December 2005EdiblePrepare for the upcoming growing season by ordering your seeds from catalogs early to insure you get the seeds you want. Test leftover vegetable seeds for germination. Place 10 seeds between moist paper towels. Keep seeds warm and moist. If less than six seeds germinate, purchase fresh seeds. Save plastic milk jugs for hot caps and orange juice cans for placing around newly planted transplants to control cutworms. Flying bugs in your kitchen? Indianmeal moths are often brought into the home during the holiday cooking season in cereal or grain products. Moths are 3/8 of an inch 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. OrnamentalKeep the water level in your Christmas 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. After Christmas take your tree to the backyard and decorate it for the birds. Place the tree in a bucket of damp sand. Put on strings of popcorn and cranberries. Apples, oranges, left over 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. Set poinsettias in bright, indirect light for four to six hours each day. They can be moved for display, but should be moved back to best light area. Keep them away from cold drafts and be sure to punch holes in decorative foil to allow drainage. Prevent salt damage along sidewalks and driveways. Do not shovel salt laden snow onto the turf. Kentucky bluegrass is very sensitive to salt damage. Try using calcium chloride based de-icers, sand or kitty litter. Get ready for winter storms by checking out the Winter Storm Resource Center. |
