Sunday, December 28, 2025

January Gardening Tips 2026

January Gardening Calendar

Start planning for Spring. January is the perfect month to start planning your garden for the current year. As a refresher for last year’s thoughts, ideas or plants you were thinking about purchasing, dust off your gardening journal to see what changes or additions you want to make this year. A garden is always evolving.

Start looking at seed and garden catalogs. January is a good time to start planning this year’s design features and plants. Seeds and new introduction plants sell out quickly. Don’t miss out and wait, try to order your seeds or reserve your plants soon. Reserving your plant purchase guarantees the plant will ship at the proper time for planting in your USDA zone.

Seed starting Kits. Growers recommend starting the seeds indoors in a bright location to get a jump start to spring. There are seed starting kits which are advertised as seed starter germination kit or seed starter greenhouse kit. The kits usually feature a tray, growing media disks, and a cover for the tray. The kits are an excellent choice to start growing your seeds before spring. Some kits even include a warming matt to get a faster germination rate.

Bare Root Roses will be arriving soon at local garden centers. Prepare planting beds by digging an area 3 feet wide by 12 inches deep for each rose. Soak bare root roses in a mixture of Super Thrive, Real Growers-Recharge soil microbes, and water for 24 to 48 hours before planting. Local nurseries will also have available roses in peat pots. Peat pots are biodegradable and can be planted directly in the ground. Don’t take the plant out of the peat pot. Before planting make a slit a quarter of the way down and around the pot four times. This action helps the peat pot degrade faster and also lets the roots start growing outside the peat pot. For more information on Rose Care Click Here.

Do you want to keep your Poinsettias all year? Once the temperature is 40 to 50 degrees you can place your poinsettias outdoors and in the shade. Water only when the soil is dry to the touch. Start fertilizing in March. After the blooms (bracts) start fading or turning green trim the plant.

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs the structure of the trees and shrubs can be easily seen this time of year. Prune all branches that rub or cross each other. Trees and shrubs can be planted now. Plan to plant on a warm day when the ground is not frozen. When the weather warms for a week or longer, and then the temperatures drop into the twenties, cover Camellias and Gardenias nightly until the temperatures are above freezing. The last week in January prune Pear and Apple trees, and Grape vines.

Vegetable Garden till the soil, if the ground is dry. This preventative measure helps to eliminate weeds, insects, and nematodes. Most vegetables can be planted in the garden after the last freeze date in your area. Don’t have room for a vegetable garden, but would like to grow your own vegetables? All vegetables can be grown in large planters. The recommended planter size for vegetables is 16 inches or larger. In fact, that is how I grow my vegetables each season. For more information on Spring Vegetable Gardening Click Here.

Prune Pampas Grass and all other ornamental grasses down to about 12 to 24 inches. Prune Lantana and Cannas down level with the soil. Shape Crepe Myrtles and Altheas and remove old seed heads.

Annuals water winter annuals like pansies, violas, ornamental cabbage and kale, after a hard freeze. This helps to rehydrate the annuals faster. Water outside container plants before a hard freeze, too.

Houseplants check for insects. Insects like mealy bugs, scale, spider mites are more likely to infest your plants during the winter months. Spray with a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap, and make sure you spray underneath the leaves. Turn your houseplants a quarter to half turn once a week. This prevents leaning of your houseplants. I turn mine once a week when I water my houseplants.

Need more gardening advice? Follow our BlogSpot for current sales, daily specials, and sound gardening advice. Simply click on Join This Site Link under Followers. Sign Up Is Free. View Current Blog Post Click Here.

Discover the beauty of nature with plants and plant photo prints at Hibiscus and More, where every piece is a celebration of the natural world!

Cheryl Meola’s Plant Photography on Merchandise. The website features clothing, home décor, puzzles, and greeting cards to customize for any occasion. https://cherylann-meola.pixels.com

My photography is on display on different websites including my own HibiscusAndMore.com. The other sites that have my photography are: www.fineartamerica.com/art/cheryl+meola

Click on the links below.

https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/cherylmeola

https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Cheryl+Ann+Meola

https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/210785031/cheryl

Cheryl has written several gardening books available now on her website HibiscusAndMore. Topics include Landscape Gardening, Butterfly Gardening, and Houseplants.

All photographs and digital images are ©Cheryl Ann Meola. All Rights Reserved. All photographs and digital images displayed in this newsletter are for viewing purposes only and cannot be duplicated or copied. ©Cheryl Ann Meola.

Thursday, November 13, 2025

Helping Children Chose Healthy Choices

Image: Freepik

How Parents Can Help Children Make Healthy Choices That Last a Lifetime

Children learn more from what we do than what we say, especially when it comes to health. Every shared meal, family walk, or mindful bedtime routine teaches them how to care for their bodies and minds. Parents hold the power to shape lasting habits that foster balance, confidence, and well-being. By modeling positive choices and nurturing curiosity, you can help your child build a foundation for lifelong health — one decision at a time.

Key Points

Healthy lifelong choices are modeled, not mandated. Parents can:

● Lead by example through learning and growth.

● Create consistent routines that support well-being.

● Foster autonomy and decision-making early.

● Use conversation, not control, to reinforce values.

● Encourage curiosity about how choices affect mind and body.

