Q: A landscaper has told me we can safely plant new shrubs until the end of January in Atlanta. What say you?

A: They’re right. It would be better to plant shrubs and trees Oct. – Dec., to take advantage of warmer soil, but there is little harm in extending the planting season to January. One bit of advice: No matter when they are planted in fall, evergreen shrubs like holly, juniper and arborvitae need occasional watering in winter. This is particularly important before windy, cold days in January and February.