Whoo! Last weekend was cold, and after a brief warmup again this week, next weekend will also be cold to bitter. That is a recipe for staying inside. What is this, December?
Even after warm temperatures last week, the soil in my large containers froze solid again by the weekend. I still had a pile of fresh-cut spruce, balsam, and red-twig dogwood to arrange in the pots. I dug out our electric drill and a long, half-inch drill bit and proceeded to make holes in the soil. It worked! The greenery adds color and height to these driveway markers. Not just for decoration, they help define the driveway for the plow person (or us using the snowthrower) if we get a heavy snow.
Dark, cold days spur me to crank up the heat, but houseplants really don’t like all that dry air. Check that your plants are distant from heat sources and confirm that the soil is moist but not soggy.
If you plan to be gone for a week or more, ask a reliable gardener friend to check the moisture level of your plants. If your friends have other plans (how dare they?), turn down the thermostat and also move the plant away from bright windows. Don’t leave your plants in standing water!
You might consider a plant-minder system. This usually consists of a terra cotta insert or siphon that slowly releases water from a reservoir into the potting soil as the soil dries out. They work pretty well at keeping soil moist over time. Maybe you should add one to your gift wish list.
I have more suggestions for giving. If you aren’t a gardener, you might think gardeners on your gift list already have everything or need to choose for themselves. If so, a gift card is a marvelous thing. I have also heard about “Seed of the Month” clubs from seed catalog companies. These subscriptions would be a nice way to introduce your gardener to new varieties while making you look very smart and in-the-know. And gardeners can always use a new pair of gardening gloves or a pot for the overgrown plant they already have.
However, what could be nicer than presenting a pretty holiday plant to your friends or family in the next few weeks? Poinsettia, though traditional, is not the only choice for this time of year!
Greenhouses have cyclamen in shades of white to purple, mini cypress trees, topiary lavender plants, or rosemary, too.
How did poinsettia become associated with Christmas anyway? Poinsettia originated in Mexico and Central America. The flowers have no petals. The color develops in specialized leaves near the small yellow flower buds. They need a series of days where the plant receives 12 hours of darkness before the red color starts to form. The bright color in November and December attracted explorers who then introduced the plant as a holiday decoration to Europeans at home. Poinsettias from a greenhouse have been fertilized and bred to put on a spectacular show in November through December. This attention may stress the plant. Before bringing your poinsettia home, inspect it thoroughly for pests like white fly.
Norfolk Island Pine also makes a nice holiday decoration, especially for those with limited space. The pliable branches and stems can be decorated with light ornaments or bows. This plant needs cool temperatures and high humidity but, with care, will last for months indoors.
Another gift idea: Introduce a young person to gardening with small garden tools or a seed-starting kit and fast-growing seeds. Seed companies package seed mixes perfect for sprouting over the winter months. Seeds can be sprouted to serve as healthy garnishes to soups, sandwiches, omelets, or hors d’oeuvres or grown on as microgreens for fresh winter salads. Packets have all the directions.
Saturday, December 21, marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The forecast suggests it may be the coldest as well. My wood stove has produced a good-sized pile of ash in the last couple of weeks. We have added to a cold pile of ash near the compost bin. However, ash nutrients dissipate quickly, and I want to use the nutrients in the garden. On the next clear day, perhaps this very cold weekend, I will scatter the wood ash around the base of my lilacs and lavender which will benefit from the extra potash minerals with every rain or snowfall. Clematis plants benefit from the potash, too.
As I prepare for holiday celebrations this week, I have picked up a fresh rosemary plant and checked the stock of my dried herbs. This next week will involve more cooking from recipes that see daylight only once a year. I need to double check and confirm whether the herb measurements in my recipes are for dried or fresh herbs. If substituting fresh for dried, I will use three times the amount suggested for dried herb in the recipe.
If you plan to travel during the darkest days of 2024 and spirit brightening holidays, remember to watch the weather! A Winter Weather Advisory indicates we will receive three to five inches of snow over 12 hours, and a Winter Storm Warning means at least six inches of snow could fall over 12 hours.
I wish all safe and joyous celebrations!
I call myself the Lazy Berkshire Gardener because I don’t want to work too hard in my gardens. I want to enjoy them. I find it easier to observe my landscape and let the compost happen, the water pool up, or daisies to self-sow. I look for ways to do the minimum task for the biggest impact. For example, mulching is better than spraying and much better than weeding all season. I look for beautiful, low-maintenance plants that thrive in or at least tolerate my garden conditions. Plus, I am willing to live with the consequences if I miss something.