Why Parents Shape Health Behaviors Early

From how you talk about food to whether you take walks after dinner, children absorb the micro-behaviors that form their worldview. Research shows that children whose parents model healthy behaviors are more likely to maintain them into adulthood. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that family routines strongly influence children’s lifelong health patterns.

The parent-child relationship becomes a behavioral template — one that digital well-being tools now reflect through routine-linked goal tracking and reminders. The American Heart Association’s family wellness guide highlights that shared activities like cooking or walking together improve both bonding and long-term health outcomes.

How-To: Cultivate Lifelong Healthy Decision-Making

Model daily consistency. Children emulate patterns more than perfection. Keep meals, sleep, and play routines stable.
Use reflective questions. Instead of “Eat your veggies,” try “How do colorful foods make your body feel?”
Connect choices to outcomes. Make cause and effect visible — “You had more energy after biking today.”
Involve them in decisions. Let kids plan a meal or choose an outdoor activity. Autonomy builds internal motivation.
Normalize mistakes. Show that progress matters more than perfection — self-compassion sustains healthy habits.

For step-by-step support, the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s guide to healthy habits for kids provides practical family frameworks.

Modeling Lifelong Learning

Children don’t just copy what you say — they internalize what you do. Showing curiosity, discipline, and resilience in your own habits teaches them that growth never stops.

Continuing your own education is a powerful way to demonstrate that learning is lifelong. For example, earning an online degree signals to your child that personal growth and curiosity never expire — and that knowledge opens doors. If you’re interested in understanding how thought, emotion, and motivation shape behavior, this resource may help you explore psychology and learn to support others effectively.

Parental Influence Checklist

Domain	Healthy Action	Common Pitfall	Visibility Tip
Nutrition	Eat together, discuss food sources	Using food as reward/punishment	Link meals to energy, not emotion
Physical Activity	Daily walks, active play	Overemphasis on performance	Emphasize fun over metrics
Emotional Health	Express feelings openly	Dismissing emotions	Model naming emotions
Digital Well-being	Co-watch and set limits	Unmonitored screen time	Explain why limits matter
Learning	Pursue your own education	Viewing learning as finite	Model curiosity and self-improvement

Behavior Design Blueprint for Parents

Goal: Build an ecosystem that makes healthy living effortless.

Framework (Problem → Solution → Result):

● Problem: Kids get mixed signals about health and wellness.

● Solution: Create a home environment that rewards curiosity and consistency.

● Result: Children develop internal motivation and emotional resilience that lasts into adulthood.

You can explore techniques for positive reinforcement in the Child Mind Institute’s habit-building guide.

Parent Reflection Checklist

● Do I connect choices to feelings instead of rules?

● Am I modeling growth by learning new skills myself?

● Have I made healthy options the default at home?

● Do I celebrate small progress without perfectionism?

● Am I cultivating curiosity instead of control?

For simple daily habit routines, check out UNICEF’s guide to teaching children health habits — it includes printable tools for parents.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How early should parents start teaching health awareness?
From infancy. Routines around mealtimes, bedtime, and play help children form early schemas of “normal.” The CDC’s early childhood development overview outlines foundational habits.

Q2: What’s the biggest mistake parents make?
Turning health into obedience instead of exploration. Encourage intrinsic motivation through discovery and dialogue.

Q3: How do you balance digital life with physical activity?
Integrate the two — use family-friendly fitness games or track shared goals with wellness apps.

Q4: How do parents model emotional health?
By naming feelings, managing stress visibly, and seeking support when needed — it normalizes emotional literacy.

Glossary

● Intrinsic Motivation: Acting from inner satisfaction rather than external reward.

● Behavioral Modeling: Children learning through observed behavior.

● Schema: Mental structure for organizing and interpreting experiences.

● Wellness Ecosystem: Home setup that makes healthy options easy and accessible.

● Reflective Practice: Ongoing self-evaluation to improve parenting approaches.

Product Spotlight: Fitbit Inspire 3

Building healthy habits starts with awareness — and the Fitbit Inspire 3 makes that awareness simple, motivating, and family-friendly. Designed for all ages, this lightweight fitness tracker monitors daily activity, heart rate, and sleep patterns to help families visualize how small choices add up over time. Parents can set shared goals, track progress together, and encourage kids to celebrate movement as part of everyday life — not a chore.

Healthy habits begin with small, consistent choices that children learn by watching the adults around them. When parents model balance, curiosity, and self-care, they give kids the confidence to make mindful decisions on their own. Each shared walk, meal, or moment of learning reinforces that wellness is a lifelong journey, not a destination. By staying present and leading by example, you help your child build health that lasts well beyond childhood.

Discover the beauty of nature with plants and plant photo prints at Hibiscus and More, where every piece is a celebration of the natural world!

Discover the beauty of nature with Hibiscus and More, where you can explore a stunning collection of fine art prints that bring the garden to your home.

Cheryl Meola’s Plant Photography on Merchandise. The website features clothing, home décor, puzzles, and greeting cards to customize for any occasion. https://cherylann-meola.pixels.com

My photography is on display on different websites including my own HibiscusAndMore.com. The other sites that have my photography are: www.fineartamerica.com/art/cheryl+meola

Click on the links below.

https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Cheryl+Ann+Meola

https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/210785031/cheryl

Cheryl has written several gardening books available now on her website HibiscusAndMore. Topics include Landscape Gardening, Butterfly Gardening, and Houseplants.

Gardening And More