Older plantings usually flower fine if the cultivars are dependable for repeat blooming in Louisiana. Daffodils and narcissus can be planted through December. Excellent cultivars are Ice Follies, Fortune and Paper White. Remove old flowers from your cool-season bedding plants to extend the blooming season and improve flower performance. Plant gladiolus in late February in south Louisiana.
Winter is a great time for planting trees.
Some excellent native species for Louisiana include nuttall oak, southern red oak, willow oak, red maple, southern magnolia, bald cypress and mayhaw. January 15 is Arbor Day in Louisiana. Mulch rose beds to get plants off to a good spring start and minimize weed problems. All-America Rose Selection for 1999 will be available at garden centers in February. Winning varieties are Candelabra, Kaleidoscope, Fourth of July and Betty Boop.