 |
February 18, 2004 |
|
Shades of
Spring?
Is it too early to breath a heavy sigh of relief? The
extended forecast shows the high temperatures hovering in the mid
to upper 40's for the next ten days.
Could we possibly be on our way to spring? It may be a bit early
to get our hopes up, but what the heck.
All I need is a couple of warm days and my thoughts immediately
turn toward spring and what needs to be done in the garden. It
might be a bit premature to be working outside unless of course
you are like us and are still trying to scrape the ice off the
driveway. Outside nonetheless!
It seems as
if the outside gardening bug is worse then ever. Here's a good
fix -
the Johnson County Home & Garden Show is just a short week
away. Want to go for free? We've got four tickets to give away!
Just enter here. We'll notify you
by e-mail if you win.
Kevin and I
will be busily cultivating new
subscribers from booth 642 so don't forget to stop by and share
some of your gardening thoughts with us. Hope to see you there!
~
Shelly
Melting Snow Yields Clues...
It's funny how important the winter can be to gardening.
Recent snow is
fading fast but did you notice where it melted away
fastest? Those are the sunniest and warmest spots of your garden
(photos).
Knowing the location of these
microclimates may be important for future plantings. These
warmer areas might be good choices for your more tender plantings
or even a perennial that is only marginally suited to our zone.
Getting
A Jump On Spring...
Savvygardeners know that getting a jump on spring growing
means tricking Mother Nature a little. Cold frames and hotbeds
are the best way to do it. These nifty devices allow you to get
your seedlings in the ground weeks earlier than normal. That
means earlier growth, earlier harvest, earlier eating! Learn how
they work (and how to build them) in our feature article,
Cold Frames & Hotbeds.
Cutting Clematis...
It's time to prune certain types of
clematis. These can be a confusing group of plants to prune,
since they are not all pruned the same way. Most large-flowered
varieties bloom in mid-June on short stems from the previous
season's growth and often again in late summer on new growth.
Prune them in February or March by removing dead and weak stems,
then cut back the remaining stems to the topmost pair of large,
plump green buds. This cut could be a 6 inches to 18 inches from
the stem tips. Varieties in this group include:
-
Nelly Moser
-
Miss Bateman
-
Lasurstern
-
Duchess of Edinburgh
-
Mrs. Cholmondeley
-
Dr. Ruppel
-
Henryi
-
Elsa Spaeth
-
General Sikorski
Cracking The Code...
Savvygardeners buying seeds from a catalog can be forgiven if
they are confused by all the codes and abbreviations that
accompany a seed packet. These important notes differ with the
plant and should be explained in good seed catalogs. For
example, here is an explanation of the abbreviations used to
describe a tomato cultivar:
'Quick Pick'
(F1) V FF N T A (I) 60 days.
-
'Quick Pick' = the cultivar name
- (F1)
= the plant is a first generation hybrid
- V
= resistant to Verticillium Wilt
- FF
= resistant to both strains of Fusarium Wilt
- N
= resistant to nematodes
- T
= resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus
- A
= resistant to Alternaria or Crown Wilt
- (I)
= an Indeterminate or vining growth pattern as opposed
to a Determinate or bush habit.
- 60
= this cultivar typically requires 60 days after transplanting
to produce a crop. This is an approximate period that is
influenced by local weather conditions.
Remember,
these and other abbreviations will be listed and explained in
good seed catalogs. Take time to pay attention to them as they
can be very important to the success of your garden crop!
Source
Get Jumping...
Get an even bigger jump on spring this
month. What you can and should be doing now:
- Sow the seeds of
larkspur, sweet peas and snapdragons where they are to grow
outdoors. For best bloom, these plants must sprout and begin
growth well before warm weather arrives.
- Start seeds of
broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage indoors,
late in the month, for transplanting into the garden later this
spring. Start onion seed indoors now.
-
Daring gardeners can take a chance on
sowing peas, lettuce, spinach and radish. If the weather stays
mild, you will be rewarded with extra early harvests.
Source
|
Tell Your Friends About
Savvygardener.com!
You
Could Win A $50 Gift Certificate
Details...
|
Winter Wisdom...
As people are planning for additions to
their landscapes, we receive requests for the names of trees and
shrubs that do well here, and which encourage visits by songbirds
and wildlife. K-State Research and Extension publishes such a
list, and has provided excerpts from it in this
week's
Winter
Wisdom...
Checking In...
Check stored cannas, dahlias, and gladiolus for rot and
shriveling. Cannas, and dahlias can be
spritzed with water if they appear to be drying up, or you can
add a few drops of water to wood shavings, sawdust, or peat moss
and store them in this material to help them remain viable until
spring. Check gladiolus that are
stored in the open air for signs of mold or decay.
Discard all corms that have black
spots or gummy brown spots at the base.
Source
Finally...
"Plant your own
garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers." ~
Veronica A. Shoffstall, Poet |
