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January 26, 2005 |
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Few And Far Between...
I was glad to be outside doing some clean-up yesterday. There
are always leaves to rake, sticks to pick up, old pansies to
dispose of and general organizing that needs to be done. I should
have been doing laundry but instead chose to be outside enjoying
the warmer temperatures - a tough decision to make but I
struggled through it. Kevin and I finally took down the Christmas
wreath and the next task on the list is removing the Christmas
lights. With busy schedules, the warmer
days seem few and far between. I am
hopeful that the lights will be down before Valentine's
Day.
This is a tough time of year for gardeners.
It's cold. The ground is frozen. And it's too early
to start most seeds. With the exception of a nice day every so
often it's easy to lose faith. Don't! Spring really
is just around the corner and together we can get there without
getting cabin fever.
Hang in there!
~
Shelly
A Gentler
Approach To Houseplant Pests...
Insects on houseplants are a major pain.
Not only are they hurting your plants but control measures using
chemicals are pretty undesirable to a lot of homeowners. Here
are three control approaches that minimize risk to you and your
housemates.
- Physically
pick-off caterpillars, slugs, and other larger pests.
-
Swab pests with a small brush or
cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol. This method is
feasible when plants are small and infestations very light. It
is tedious and must be done once a week over a period of time.
- Plants can also
be washed in a diluted mixture of
water and insecticidal soap, or
gently spray-washed with lukewarm water. Repeated
washings over a period of time are necessary to gradually
reduce infestations.
If the
infestation is severe, it may be preferable to discard the plant
and replace it rather than attempt chemical control.
Source
Tipping The Scale...
Now is a great time to inspect your trees and shrubs for scale
insects. With the leaves off the trees, inspecting the stems and
bark crevices is much easier. Go slowly and look carefully, since
many types of scale look like a part of the branch or otherwise
blend in well with the host plant. Plan an application of
horticultural oil if scale populations are above tolerable
levels. Horticultural oil can be applied at any time of year, but
temperatures should be at 40°F or higher for 24 hours after an
application. Be sure to read and follow all directions on the
label.
Source
Winter Water?
With the recent dry weather that we have been having, landscape
plants may need some additional water to survive the winter
unscathed. Newly transplanted woody plants and evergreens should
be first on your list. Be sure to water all of the area from the
trunk to the edge of the outermost branches (called the dripline)
and not just near the trunk. Water to depth of 8 to 12 inches.
The depth can be checked with a metal rod, dowel or screwdriver
with a long tang. Wait until the temperature is above freezing
and the soil is unfrozen so the water will soak in.
Deciduous
plants (those that drop their leaves) will need to be watered
about once per month if there isn't significant precipitation.
Evergreens such as pines and junipers as well as recently
transplanted trees and shrubs will need water about once every
two weeks. Also, plants with a limited root system such as those
near sidewalks will need to be watered more frequently than those
in green areas.
Source
Viability Verification...
So, you're getting ready to start some seeds indoors and
don't know if last year's leftovers are still good. Well, you
can start by checking the typical
viability of 20 popular vegetable seeds in the table below:
Vegetable |
Viability
(Years) |
Vegetable |
Viability
(Years) |
Beans |
3 |
Muskmelons |
4-5 |
Broccoli |
3-5 |
Peas |
3 |
Brussels
Sprouts |
3-5 |
Peppers |
2-3 |
Cabbage |
3-4 |
Pumpkin |
4-5 |
Carrots |
3 |
Radish |
5 |
Cauliflower |
3-5 |
Spinach |
5 |
Corn, Sweet |
2 |
Squash, Summer |
3-4 |
Cucumbers |
5 |
Squash, Winter |
4 |
Lettuce |
5-6 |
Tomato |
3-4 |
Lima Beans |
3 |
Turnip |
4-5 |
To be
absolutely sure here's a trick we use to determine if seeds are
still good:
- Take ten seeds
from the package and place them on a paper towel that you have
moistened with warm water.
- Fold the paper
towel over to cover the seeds.
- Keep the towel
moist and warm (on top of the fridge usually works for warmth)
until they start to germinate.
- If less than six
seeds (60%) germinate you might as well throw the rest away.
- If six or more
germinate it will be worthwhile to plant the rest.
- Don't waste your
test seeds! The ones that germinate should be carefully moved
to your preferred seedling container and cared for until ready
for transplanting outdoors.
Source
Mulching Tea
Roses...
It's not too late to provide winter care
mulch for your tea roses. Mulching tea roses
involves protecting the graft union of the
plant, normally just at, or below, the soil level.
The best and easiest way to protect the graft is with a mound of
soil. The mound of garden soil should be six to eight inches,
poured in a cone shape right over the center of the plant.
This soil should not come from
the surrounding plant, as this could
damage the roots. It is best to
bring soil in from another part of the garden or purchase a bag
of topsoil.
Care For
Amaryllis...
We've had several readers ask about the
ongoing care of an amaryllis
received during the holidays. Here are some quick tips:
-
Remove any
spent flowers after blooming.
-
Place
the plant in a bright sunny window to
allow the leaves to fully develop.
-
Keep the soil evenly moist, not
soggy.
-
Feed
occasionally with a general purpose houseplant
fertilizer.
Seed Scarification...
The coat of certain seed is extremely tough and must be
penetrated by special means. Particularly hard seed may be
scarified. Scarification involves breaking, scratching or
softening the seed coat to allow moisture penetration. Two
methods of scarification commonly used by the home gardener are
mechanical and hot water.
- Mechanical
scarification involves breaking or weakening the seed coat
with a file, sandpaper or hammer.
- Hot water
scarification involves placing seeds in water that is 170°
to 210°
F.
After the water cools, seeds should continue to soak for 12 to
24 hours.
Then they
are planted. Specific instructions for scarification are usually
mentioned on the seed packet or in the seed catalog.
Source
Finally... "With a few flowers
in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live
without envy." ~
Lope de Vega, Spanish playwright,
1562-1635 |