We gardeners love to gather the natural and colorful seedheads, stems, and berries from the woods for centerpieces, door swags, and other harvest-type décor. Sadly, some of the most picturesque items may be weeds at best and invasive plants at worst. Use caution! Orange and red bittersweet berries scream autumn, but if you drape these vines along your door frame, birds will gather the fruit and sow the seed throughout your property. Sure, cut these stems, but use indoors and put in the trash after the season—not your compost!
Likewise, multiflora rose hips are small, red berries held on stiff stems—so cool for arrangements! These, too, should be kept indoors and put in the trash post season. Or, if you like the look for an outdoor display, purchase artificial look-alikes that won’t grow into invasive shrubs in our woodlands.
My post-Thanksgiving gardening has slowed down considerably. I spent a few hours rooting out the garlic mustard that I mentioned last week. I chose a dry day, and the soil was moist, so the full roots came out easily. Choose a small section to tackle every few weeks and you will be way ahead by March.
Because growth slows down during these cold autumn and winter months, you can too! Truly, it is a great time to see what overwinters, what stays evergreen (garlic mustard or ground ivy for example), and what little tasks can be done with almost no exertion, no hot sun, and no mosquitoes. Because perennials have died back, almost all the green foliage visible now is weedy garlic mustard or ground ivy. If you plan to use a broad-leaf herbicide, this is a fine time to apply it because the plants are highly susceptible. Or gently pull the entire plant (don’t let the roots break) and your weeding chores will be mostly done by spring.
As we move into the cold months, I look more closely at my houseplants. Umm … They don’t look so good. As the Earth tilts and the sun shines into lower windows with new intensity, my philodendron has developed sunburn. Time to check in on all my houseplants! Some may need to move further away from southern windows as the light angle shifts or intensifies. Those in rooms with forced hot air will dry out faster, too.
I have kept this philodendron because it is hard to kill. It may not look great, but if I adjust, it will too. I will trim the yellow leaves back to the growing stem and direct the vine toward the edges of the window instead of the middle. This way the plant will get indirect light and should grow more healthy green leaves. Some plants, like summer herbs grown indoors, need supplemental light from grow lights on a timer. Add supplemental light if you try to grow parsley, basil, or cilantro inside.
As more holidays approach, I want to have poinsettia, cyclamen, and other decorative houseplants around. However, I am lazy, and I don’t want to purchase too many plants that I can’t keep alive. I realize that I can use the pretty craft accessories that are sold as centerpiece add-ons by adding them to my existing houseplants. This little addition will add a festive touch and won’t break the bank! Some elements can also serve as supports like the foiled wire I use to help keep the paperwhite stems straight.
Truthfully, gathering natural materials from around our homes to use as decorative elements has been a New England tradition for generations. I still do it, but try to be mindful of the plant’s growth tendencies and be wary of invasives. Here in the North for example, we still hang mistletoe, with its charming evergreen form in a tradition promoting love “everlasting.” The plant cannot be gathered from our woods, however, because mistletoe is susceptible to very cold temperatures and only occurs in the southern half of the continental U.S. Ironically, mistletoe is a parasitic plant that penetrates the bark of the host plant, tapping its water and nutrients. Well, that confirms it: I don’t want to be gathering mistletoe around here anytime soon.
I also want to encourage one and all to visit the many holiday craft fairs and markets that pop up in the Berkshires over the next few weekends. The Berkshire Botanical Garden Holiday Marketplace, from December 8 through 10, will have many vendors who incorporate natural elements into their designs. Enjoy!
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’m willing to live with the consequences if I miss something.
