* Take a stroll through fields and forest to collect stuff for holiday decorations. Pine cones, milkweed pods, acorns, grape vines, and the spiny fruit from sweet gum trees are just a few examples of “stuff” that clever people (that leaves me out) use in their holiday decorations.
* Cut back the stems of chrysanthemums to a few inches above ground after they have completed their flowering. When the ground begins to freeze, place some pine boughs or other coarse mulch over the plants.
* Allow the soil of potted geraniums to become dry before watering. Geraniums do not like constantly wet soils, especially indoors during the winter months. Also, avoid excessive applications of fertilizer but do give the plants the maximum amount of sunlight as possible if they are to continue blooming.
* Isolate immediately any houseplants found to be infested with insect pests or mites since these critters quickly spread to other plants. Examine the undersides of plant leaves for evidence of houseplant pests. I’ve just isolated a potted ivy that is playing host to spider mites. Spider mites are among the most common critters to infest indoor plants since they thrive in the dry air of heated homes. Application of neem oil or insecticidal soap, repeated at 10 day intervals, should rid the plants of the mites. When applying insecticidal soap, be sure the plants are not in direct sunlight; otherwise the soap can injure or kill the plants. Read the product label for application directions.
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A few weeks ago I mentioned amaryllis as a good choice for those who don’t want to fuss with the chilling required for forcing many hardy spring-flowering bulb species. Well, some of us don’t mind the extra work involved in providing the chilling or cold treatment. This week I’m potting up a few pots of crocus bulbs for forcing. I often see recommendations for placing potted bulbs in the refrigerator to meet the chilling requirement. I don’t know about others, but in this household there’s not enough room in the fridge for even one pot of bulbs.
I have two solutions to the problem of chilling large numbers of pots of bulbs for forcing. The simplest is to place the pots in a large Styrofoam cooler. The pots are stacked in the cooler and the spaces between pots are filled with sawdust, peat moss, shredded leaves or straw. Holes are drilled into the cooler lid to allow for ventilation. The cooler is then placed in an unheated location such as a garden shed. A more involved technique is to dig a trench 12 inches deep in the garden and place the pots in the trench, preferably atop a layer of sand or pea stone to ensure good drainage. A piece of hardware cloth covers the pots to keep mice from getting at the bulbs. Next the trench is filled with wood chips, straw, hay, or shredded leaves as insulation. Finally, a tarp or piece of plywood is set atop the insulating material to keep it from blowing away and to prevent rain and snow from turning the insulating material into an impenetrable block of ice. After 10 weeks (about mid-January) a pot or two can be brought indoors each week for forcing.
