The month of December
brings the holiday season and warm thoughts of family, friends and community. I
would like to say “Thank You” and wish you and yours a “Blessed Holiday Season”
with all the best in the New Year!
Fall will turn into
winter this month. It may not always be the most comfortable time to be
planting anything in your landscape, but it is a great time for the plants.
Trees and shrubs are completely dormant now, so the concept of transplant shock
does not apply.
Trimming or pruning of
some of your trees and shrubs can be done now. Resist the urge to cut back
everything. Most perennials benefit from adding a layer of mulch or dead
leaves. Keep your ornamental grasses up until mid-March.
Plants get “chapped lips”
too. Cold, dry winter winds and bright winter sun make our skin chapped and
unhealthy. Those winds have a devastatingly similar effect on your plants too.
No wonder your evergreens don’t look so great come spring. This drying effect
is called desiccation. To fight desiccation, choose the right plants for windy,
dry areas. Make sure to water your evergreens well through early December,
before the ground freezes. Mulch your plants for winter to retain soil moisture
as well as soil temperature. Use an anti-desiccant like Wilt Stop by Bonide.
These products coat leaves and needles to slow down the loss of moisture.
Here are a few tips on
winter houseplant care. When the heat goes on and the daylight becomes shorter,
it may be necessary to move the plants to a different place in the home and to
give them different treatment from that given during the summer. Flowering
plants need at least half a day of direct sunlight. The ideal temperatures for
foliage plants are 68-70 degrees during the day and slightly lower at night.
Remember, windowsill locations are much colder during the winter and plants may
need to be moved to prevent them from getting chilled. The amount of water the
houseplants need declines during winter.
Reduce fertilizing as well.
Some of the plants in
your landscape can help you decorate for the Christmas season. Holly and
Boxwood can be trimmed now with some of the cuttings used to accent wreaths or
live indoor plants. Some of the growth of evergreens such as White Pine and Norway
Spruce, can be used to make a harvest wreath or basket for your front door or
porch. Talk about recycling! After Christmas, you can take them to your compost
bin for future fertilizer! Along with these
·
Use
caution when spreading salt or calcium on ice or snow packed walks or
driveways. Salt can damage lawns and plantings, calcium is much safer to use.
Be sure to designate areas to for piling snow from plowing in advance to
prevent damage to trees, shrubs and lawns.
·
Continue
to feed our fine feathered friends and place heated birdbaths with fresh water
out for them.
Again, I wish you and
your family a very Blessed Christmas season.
Let’s get to work on planning that beautiful garden scene for next year!
See you in the
Garden…………..
Sandi Hillermann
Mcdonald
