We have just come off a January thaw, and it will be getting cold again. Try to embrace all that the weather brings and marvel at the Berkshires in January. I loved the “freezing fog” of last week. At dawn before direct sun touched the landscape, every surface outside had a frosty glaze. Gorgeous!
My native perennial wild bergamot (or beebalm), Monarda fistulosa, still stands in the flower border and neatly captures snow, frost, or frosty fog for me to appreciate. This plant is endemic to New England, meaning it has evolved in conjunction with local bees, beetles, caterpillars, moths, and butterflies. By using it in my gardens and allowing it to self-seed or spread, I encourage natural genetic diversity that continues to evolve with local pollinators. Include native, endemic plants in your gardens. They help preserve and regenerate biodiversity and will better tolerate a changing environment, like freezing fog!
After the freezing fog, the weather warmed up enough for me to spray repellents on landscape plants. Wait for the next day with above-freezing temperatures if you missed that window. If you successfully sprayed repellents already, you may want to use the next warm weather window to spray copper sulfate protective fungicide. These organic fungicide sprays will help fruit trees withstand leaf curl next summer.
And I am back indoors. I am trying to be patient with my houseplants, but geez. The amaryllis plants have buds, but it has been a week of extending and bending. I will keep turning the pots to keep the stems straight and wait. Same with the orchids—new stems have emerged, and buds will follow, but no action yet. If your houseplants seem disappointingly pokey, I recommend purchasing a beautiful bouquet of cut flowers. Voila! Colorful blooms open on cue. Keep them in a cool spot, trim the stems every couple days, and keep providing fresh water.
I don’t mean to discourage you from growing houseplants! I have a new Meyer lemon tree that has provided 10 lemons already and is now putting forth fragrant blooms. The bloom and growth develop slowly and will reward patience. Lemons often have fruit and blooms at the same time!
I looked closely at my pre-holiday arrangement of evergreen branches with redtwig dogwood branches. The dogwood branches have started sprouting! When I look closer, I am sure roots will be forming in the vase.
Keep scouting houseplants for insect pests or signs of decline. Dust leaves and carefully wipe them clean with a damp cloth. Take a shower with them if that saves you time! A cleaner leaf surface will lead to a healthier plant because it allows for better photosynthesis. If they have not been growing or flowering, check the pots. The plants may be rootbound and ready for a new, larger pot with fresh soil.
Sadly, the paperwhite bulbs with spent blooms should go directly to the compost pile. Paperwhite narcissus do not regenerate successful blooms next year. I let them hang around anyway because I like to observe the blooms as they fade. I take the time to see and learn how the seed ovaries develop. That is a lazy learning moment! Regardless, you will save yourself time and frustration if you put those bulbs to work in your compost.
Here are a few more outdoor gardening reminders:
You probably have voles in your gardens. If you see vole runs now that the snow has melted, you can bet the voles have been very active under the past snow and will be active under the next snow. Mix some mole/vole repellent into the soil surface around valuable plants now or anticipate doing it at planting time this spring.
Prune back wind-damaged shrub or tree limbs to healthy plant tissue. Shredded ends do not heal as well or as quickly as wounds around a clean cut.
Check hemlock trees for hemlock wooly adelgid. This scale-type insect pest depletes the vigor of hemlock trees. The trees do not die immediately, but they become stressed and more susceptible to other environmental stresses like pollution or drought. Contact a certified arborist for assistance and disease management if found.
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.
