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December 25, 2002

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I'm Dreaming Of A Wet Christmas...
Merry Christmas to all of you Savvygardeners!  I hope each and everyone of you are enjoying this holiday season with family, friends and loved ones.  We just returned from my parents' home in McPherson, Kansas.  While on our way there we ran into an unexpected snow shower.  McPherson, unfortunately received only a small dusting.  Many places south of them including Wichita had freezing rain and up to 4 inches of snow on Christmas Eve!  Although we were envious of the moisture, freezing rain was not on the top of our Christmas list.  Isn't this weather the craziest?  A huge system runs right through the middle of the United States and we don't see a drop (or flake).  Kevin's family in Maryland was lucky enough to experience a white Christmas.  They received a 4 inches of fluffy, packable snowman snow!  They said it was absolutely beautiful.  We will get a chance to witness some of the "white stuff" tomorrow as we head there for a visit.  Maybe I'll scoop some up to bring home to place on the garden.  Desperate times call for desperate measures!

I was watching the seven-day forecast this evening and they are calling for temperatures to reach the mid to high 50's on Saturday.  That would be a great day to pull out the hose and, you know, give everything a good drink of water.  Don't forget about inside plants.  Make sure that you are not over-watering them and that they are receiving enough sunlight.  Funny how we could be worried about over-watering inside when everything outside is sooooo dry.

Keep watering.  Hopefully we'll see some rain before next year!

~ Shelly  

Prolonged Poinsettias...
Just because the holidays are coming to a close doesn't mean you need to give up on your poinsettias.   To keep your poinsettias looking great for a long time, place them near a window so the leaves are exposed to bright light.  It needn't be direct sunlight, but direct sun won't hurt any indoor plant this time of year.  Of course you can put them wherever they look best when you're expecting company.  Just return them to a brighter location the next day.  Check the soil frequently, and water thoroughly as soon as it no longer feels moist to the touch.

Source

May The Force Be With You...
If you are forcing bulbs to bring some early winter color into your home make sure you bring them into warmer temperatures after they have been sufficiently pre-cooled.  Bulbs require a chilling period of about 10 to 12 weeks at 40º F to initiate flower buds and establish root growth.  Pre-cooled bulbs are available from many garden suppliers if you did not get yours cooled in time.  Then, provide two to four weeks of warm temperature (60º F), bright light and moderately moist soil to bring on flowers.

Source

 


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Amaryllis, After All...
We noticed a lot of Amaryllis bulb gift sets in all manner of stores earlier this month.  Hopefully you were the lucky recipient of one (or more) of them.  Here are some tips to get them blooming and keep them growing through this season and beyond.

Water your bulb thoroughly and place it in a warm, sunny location.  Amaryllis likes day temperatures in the 70s and night temperatures in the 60s.  The flower bud may start to appear right away or the plant may remain dormant for a period of time but eventually all mature bulbs do bloom.  Move the plant to a cooler location and out of direct sunlight when the flower buds begin to show color (this makes the flowers last longer).  Amaryllis can remain in bloom for about a month.

Flowers should be cut off after blooming to keep the plant from expending energy on seed formation.  Place the plant back in a sunny location until it is warm enough to be placed outside.  Sink the pot in the soil in an area that has dappled shade.  The plant can be gradually moved to sunnier locations until it receives full sun for a half day.  Continue to fertilize with a balanced houseplant fertilizer as you would a normal houseplant.  Bring the pot in before first frost and place in a dark location and we'll do it all over again!

Source

 


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Winter Wisdom...
There has been a lot of discussion about genetically modified (GM) crops this year.  Many praise them while others are sure they will lead to catastrophe.  A recent BBC News item directs our attention to what may be an even bigger threat.  Find out what in this week's
Winter Wisdom...

Keep Off The Grass...
Even though our daytime temperatures are well above freezing, the overnight lows are dipping into the low 30's and high 20's.  Your grass will respond to these freezing conditions by moving water to areas outside the cells.  Ice accumulates in spaces between the cells and individual grass blades become brittle.  Walking on frozen turf will force the ice and cells together and can cause permanent damage to your lawn.  Do your best to avoid it.

Finally...
"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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