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~ January 21, 2009 ~
A Little Distracted...
I must admit that I am still riding on an Inauguration high.
Yesterday was truly something! Having two children (Morgan and Noah)
in DC amongst the activities made it hard for me to get anything
accomplished. For some reason I was sure that I was going to catch a
glimpse of them on TV. That's pretty funny considering there were a
million plus people there. We moms are crazy. I watched TV most of
the day hoping to see one of my kids pop up on TV. Guess what? I
didn't see them but received text after text about what was
transpiring. I am glad they had an opportunity to be part of such a
historical event.
Too cold to be outside yesterday. Today is a nice change. Tomorrow
is supposed to be even warmer. It is time for me to take down the
outside garland and wreaths. I have been procrastinating so tomorrow
will be the day. Christmas and the New Year have come and gone. Time
to move on.
Well,
The Savvygardener Community has really taken off and if you have
not had a chance to visit the site to join, don't wait a minute
longer. I have had so many wonderful conversations with gardeners
from all over the United States. It is so much fun to make new gardening
friends. You can never have too many. There are so many
opportunities for you to explore. Tell all of your friends. Soon
spring will be here and you will know exactly where to go to ask for
the advice you need. Don't forget to share your inspirations
as well. There have been many beautiful pictures posted, comments
made and questions asked. I highly recommend you get in on the fun!
~ Shelly
Minimize Lawn Damage...
Looks like there's some more cold weather and snow on the way. It's a good time to
remember that lawns and shrubs can be damaged by the various chemicals and salts we use
to melt ice and snow. Savvygardeners can minimize the risk of damage by following a few
simple steps when de-icing walks and driveways:
-
Use an ice melting substitute or calcium
chloride that is gentler on the landscape than salt.
-
Before applying such a product, shovel
off as much snow as possible.
-
Apply the de-icing product down the
middle of your sidewalk or driveway.
-
Shovel any treated snow or ice into the
street or driveway. Any place but your lawn.
Source
White Water...
While it generally takes 8 -10 inches of snow to equal just one-inch of rain you can
maximize the irrigating effects of any snowfall with a little extra work.
When you're shoveling the walks and driveway simply transfer that
(untreated) snow to your garden beds. As it melts your gardens will
benefit from the extra moisture.
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 from your
favorite garden center.
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
Care For Amaryllis...
This time of year our readers often 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.
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
All Set For Onions...
Onions are one of the earliest crops that can be planted in the garden - late
March in most of eastern and central Kansas. As they usually require 6 to 8 weeks
of growing time before transplanting they should be started indoors now. Plant onion
seeds fairly close together - ½ to ¾ inches apart in a pot or flat filled
with commercial seed starting mix. (A lot of onion plants can be grown in a small
area.) Place the container in a warm (75º to 80º F) location until the seedlings
emerge. When the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall, move them to a cooler (60º to 65ºF)
location with plenty of natural or artificial light. After the onion seedlings are 2
to 3 inches tall, apply a soluble fertilizer with each or alternate waterings.
When they are 4 to 5 inches tall "give them a haircut" by trimming the ends
of the leaves to produce a shorter, stockier plant. In early March, move the plants to
an outdoor, protected location for a few weeks prior to actual transplanting.
Finally...
"What I do know is that few satisfactions match having
grown-up children who obviously share my belief that
digging in the earth has, since Eden, been the best way of
staying out of trouble and meanwhile experiencing sensual
delights that beggar my powers of description."
~ Allen Lacy
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