Hort Tips
November
Edible
Store liquid pesticides where temperatures will not drop below 40 degrees
F. Temperatures lower than 40 degrees F will cause the chemical to breakdown.
Till the vegetable garden. This exposes insect pests to winter cold,
reducing their numbers in next year’s garden.
Prune everbearing raspberries to the ground. There will be no spring
crop but there will be a larger fall crop.
Seal fertilizer bags tightly with tape and keep off the garage floor.
This will reduce moisture getting into the bags.
Ornamental
Cut back perennials to about three inches above ground after killing
frosts. Mulch perennials after ground is frozen.
Water evergreens before the soil freezes. After the ground freezes
water becomes unavailable to the plant. Evergreens lose moisture through
their needles. The needles will turn brown on the tips if moisture is
lost faster than the plant can replace it.
Apply anti-transpirants such as Wilt Pruf to needled and broad-leaved
evergreens in windy locations. These are waxy spray coatings that help
slow down water loss through leaves and needles.
Lawns - Continue to mow lawns until grass is dormant. Mow lawns at
final height of two inches. Fertilize a final time after the last mowing
usually in November. University research has shown that late fall fertilization
instead of early spring fertilization can minimize lawn disease problem,
promote color retention in the fall and encourage early green-up in
the spring.
Erect barriers such as poultry wire or hardware cloth to protect young
trees and shrubs from rabbit and vole damage. Favorite plants on the
menu include blueberries, roses, Euonymous, fruit trees and brambles.
Plan an after Thanksgiving visit to a local Christmas tree farm to
cut your own tree. List of farms available by calling 773-233-0476 or
check out the web site: Christmas Trees & More at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees
Make a final cleanup of leaves and debris on your lawn to avoid snow
mold.
Fill bags with leaves and use them as insulation around overwintering
plants in containers. Use leaves in compost pile in spring.
Cover roses after most of their leaves have fallen and temperatures
have dropped into the teens for a few nights. A common type of winter
protection is to “hill up” a loose, well drained soil/compost
mix around and over the plant to a depth of 10-12 inches. Soil used
in hilling should not be scraped from around the plant. This practice
can cause root injury.
Leave ornamental grasses standing for their interesting foliage effects
and protection for the crown. Cut back the foliage to about 4-6 inches
in spring before new growth starts.
Noticing bagworms in your trees, pines, spruce, junipers and arborvitae?
Remove as many of the bags as possible. This will reduce next year’s
population of bagworms.
Fertilize trees and shrubs if it has not been done in the spring.
Indoors
Start an avocado plant. Remove the pit from the avocado. Wrap the
pit in a moist paper towel and place it in a plastic bag. Close the
bag and place it in a warm place. Check the bag every 5-7 days to see
if the towel needs to be moistened. Pot up when roots grow.
Move your houseplants to brighter locations to compensate for less
hours of daylight.
December
Edible
Fluttering moths in your kitchen? Indian meal moths are often brought
into the home during the holiday cooking season in cereal or grain products.
Moths are 3/8 inches long with 1/2 inch long brownish-gray wings. Adults
lay eggs and small whitish larva with dark heads feed on grains. Check
foods for larva and place all insect-free foods in insect proof containers
such as glass jars or plastic containers.
Ornamental
Looking for a great gift for a tree lover? Give them Michael Dirr’s
“Manual of Woody Landscape Plants.” This is the bible of
woody plants for the Midwest.
Forgot to plant some of your bulbs? Don’t try to hold them over
until spring indoors. The bulbs will dry out. Plant them outside. Planting
them late may cause them not to flower in the spring.
Choose a fresh Christmas tree. A fresh tree will have a healthy, green
appearance. Needles should be flexible and not fall off if you run a
branch through your hand.
Keep the water level in your tree stand above the base (cut end) of
the tree. If the base dries out, resin will form over the cut end and
the tree will stop absorbing water. Do not add commercially prepared
mixes, aspirin, sugar or other additives to the water. Research has
shown that plain water is best.
Move your live tree outside after Christmas and decorate it for the
birds. Place the tree in a bucket of damp sand. Put on strings of popcorn
and cranberries. Apples, oranges, leftover breads and pine cones covered
with peanut butter dipped in bird seed can be added. Push the edible
ornaments well into the tree for best results.
Punch holes in the foil of your holiday plants so water can drain.
Water plants in the sink allowing them to drain thoroughly before putting
them back on display.
