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January
31, 2001
Survival
Of The Fittest...
We seem to have a war brewing outside our house these days.
The birds and the squirrels are fighting over the feeder and it
has been very interesting to watch. Of course everyone in
our house is cheering for the birds because of the less than
cordial relationship we have with the local squirrels. You
should see those crazy squirrels jump from the tree to the perch
on the feeder! I often wonder if they are runaways from the
Barnum & Bailey Circus. One day as I was walking
through the house to retrieve something for the kids I noticed a
squirrel hanging from the top of the feeder. So what do I
do? I start knocking on the window glass demanding that he get
down. I am pretty sure he was laughing at me because he
didn't budge an inch. Insulted, I simply walked away and
hoped he would fall off. The birds are getting their share
of the food however and I guess that's good enough for
me.
Kevin and I
just received a great book we ordered from Etera
- a company we frequently buy plants from. It is a
perennial guide and catalog with lots of great pictures, maps, a
common name index, selection guide and much more. It really
is great reading - especially on a cold night. The book
retails for $7 and comes with an Internet coupon worth $7 to be
redeemed on their website. Cool stuff so be sure to check
it out!
Mark your
calendars! The
Metropolitan Lawn & Garden Show is February 9th - 11th at
the American Royal Complex. Please stop by our booth #559
and introduce yourself. We always love to meet our
readers. This year we will be selling Savvygardener.com
t-shirts and will be drawing the name of one lucky subscriber for
another great giveaway! Tell all of your friends!
How about
that wet, wet, snow we got last weekend? It sure
helped. It looks like January's precipitation was almost
normal!
~
Shelly
Heave,
Ho...
We've seen some interesting swings in temperatures
lately. While most of us appreciate the days above
freezing, our plants may be less than thrilled. The
freezing and thawing of the ground can force shallow-rooted
plants out of the soil. This is called "heaving" and
should not be a problem if you mulched well at the onset of
winter. If you see any signs of heaving among your
plantings simply replant any that have heaved and
mulch with 2 inches of organic material. Those leaves that
seem to linger all season are perfect!
Ooh,
Ooh, Onions...
Next to garlic, onions are probably the most common garden-grown plant that we cook with in the Marsh household. (We
keep a lot of breath mints on hand also!) Onions are one of the earliest crops that
can be planted in the garden - late March in most of eastern and
central Kansas. As they usually require 6 to 8 weeks of growing
time before transplanting they should be started indoors
now. Plant onion seed fairly close together - 1/2 to 3/4
inch apart in a pot or flat filled with commercial seed starting
mix. (A lot of onion plants can be grown in a small area.)
Place
the container in a warm (75 to 80 F) location until the seedlings
emerge. When the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall, move them to a
cooler (60 to 65 F) location with plenty of natural or artificial
light. After the onion seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall, apply a soluble
fertilizer with each or alternate waterings. When they are 4 to 5 inches tall "give them a haircut" by
trimming the ends of the leaves to produce a shorter, stockier
plant. In early March, move the plants to an outdoor, protected
location for a few weeks prior to actual transplanting.
Crape
Myrtles For Everyone...
Crape myrtles seem to be popular everywhere we go.
Recent mild winters have been kind to those grown in the Kansas
City area. However most crape myrtles are hardy only to Zone 7
(we are Zone 5) and the typical winter we are experiencing
this year will be hard on them. Don't despair, for crape myrtles that are hardy in Zone 5, try
one of the hybrids between Lagerstroemia indica (Chinese) and
L.
faurier (Japanese) that possess more resistance to low winter
temperatures. These include 'Natchez' (pure white), 'Muskogee'
(light lavender), and 'Tuscarora' (coral pink).
Also, crape myrtles are
hardier if grown as a small shrub and pruned back each spring
when growth starts. Water, fertilize, and remove dead blossoms
until mid-August for almost continuous summer bloom. Withhold
water, nutrients, and pruning in early fall to slow growth prior
to winter.
Bug Off!
Mealy bugs on your house plants are a real nuisance.
They are fairly easy to eradicate however. Just touch them with
the tip of a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
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Cavity
Care, Without Floss...
Trees with large cavities in their trunks should be evaluated
yearly as to whether or not they should be removed for safety
reasons. When a cavity takes up over 75 percent of a limb or
trunk the wood could give way anytime and pose a serious threat
to people and property.
Winter
Wisdom...
Evergreens need special attention this time of year.
Not just your pines but also broad-leafed varieties like hollies and
azalea. Get the scoop on proper care in this
week's Winter
Wisdom...
Give 'Em
What They Want...
Once a month, water your acid-loving house plants with a solution of 1 teaspoon of vinegar to
1 quart of water. Not sure if your plants like acid or
not? Colorado State has a comprehensive list waiting for
you. Simply click
here...
Finally...
"Green
thoughts emerge from some deep source of stillness
which the very fact of winter has released." ~
Mirabel Osler, Author |
