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January 8, 2003 |
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A Winter
to Remember...
Today reminded me of a warm April
afternoon. The sun felt so warm
on my face. I'll
bet the unseasonably mild weather made you feel like
Spring is right around the corner!
For me it was a
"work in the garden"
day - all day. Isn't it funny to
think that a day like today in August
would have felt downright chilly?
On days like this it's
delightfully easy to forget about those harsh extremes (hot
and cold) that we Kansas Citians endure every year.
Well,
like many other gardeners in the Kansas City-area,
I watered today. I also raked
leaves - a never
ending job for those of us who live in Westwood.
It gave me great satisfaction to
be "cleaning up" the yard.
I am not quite sure why,
other than it just felt good. I
am not too sure that anything could make me happier than being
outside the first week of January with a rake in hand and
puttering around the yard. Is it
really winter?
The
drought (and it is a drought by the way)
is becoming pretty serious. We
are now going on 50-some days without
recorded precipitation. Keep
watering and pray for rain. Hopefully
some of the snow that has been missing us will come our way soon!
~
Shelly
Cure For Spring Fever?
With today's temperature's climbing toward
70º getting a touch of spring fever is inevitable. What's a
Savvygardener to do? While it is way too early to do much
in the way of planting there are several flowers whose
seeds can be started this month. They include Begonia,
Browallia, Geranium, Larkspur, Pansy and Vinca. Check out
When to Start Seeds Indoors for more details.
Savvygardeners, Sappy Trees...
If you have ever pruned trees in late winter to early spring,
you may have noticed that some weep sap from fresh pruning
wounds. Different species of trees vary in how easily and how
much they "bleed." Those that are most susceptible to bleeding
include maples (silver, sugar, amur, Norway and hedge), black
walnut, pecan, birch, mulberry, Osage orange (hedge tree) and
grape. Though bleeding may look as if it would cause
considerable damage to the tree, that's not the case. Even if
large amounts of sap are lost, there is no apparent long-term
damage. However, many people find the appearance of this
bleeding objectionable. Pruning during the winter when
temperatures remain below freezing will help minimize sap flow.
So if you have any of the "bleeders" that need pruned, you might
want to do it while the weather is really cold.
Source
Asking
About Ashes...
A common question this time of year concerns the spreading of
wood ashes from the fireplace into the garden. Many gardeners
have heard that wood ashes increase soil pH. While this is
technically true it would take very considerable quantities
to have any significant effect on pH. Just spread them as evenly
as possible and try not to overdo it.
Evergreen
Dreams...
With the weather so agreeable
now is a good time to look around your
property and think about how an evergreen might improve the
landscape. It's all too easy to
forget about our winter landscape during the planting season when
we are distracted by all of the color.
Boughs
For Beds...
Many of our readers are disposing
of a Christmas tree in the very near future. Why not put that
tree to some beneficial use?
- Evergreen boughs
are great insulators and can be effectively used as a mulching
material on flower beds.
-
The whole tree itself makes a nice temporary
protective habitat for birds. Place it in the garden near
your bird feeders.
Winter Wisdom...
As you peruse your garden catalogs and
dream about "what may be" this spring make sure you consider
whether the plants you order are appropriate for our area.
One way to make sure is to buy your plants from local suppliers.
You will find the case for buying locally in this
week's
Winter Wisdom...
Houseplant
Help...
This month is a good time to remember your houseplants. If
any of them are getting too big for their pots simply divide them
and re-pot. While you are at it give them some TLC by doing the
following:
- Prune
judiciously. A light trim is usually sufficient.
- Check for bugs.
Aphids and other critters can usually be eradicated with some
insecticidal soap.
- Make sure the low
winter sun isn't hurting your plants placed near windows. You
can relocate them or simply rotate them periodically if
necessary.
- A different
window related problem may be the cold. Leaves don't like
touching cold glass.
- If your house is
really dry (like mine) make sure you mist your plants
occasionally.
Finally... "'Tis
not the season of the leaf
whose fragile body’s broken veins
disintegrate in gusts of winds
while winter blows a frosty coat
that caps the barren land." ~
Lucille Younger, Poet |