With folk cleaning up from a snowstorm in Duluth and a two - day snowstorm in part of the rest of the state , it ’s hard to imagine there are a fate of December garden chores for northern nurseryman . And , while this is one of the two most relaxing months for gardener , there are still a few affair you’re able to do to keep your horticulture juices flowing .
Did I bury anything?Start with a immediate deterrent to ensure you have pick up and put aside what you may from the past time of year . Any fragile pots ( terra cotta or ceramic ) should be cleaned and stow . Have you cleaned your tools ? Are all the outside faucets turned off ? Or worse yet , is there a hosiery still bind to a faucet ?
Make notes for next twelvemonth . All the successes and challenges of the retiring season are refreshed in your mind . Now is a great time to pose down and make some note about plants you require to move , which seeds work and did n’t and where you want to add together some bush or trees for wintertime interest . ( Hint : What windowpane do you look out most ? ) hoard your notes somewhere you are indisputable to find them and set a reminder on your telephone or calendar to count at them in April .
Oh-oh. Rabbits got at this arborvitae. Adding protection would prevent this damage.
Set seed catalogs aside for January . My first seed catalogue arrived shortly after Halloween , but I ’m honest-to-goodness schooltime about when Ishop for semen . Save the fun until after the holiday .
Install plant protection . Is there a tree or shrub thebunnies , squirrels or other pests get it on to demolish ? If you have not already , consider giving it extra protection with a annulus of crybaby wire . supply this to your list of December garden chore .
crop boughs for decor . If you have good sized evergreen plant or dogwood or willow shrubs , consider harvest home a few boughs for your holiday decor . It ’s a swell mode to relieve money on decorations .
For some winter color, grow an amaryllis or other bulb.
Houseplant health check . In winter , houseplants generally need less water supply and no food ( or very small ) . check that your plant are in the best luminance you have for them and sporadically monitor for pestilence , such as mites or scale . If you find a pathologic plant , keep it away from the other plants and treat the disease or best straightaway . Our home are very dry so even though works need less water , succulents and other thick - leaved plants do best if you wash dust off their leaves from time to time . Many plant ( but not African violets ) like to be haze over with elbow room - temperature water form time to clock time . Also , if it is super cold , move houseplants away from immobilize cold window .
Buy a winter lightbulb . I start doing this about five years ago , and nothing take the edge off of January ( other than a trip-up south ) likeamaryllisornarcissus ( paperwhite)bulbs . These are very easy to develop . You pot them up , put them in a sunny window and wait 4 to 6 week . presently you have a stem grow and then a beautiful , sometimes fragrant efflorescence . Now that ’s a December garden chore we can all enjoy !
