February 2008

Save the mesh bags that oranges come in and use them next summer to dry herbs and gourds. Save pantyhose to enclose individual veggies like melons, corn, cabbage, cucumbers and small pumpkins to protect from birds and insects. Tie the pantyhose off at both ends of the veggie to keep insects out. The pantyhose will stretch with growth and dry off quickly after rain.

Think about potted anthuriums as an alternative gift plant for Valentine’s Day. They have red heart-shaped flowers that will last for weeks. They need lots of light, so place in a bright location, but out of direct sunlight. Flowering will diminish at lower light levels. Allow the soil to slightly dry between waterings. Use an African violet fertilizer to promote flowering. Fertilize every other month. Remove old flowers.

Roses are probably the most popular Valentine gift. The following are a few tips to make your roses last as long as possible. Start with a clean vase. Fill the vase with lukewarm water and dissolve the packet of floral preservative that came with the roses. Adding some “home remedies” like aspirins are not effective preservatives. Pull off any leaves that would be under water. While holding rose stems under a stream of warm water, make a new cut at an angle. Place the vase of roses in a cool spot, they will last longer. Keep out of direct sun.

With the recent snowfalls, damage to plants in parkways from salt use will show up in the spring. Symptoms include browning on the leaf edge, needle tips will turn brown and early fall color. Keep plantings of trees, shrubs and flowers at least 60 feet from the street. Trees like the Ginkgo and White Ash are salt tolerant. Do not use de-icing salts on nearby sidewalks. Use barriers of burlap or plastic to protect valued plants.

Tiny flies on or flying around your houseplants are most likely fungus gnats. They are a nuisance insect and will not harm the plant. Their larvae feed on organic matter in the soil. The larvae need moisture to reproduce, so allowing the soil to go dry between waterings will control the gnats.

We may complain about all the snow we have had recently, but for our gardens, it does provide some benefits. It provides insulation for plants from harsh winter cold. For every inch of snow accumulation the temperature below the snow increases two degrees F. With the fact that soil gives off some heat, a study showed that at a -14 F air temperature with 9 inches of snow on the ground, the soil surface temperature was 28 degrees F. The snow as it melts also provides moisture for the garden.