December Gardening Tips: The South
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Work in the garden slows considerably this month, but don't forget
about it. Comb it for decorating materials, and then give it the
holiday treatment, too.
Holiday plants need TLC.
Poinsettia Tips -- Keep poinsettias well-watered and away from direct
sun and heat sources, such as fireplaces or radiators. They'll droop
at the drop of a hat and won't recover well.
• Poinsettia Tips >>
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l&catref=cat1480080
Complete Story Continues Below
Holiday Plant Guide -- Check out basic care and tips for other
holiday plants.
• Holiday Plant Guide >>
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/c_304.xml
* In moderation, add the wood ash from your fireplace to your
compost heap.
* In the warmest regions, continue to plant cool-season flowers
and vegetables. Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeding.
* In the warmest regions, now is also an okay time to transplant
shrubs and small trees. Keep them well-watered.
* In those areas where frosts are just an occasional thing, keep
plantings well-watered so whenever a freeze threatens, plants are
more likely to survive. A "turgid" well-hydrated plant is better
equipped to recover than a dehydrated plant.
* Set out a nice big basket to hold all those garden catalogs
that have started arriving already so you can read them after the
holidays, at your leisure.
* If you've overseeded your lawn and there are bare spots, feel
free to scatter a bit more seed to fill in. Also, if the weather is
warm and dry, you may need to water the overseeded lawn. If you
haven't overseeded, sit back and relax!
* In warmer regions, from now through February, after a killing
freeze or a frost, is a good time to move a rose. Transplant it with
as much of the roots as possible and keep well-watered.
Fall Tool Care -- At the end of the season, clean and oil hand tools
and store.
• Fall Tool Care >>
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Care_10042001.xml&catref=cat1480080
* After the last mowing of the season, if there is one, take in
your mower to be serviced and have the blade sharpened so it's ready
to go for spring. Winterize all power equipment by allowing it to run
until the gasoline runs out.
Garden Shed -- Check out online gifts for gardeners -- or drop hints
to friends and family -- by visiting the Better Homes and Gardens
Garden Shed.
• Garden Shed >>
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Showing posts with label giy: december foods/trees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giy: december foods/trees. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2008
December GIY: Fruits and Nuts
December Tips: FRUITS AND NUTS
Fresh nuts of hickory, butternut, and black walnut germinate quite
readily if planted outdoors approximately 1 inch deep. The
alternating freezing and thawing splits their hard shells and allows
the roots to emerge. A small, wire cage placed over the nut will mark planting
spots and keep the squirrels from excavating the seeds.
Leave a bare circle, one foot wide, around fruit tree trunks when
spreading mulch so the mice won't nest there. Also wrap the trunks to
prevent rabbit damage.
Fruit trees can be pruned at any time during the winter provided the
temperature is above 45F.
Mice chew off the bark of fruit trees at ground level or below and
often completely girdle a tree causing it to die. To reduce this
damage, keep mulch pulled away from the base of the tree and examine
mulch frequently for the presence of mice.
The aim of tree wrapping is to keep the trunk from heating unevenly
on bright, sunny, winter days. Bark tends to split as it cools rapidly
after the winter sun has warmed the south and west sides. Use
commercially available tree wraps or put up canvas or burlap screens
to shade young fruit trees.
Even a plank leaned up against the south side of the trunk will help.
Painting trunks with white latex paint is a technique used in
orchards to achieve the same purpose. Consider this practice if you
have young, tender-barked trees like fruit trees.
Fresh nuts of hickory, butternut, and black walnut germinate quite
readily if planted outdoors approximately 1 inch deep. The
alternating freezing and thawing splits their hard shells and allows
the roots to emerge. A small, wire cage placed over the nut will mark planting
spots and keep the squirrels from excavating the seeds.
Leave a bare circle, one foot wide, around fruit tree trunks when
spreading mulch so the mice won't nest there. Also wrap the trunks to
prevent rabbit damage.
Fruit trees can be pruned at any time during the winter provided the
temperature is above 45F.
Mice chew off the bark of fruit trees at ground level or below and
often completely girdle a tree causing it to die. To reduce this
damage, keep mulch pulled away from the base of the tree and examine
mulch frequently for the presence of mice.
The aim of tree wrapping is to keep the trunk from heating unevenly
on bright, sunny, winter days. Bark tends to split as it cools rapidly
after the winter sun has warmed the south and west sides. Use
commercially available tree wraps or put up canvas or burlap screens
to shade young fruit trees.
Even a plank leaned up against the south side of the trunk will help.
Painting trunks with white latex paint is a technique used in
orchards to achieve the same purpose. Consider this practice if you
have young, tender-barked trees like fruit trees.
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