thumb knows that a garden is more than just its plants. Hereâs your winter checklist:
Trim and tidy | Toss out any plants that didnât survive last year and start fresh.
Take care of your tools | Sharpen your pruners and clean your trowels or treat yourself to a new tool set.
Test your soil | Apply your compost, but donât forget to test your soil to make sure you arenât missing any nutrients. A soil test kit can help you out here.
Prepare for frost | Be prepared for any cold fronts by making sure your watering system is ready for any deep freezes and stocking up on row covers.
What was your most successful plant last year?Lettuce know and you might be featured in an upcoming newsletter.
Pretty Woman: The Musical | Today-Sunday, Jan. 22 | 8 p.m. | Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $35-$150 | The 1990 Rom-Com comes to life on stage in this Broadway adaptation.
Wednesday, January 18
Movie Night: âThe Cable Guyâ | Wednesday, Jan. 18 | 8-9 p.m. | Central Machine Works, 4824 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin | Jim Carrey plays an eccentric cable installer who becomes overly intrusive in the life of a customer in this film.
Thursday, January 19
TC Superstar: Tiny Texas Tour with Cloud Companion | Thursday, Jan. 19 | 7:30-11:59 p.m. | Empire Control Room & Garage, 606 E. 7th St., Austin | $12 | This local band is joined by Cloud Companion, Marxus Bell and Flora & Fawna.
Saturday, January 21
Austin Beerworks Lunar New Year | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Austin Beerworks, 3001 Industrial Terrace, Austin | Free | Join in for a celebration of the 2023 Lunar New Year, with the release of a collaboration brew benefiting the Asian Family Support Services of Austin.
Winter Care for Native Plants | Sat., Jan. 21 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin | $25-$60 | Should I prune my perennials to remove frost damage? Do cold-growing grasses require special care? Learn the answer to these questions and many more during this talk.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
A new, 48-floor apartment tower has secured funding to become Raineyâs newest highrise at 80 Rainey St. Called Paseo, the building will house 557 units and construction is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2023. đ (Austin Towers)
Try This
Try some Asian-inspired comfort dishes from Bunboy, located at Oskar Blues Brewery and Taproom, which opened in late November. Run by chef Gabriel Kreuther, who previously worked in a two-Michelin star kitchen, the kitchen offers lobster buns and beef wellington kolaches. (Community Impact Austin)
Holiday
The Lunar New Year is this Sunday, Jan. 22, and weâre already getting hungry. Secure some celebratory grub from Wu Chow, Lin Asian Bar, House of Three Gorges, or Hunan Bistro. Find more recommendations. đ„ (Eater Austin)
Community
The Lower Colorado River Authority has awarded ~$1 million to local projects in its latest round of grants. The money will be spread through neighboring counties to build new infrastructure, greenery, and technological upgrades. (KXAN)
Starting tomorrow, a storage space for Austinâs homeless population will move indoors. The Violet KeepSafe Storage Program, which provides locked storage containers for the unhoused, is moving into the former Austin Municipal Court building at 700 E. 7th St. (KXAN)
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We Are Blood, the sole blood supplier for Central Texas hospital systems, needs to receive at least 200 donations per day to maintain adequate supply.
There are four We Are Blood locations across the city â plus a few Airstream trailer pop-up sites â where you can donate. If you donate in January, you can score some perks.
Anyone who donates blood throughout the rest of the month will receive a free small sandwich from Thundercloud Subs â lunch for the champion you are.
Editorâs pick: You just watched some found footage of Senior City Editor London and me getting ready to read through your responses to our 2023 coverage poll. Iâd like to extend a personal thank you to everyone who responded, and let you know you still have time to submit your ideas, if you havenât already.
Editorial:Laura Figi, London Gibson, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.
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