* Keep yuletide plants alive. Water such leftover yuletide plants as amaryllis, Christmas cactus, Christmas cherry and poinsettia when the upper half-inch of soil is dry. When when the weather warms up, also include a shot of diluted fertilizer solution once a month.

* Continue last year's successes. Plant more of the specimens that did well for you in 2003, but also try new varieties.

* Order more catalogs. This is the prime time to order plants and seeds for the spring. The more catalogs you have, the more choices of plant varieties you will have.

* Watch for bugs in houseplants. Trouble could be brewing. Check for mealy bugs, whiteflies and spider mites. They could become active in the cozy conditions of your home.

* Keep water lukewarm. Cold water can shock sensitive plants, which could result in a loss of leaves. Allow water to warm to room temperature in a container before watering.

* Shop for winter-blooming plants. Outdoor plants, such as hellebores, winter daphne, wintersweet, sweetbox, winter honeysuckle and witch hazel, will begin showing up at local nurseries and garden centers this month. Pick up a few now; they may be gone in the spring.

* How about a rose or two? Bare-root roses, which can be planted now, can be found at quality garden centers.

* Monitor trees for pests. If you had trouble with aphids, scale, mealy bugs or mites last year on fruit trees or other susceptible trees, now is a good time to cut down on the populations of next spring and summer. Apply a dormant oil to plants during a period when the temperature is forecast to be above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (and below 85 degrees F) for at least 48 hours. This oil also will smother insects on other plants, but read the label before applying.

* Flip over that compost. For a little bit of exercise, turn the compost pile over one more time. Also, cover it with a clear sheet of plastic to keep heat in the heap.

* Plant some cold-hardy veggies. Such edibles as onion sets, parsley seeds and edible pod peas can be planted now.

* Maintain mulch. Water the mulches and newly established plants regularly if there's no rain for a spell. Also, evergreens will lose less water if an antitranspirant spray such as Wilt-Pruf is applied during the cold, dry times.

* Perk up the pansies. If it's especially cold this month, pansies will languish in the landscape. Don't give up on them, however. Continue cutting off spent blooms and, at the end of this month, apply a weak fertilizer solution of one tablespoon of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 in a gallon of water.

* Fertilize pecan trees. For a bumper crop, scatter four pounds of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 per inch of trunk diameter under the drip line of each tree.

* Clean up after camellias. After your Camellia japonica show off this month, rake up and dispose of any spent flowers that have fallen underneath the bushes to discourage camellia petal blight.

* Check heat in enclosures. Keep in mind that even on the coldest of days, cold frames or other enclosures can heat up on sunny days. On sunny days, open the frame just a bit to help keep temperatures from rising too high.

* Visit a garden or arboretum. Stop by your local botanical garden or arboretum to see how conifers and other evergreens are lighting up the landscape naturally with various shades of green, gold, burgundy, copper and bronze.

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