Winter honeysuckle, winter jasmine, and fragrant wintersweet, are just a few that bloom very early and offer both beauty and fragrance to arrangements. Cuttings from later blooming trees and shrubs can be taken and forced into bloom indoors. Make fresh cuts on the bottom of the stems weekly and change the water once or twice a week. As the buds begin to open, they can be worked into other foliage for a beautiful bouquet. You can also start many seeds indoors this month.
Herbs grown from seed are a great way to have an indoor or windowsill garden.
Flower seeds that were ordered or purchased ahead of time may have different germination and growth rates. Check the packages to know when to plant the seeds in order to have them ready to set out when the weather becomes favorable. Other seeds such as nasturtium can be planted directly outdoors later this month. They will germinate even when the soil is cool, and the head start they have gained will produce larger plants in the long run. By forcing the plant to produce new shoots, pruning actually rejuvenates trees and shrubs.