When considering New Year's resolutions, most people choose things they can begin right away ??? dieting, increased exercise or quitting smoking. Unfortunately, many do not think of spending time in the yard and garden.

Well, if you're a garden enthusiast, there's no reason to wait until spring to get outside. There are many wintertime yard and garden tasks you can do to reduce the work you'll have come spring. The following are some tasks to perform around your yard this month in preparation for spring.

Basic Yard Maintenance

There are a number of yard care chores to do during the winter. Dead plants and debris should be removed from any wood fencing or decking. Clean out gutters and install downspouts to direct water away from your garden. Test your soil to determine its health, especially if you intend to have sensitive plants.

Prepare for Spring Flowers

Planting certain annuals and perennials in winter is a great way to get a jump on spring gardening. If your climate is mild, plant roses, spring annuals and late-season flowering bulbs. If you live in a chilly climate, try indoor seeded trays. When the weather warms up, the seeds will be ready for planting.

Large Trees and Shrubs

Instead of pruning only before winter, prune dormant trees and shrubs in January and February to prepare them for budding. But be careful with shrubs that flower early, such as witch hazel. These should be pruned after their first flowering.

Lawn Maintenance

Although lawn care is limited in the winter, there are a few maintenance chores you should address. Control any growing weeds. Also, cold and wet conditions can play havoc on grass, so make sure your lawn is not walked on, driven on or played on.

Fence Care

Winter is an excellent time for basic maintenance on wood fencing. Inspect for damage and clean your wood fence of any debris to prevent rot. If possible, secure loose wood fence boards with galvanized nails and unstable posts with solid wood braces, especially if the forecast calls for bad weather. If you are unable to repair any of the fencing material, replace it.

Deck Care

Like wood fence maintenance, deck maintenance during the winter may reduce future work and can extend the life of your decking materials. Cleaning your decking is crucial. Rotting debris is a major source of decay for wood fence and decking materials. Also, inspect for and repair loose boards to prevent accidents.

Spring Preparation

In addition to cleaning and repairing your wood fencing and decking materials, simply preparing for spring is one of the biggest winter yard chores. Inspect your tools for any rusting or damage. Purchase supplies early to save time and money. Store items in a warm dry location, as plants and even wood decking and fencing materials may deteriorate in shifting temperatures and humidity. Winter is also a great time to clean planters and patio furniture.

Finally, make plans for your spring and summer garden. Gather ideas from gardening clubs. Get excited about all the fun you'll have when once winter has come and gone.

However, most of the people can only get things snipped as they wait for the next growth. People who are staying in warmer climates should take advantage of the cool and wet months of the January winter to plant some salad greens and sweet peas.

Nevertheless, gardening in January can be fun just like the other favorable months for gardening but it is critical to make some good gardening decisions or the month will be wasted. No matter which climate you are in, there are some basic things that should be incorporated in plans to do gardening in January. Most of the people should be involved in the activities of ordering from the available catalogs.

Some climates may require that the garden design be reworked. It is imperative for one to review the previous years garden journal and to design a new one for the New Year. This should be done by recording the plant and seed orders for the New Year. It is also important to check the vegetables and bulbs that have been stored so that a good decision can be made.

Another paramount activity should be checking the plants that are to be used for heaving. Other beneficial activities should include recycling the Christmas Tree to a bird feeder of garden mulch. After these activities, there is little to be done other than going for a gardening class and sharpening your gardening tools.

In cold climates, Gardening in January should involve winter sowing so that flowers and vegetables that need stratification should get a head start. In zones 7+ areas, people can start planting seeds of vegetables that do well in cool seasons in doors. These vegetables include leeks and cauliflower.

There are also a number of flowers that do well in cool seasons like which should be treated the same as the vegetables. They include verbena, snapdragons, portulaca, petunias, nicotiana, geranium and ageratum. It is also important to check outdoor plants against being damaged by outdoor pests and animals.

The indoor plants should also be checked against being damaged by indoor pests and pets. Hence, just like other months, Gardening in January can be fun. Although there is little activity that can be done in the garden during the month, planning for the next year is also a good way of ensuring that the month has not been wasted.

A gardener should also ensure that all the plants that need a head start gets that head start and this will ensure that the rest of the year gardening will be successful.