Indoors
Move gift plants carefully. Wrap in layers of newspaper and warm the
car before loading plants. Just a moment of exposure to cold temperatures
can cause plants to drop all their leaves.
Line windowsills with aluminum foil. The foil will reflect light and
provide more light for your houseplants.
Make “country holiday candle sticks.” Collect small logs
about 2-3 inches in diameter and 3-6 inches in length. Drill holes in
the log tops at the diameter of the candles you plan to use. Surround
logs with pine cones and nuts for a holiday centerpiece.
January
Edible
Plan your vegetable garden for next year. If garden is large enought,
allow for crop rotation. Factsheet available.
Brown through garden catalogs and order seed for the upcoming growing
season. List of flower & vegetable seed companies. Call 773-233-0476.
Watch for indoor pantry pests. Factsheet available.
Ornamental
Water evergreens if soil is not frozen. This will help to avoid winter
dehydration.
Extend the life of Christmas poinsettias by placing them in a cool
area with bright light.
Plan a perennial garden. Factsheet available.
Remove rose cones during warm spells during the winter. This prevents
heat from building up inside. Recover the roses when temperatures drop.
Check for frost heaving of perennials. Push back into ground and cover
with extra mulch.
Use sawdust, sand or kitty litter instead of salt to melt snow. Salt
will kill nearby plants.
Do you know that snow is an excellent insulation for plants? The temperature
below snow increases by about two degrees F for every inch of accumulation.
The soil also gives off heat. The temperature at the soil surface can
be much warmer than the air temperature. A study showed that the soil
surface temperature was 28 degrees F under nine inches of snow while
the air temperature was -14 degrees F.
Indoors
Check houseplants for brown, dry edges. This may indicate a need for
more humidity. Increase the humidity by grouping plants together, running
a humidifier or using pebble trays.
Let cacti go semi-dormant. Water to avoid shriveling.
Plant seeds of limes, oranges, lemons, grapefruits and kumquats for
nice looking foliage plants. Remove the seed from the fruit and plant
them immediately. Do not allow them to dry out. Place in a sunny spot
and water as needed.
Grow mushrooms indoors. Mushrooms can be easily grown in the basement,
bathroom or closet. A variety of mushrooms can be grown including the
everyday grocery store mushroom, Shitakis and European gourmet mushrooms.
Factsheet available.
February
Edible
Test leftover seeds for germination. Place ten seeds between moist
paper toweling or cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep seeds warm and
moist. If less than six seeds germinate, buy fresh seed.
Do you want large firm onions for use next fall and winter? Sow onion
seeds in late February or March indoors. When they germinate, keep the
seedlings in a sunny, south facing window or a few inches below fluorescent
lights. Transplant the seedlings outdoors as soon as the soil is dry
enough to work.
Ornamental
Prune flowering shrubs that bloom after June 15 now. Shrubs that flower
before June 15 should be pruned right after flowering.
Do you have deer or rabbit problems? List of resistant plants is available.
Pruning trees now that have lots of sap such as maple, birch and dogwood
is not harmful, but, they can be pruned in mid-summer or late fall to
avoid the sap bleeding. Factsheet available.
Didn’t get your bulbs planted last fall? Get them in the ground
as soon as the soil thaws. Some chilling will take place. Normally a
chilling period of 10-13 weeks of temperatures below 40 degrees F are
needed to initiate flowering. Apply a mulch after planting to prevent
heaving. The bulbs will probably not bloom in the spring, but they may
bloom in the summer or they may wait until next spring to bloom.
Indoors
Prune your Christmas cactus after blooming. This will encourage branching.
Pinch off a few sections of each stem with your fingers. Root these
sections in moist vermiculite or potting soil for new plants. Plant
can be moved outdoors during the summer to a shady or semi-shady location.
Watch for carpenter ants in your kitchen or bathroom. Black carpenter
ants can vary in size from 1/4" - 1/2" in length. They do
not eat wood, but will scrape out tunnels leaving telltale sawdust behind.
They are attracted to wood softened by moisture. They will also nest
in trees. Indoors the nest must be located for effective control. Factsheet
available.
November-December
2002
Hort
Shorts | Hort Tips | Selecting a Christmas Tree | All-America Selections Winners 2003 | Water Houseplants…..The Right Way | Sudden Oak Death
| Bug Bites - Pantry Pests | Cybergarden Sites | Lawn Care Calendar
| Go With the Grain | Sweet Potatoes: I Yam
| The Soup’s On: Easy Lentil Squash & Collards | Créme Brûlée | Cornish Game Hens for the Holidays
Index
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