🌱 Spring for seeds

• The Green House Garden Store, 110 Easton Dr., Lakeland
• Peterson Nursery, 2184 E. County Rd. 540A, Lakeland
• Or check out this roundup of where to buy plants

🌱 Get growing

• Beans
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Lettuce

🌱 Routine maintenance

• Trim and tidy | Toss out any plants that didn’t survive last year and start fresh.
• Take care of your tools | Sharpen your pruners and clean your trowels or treat yourself to a new tool set.
• Test your soil | Apply your compost, but don’t forget to test your soil to make sure you aren’t missing any nutrients. A soil test kit can help you out here.
• Prepare for frost | Be prepared for any cold fronts by making sure your watering system is ready for any deep freezes and stocking up on row covers.
• Plan your beds | Get out your graph paper and dream up your ideal garden.

• T-R-I-V-I-A | Thursday, Jan. 12 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Joinery, 640 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Show what you know and enjoy an extra long happy hour.
• Medical Spa January PEEL Event 2023 | Thursday, Jan. 12 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Medical Spa at Watson Clinic, Bella Vista Building, 1755 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | $75 | Calling all skincare experts — book yourself a ZO Stimulator Peel and get money towards your purchase of ZO products at this event.
• Scavenger Hunt | Thursday, Jan. 12 | 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Public Library, 325 Ave. A NW, Winter Haven | Free | Head to the Winter Haven Public Library for a scavenger hunt featuring significant events in Dr. King’s life — for children grades K-5.

• Public Skate 2023 | Friday, Jan. 13 | 2:30-4 p.m., 6-7:30 p.m. | 3395 W. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland | $15 | Lace up your skates at Lakeland’s only indoor ice arena — times vary by availability.
• Unity Luncheon | Friday, Jan. 13 | 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Nora Mayo Hall, 500 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven | $5 | Enjoy a catered lunch and hear musicians and speakers at this luncheon to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• School Daze: A Divine 9 & HBCU Alumni Mixer | Saturday, Jan. 14 | 7-11 p.m. | Lake Mirror Center, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | $0-$180 | HBCU and Greek Life alumni are invited to this mixer featuring DJ Secret and Friends — attendees must be 21 or older.
• Antique Fair Along Main Street | Saturday, Jan. 14 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | All along Main Street, Bartow | Free | Search for a treasure among antiques, collectibles, and vintage items.

• LuBeck w/ Billy’s Roadside Grill | Sunday, Jan. 15 | 2 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free | Hear classic rock, country, and alternative music by LuBeck with a locally brewed beer from the taproom.
• Florida Tropics SC vs. Milwaukee Wave | Sunday, Jan. 15 | 3:05 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $7-$23 | Turn the tide in the Tropics’ favor by cheering them on to a win over the Wave.

• Yoga for Beginners | Monday, Jan. 16 | 10-11 a.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Bring your mat and some water to this yoga class for all levels focusing on breath, alignment, balance, and strength — must be 16 or older.

• 79º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain
• Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF reaches its closest point to the sun today, Jan. 12. For your best odds of catching this once-in-600-lifetimes spectacle, watch northwestern dark skies during the Saturday, Jan. 21 new moon, or on the night of Wednesday, Feb. 1, when it’s closest to Earth. (Space.com)

• Lakelanders shared ideas for Munn Park’s redesign — including a concession area, stage, and dog park — at Tuesday’s public forum. See proposed additions here and share your thoughts online or at today’s forum from 3-7 p.m. at the Magnolia Building (702 E. Orange St.). ⛲️ (Fox 13 News)

• Finalists have been announced for Catapult’s 2023 Lakeland Entrepreneur Awards, including Diana Cortes Blanquicet of DOU Bakehouse, Nineteen61’s Chef Marcos Fernandez, and Mayor Bill Mutz, among others. Awards will be presented to the winners on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

• Developers have broken ground on Lakeland’s third Culver’s location at 6400 S. Florida Ave. The restaurant will serve up burgers and frozen custard with a drive-thru, indoor, and outdoor seating. In the meantime, grab the custard flavor of the day at the new Highland City location, opening Monday, Jan. 16. (The Ledger)

• Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with The Joinery’s MLK Brunch and Service Day on Monday, Jan. 16. The first 100 registrants will receive a complimentary brunch at the food hall before heading out to serve four community organizations. 🤝

• Coming off of Monday’s win on the road versus the Motor City Cruise, the Lakeland Magic will return to the RP Funding Center this weekend. Don’t miss Orlando Magic Night on Friday, Jan. 13 and Swans Night on Saturday, Jan. 14 for lunch box and replica jersey giveaways. 🏀 (The Ledger)

• Are you ready for some football? How about bowling, square dancing, Scrabble, and pickleball? Registration is now open for the 30th Annual Polk Senior Games, happening Feb. 25-March 11. Sign up by Friday, Feb. 10 to go for the gold in 97 Olympic-style events. (The Ledger)

• Don’t be afraid of romance. Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail is returning with “Love’s Revenge,” a Valentine’s Day-themed experience happening Feb. 10-11. Keep an eye out for ticket announcements on the trail’s Instagram, and prepare by reading the horror novel “Sir Henry: Love’s Revenge.” 🧟

• Disney World is now offering discounted admission with its Florida Resident Disney Weekday Magic Tickets. This promotion is available through April 27. What’s better than reading your daily LALtoday newsletter from the most magical place on Earth? (WFLA)

• Welcome, Lakeland Regional Health’s New Year’s Baby: Little Madison was born on Jan. 1 at 1:10 a.m. Madison was the first of 3,000 babies the hospital expects to deliver this year. Congratulations to Madison’s parents. 🎈*

• New year, new views. Get a change of scenery by taking advantage of one of Catapult’s multiple workspace membership options. Perks include a well-designed workspace, invites to collaborative community events, access to conference rooms, and unlimited coffee + snacks (yes, please). Learn more and apply.*

• Looking to create new eating habits this year? Learn how at the A New Year and A New You: Wine Dinner on the Lighter Side demonstration-style cooking class on Saturday, Jan. 28. Publix Aprons Chefs will make healthy dishes like Apple Carpaccio Salad + Fish en Papillote. Bonus: Wine included. 🐟 *

• Oh hey, January. The key to keeping your spirits up and avoiding seasonal affective disorder this time of year? Sunlight. Magic up more sunshine indoors with a light therapy lamp. This glare-free mood light is height and angle adjustable, while this subtly designed lamp lets you adjust light warmth and brightness. ☀️*

• Look out for Friday the 13th tattoo deals from Atomic Tattoos (2405 S. Florida Ave.) and other local parlors. Pro tip: Arrive early to grab your spot in line.
• Polk County is full of haunted landmarks where you can hunt for ghosts, like Spook Hill.
• Head to the historic Polk Theatre — just look out for their ghosts in residence — for tomorrow’s showing of “Good Morning, Vietnam” at 7:30 p.m.
• If you’re feline lucky, may we suggest adopting a black cat? Check out the traveling cat lounge Botany Cats at Honeycomb Bakery (140 6th St. SW, Winter Haven) tomorrow from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.