November
21, 2001 |
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Thanks
For Everything...
I think the normal November weather has arrived. It was
quite chilly Tuesday morning while out walking Sam Parker.
Jack Frost left his mark on the grass and the remainder of the
leaves lying about the yard. I must admit it was pretty and
fun to walk along hearing the crunch beneath my feet. As
long as the days warm up, I will be fine with this colder
weather. It is when the temperatures hover in the 20's and
30's that I begin to feel a winter panic set in. Cold
weather tends to make me a little irritable. I would rather
be outside working in the garden, playing with the kids or better
yet lazily sitting around on the deck reading a good gardening
magazine or book. Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the
change of the seasons as well as a good occasional snow for
sledding. December is a breeze to survive because there is
always so much going on. January and February however are a
different story. Survival for me during those two months is
not easy. For now I will hope for the best and keep my
fingers crossed that perhaps we will have a mild winter -
unlike the one we had last year.
I hope that you have all marked your calendars for this coming
Saturday November 24th. Kevin and I are going to be at The
Sweet Onion picking out our Christmas tree and helping you
select yours. We will be there from 10AM 'til 2PM and look
forward to seeing lots of Savvygardeners! Don't forget, if
you are not a real tree enthusiast don't worry. There is
plenty of other goodies to choose from. Poinsettias,
garland of all different varieties, beautiful wreaths already
decorated or ready for decorating and other assorted gift ideas.
Sounds like great fun so get there early before Kevin and I have
grab the very best tree for ourselves!
It is this time of the year that we all reflect on everything we
are thankful for. I am most thankful for my family and our
well being. I am also thankful for all of you
Savvygardeners. Without you this newsletter would not be
possible and not nearly as much fun to write. (It would
seem kind of silly to write this every week for just Kevin,
myself and our extended family who are forced to subscribe.)
A big thanks goes out to our sponsors. They have believed
in us and I am thankful for their support.
If you are traveling over this holiday weekend, travel safely.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~
Shelly
Rethinking
Our Mild Fall...
From a selfish standpoint the unseasonably mild temperatures
we've had this fall we're great. Unfortunately the recent temperatures have been so mild that
our plants have not hardened as much as they normally
would. You see, in the fall plants go through a process of cold hardening
whereby they become acclimated to low temperatures. This
acclimation is in response to cooler temperatures and shorter days.
When temperatures drop
gradually, plants become progressively more acclimated to cold.
A
well-acclimated plant can survive much lower temperatures than
one that has not had the opportunity to become used to the cold
weather. Likewise, when temperatures drop very
quickly damage to plants can occur.
Unfortunately
there is
not a lot that can be done to provide extra protection for trees and most shrubs
(other than making sure the soil under them is moist) but we may
be able to help herbaceous perennials. Herbaceous
perennials would not only include our perennial flowering plants
that die to the ground each year but also other plants such as strawberries. As long as the weather remains mild or
temperatures drop gradually, keep the plants uncovered to allow
them to acclimate. However, if there is a sharp drop in
temperature (to mid-teens or lower), throw mulch or some other
covering over them to help moderate temperatures. Uncover
them again as temperatures
rise to allow the plants to continue the acclimation
process. Ultimately strawberries will need a permanent mulch through the winter months to
help protect them from desiccation and heaving caused by freezing and thawing of
the soil. This is best done when temperatures have been
cold enough to leave some frost in the ground.
Source
Don't
Get Hosed...
If you are putting your hoses away for the season take care
of how you store them. Be very careful not to kink the
hose. Any kink becomes a weak point and hoses often crack
in these locations. Do not hang your hose on nails as this
promotes kinking and weak spot formation. Instead store
them on reels, hose supports or simply coil them loosely on the
floor. Before storing make sure all the water has been
drained out. Find a dry place for it and your hose will be
ready to go when spring returns.
Bunny
Love...
During the winter months, rabbits often gnaw on the bark of many
woody plants. Heavy browsing can result in the complete
girdling of small trees and small branches clipped off at snow
level. Apple, pear, crabapple and serviceberry are frequent
targets of rabbits. Small trees with smooth, thin bark are
the most vulnerable. Other frequently damaged plants
include the winged euonymus or burning bush, Japanese barberry,
dogwood, roses and raspberries.
The best
way to prevent rabbit damage to young trees is to place a
cylinder of hardware cloth (1/4 inch mesh wire fencing) around
the tree trunk. The hardware cloth cylinder should stand about 1
to 2 inches from the tree trunk and 20 inches above the ground.
The bottom 2 to 3 inches should be buried beneath the soil. Small
shrubs, roses and raspberries can be protected with chicken wire
fencing.
Houseplant
Hints...
The growth of your houseplants will slow as the days get
shorter and light intensity is reduced. This means that
they will need less frequent watering and fertilizing through the
winter. Too much of either in the coming months can cause
weak growth leading to undue stress next spring.
Well
Watered For Winter...
Since our fall rains have been scarce Savvygardeners need to water landscape evergreens
thoroughly once every week or so until the ground freezes. Evergreens continue to lose moisture from their foliage all
winter, but once the ground is frozen, they'll be unable to take
up enough water to replace it. Sending them into winter well
watered reduces the potential for damaged foliage. There's
more... broadleaved
and tender evergreens exposed to drying winds and sun may need to
be shaded on the south and southwest sides to reduce moisture
loss and foliage injury.
Source
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Winter
Wisdom...
It's starting to feel more like winter is on its way.
Closing up the lawn and garden for the season is important in
that our actions today will greatly impact our landscape next
spring. You'll find some great ideas on readying for winter
in this
week's Winter
Wisdom...
Power
Equipment Protection...
Power equipment, such as lawn mowers, tillers and chippers
require additional winter preparations. As you finish with
any of these machines for the season give them some TLC before
putting them away.
- Wipe
collected grease, dirt and plant material from all equipment.
- Tighten
loose screws and nuts.
- Sharpen
cutting edges and wipe them with an oily rag.
- If your
equipment has a four-cycle engine, change the oil by following
instructions listed in your owner's manual.
- Clean the
oil and air filter line by starting the engine and letting it
run until it stops.
- Two-cycle
engines, or engines that run with a gas and oil mixture, also
should have the oil-gas mixture removed for the winter. Run
the engine with the choke open to remove fuel from the lines.
- Check the
spark plug and replace it if it is worn.
- Replace
other worn or damaged parts as well.
Also, avoid
storing gasoline over the winter. Old gasoline does not
ignite easily, making the machines using it work harder.
Finally... "Our
Father, fill our hearts, we pray,
With gratitude Thanksgiving Day;
For food and raiment Thou dost give,
That we in comfort here may live."
~
Luther Cross, Thanksgiving Day |