Tender
plants in rock gardens will benefit from a light covering of
evergreen boughs to lessen desiccation by the wind. Take care
not to smother the plants. You should be able to see them throughout
the covering.
A
home weather station that includes a minimum-maximum thermometer
and a weather log is a great gift for a gardener. Other gifts
for gardeners include:
- Good quality hand tools
- Decorative faucets
- Permanent plant markers
- Garden gloves or hat
- Bird feeders
- Bulbs for forcing indoors
- Cut or dried flower supplies
- Plant stands
- Gardening books or subscriptions to gardening magazines
- Gift certificates from garden centers, nurseries and
mail order companies
When decorating for the holidays,
do not place fresh, needle-leafed evergreens directly on finished
furniture or a mantelpiece; use felt or a tablecloth under them.
Sap from branches may take the finish off wooden surfaces.
Avoid overwatering houseplants
during the winter months. Lack of humidity is a problem for houseplants
in winter. Misting the air around plants is not effective. Set houseplants
together on a tray of wet pebbles or use a room humidifier.
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Check
for cold drafts that are damaging to houseplants.
Don't let snow pile up on shrubs.
Use an upward motion with a broom to remove it.
Fill bird feeders with wild bird
seed, crumbs and suet. Water is equally important to birds in
the winter. Provide it in wood or cement bowls, not metal.
Cyclamen are
often given at Christmas and can provide flowers for a long period
of time if given the right care. Cyclamen require very bright
light, which is difficult to provide in some homes. They are
very sensitive to overwatering - keep the soil barely moist and
avoid wetting the crown of the plant. Cyclamens also need cool
temperatures; around to 50 - 60°F at night. Remove spent
flowers daily. Pull them from the crown, don't cut them.
Be careful when using de-icers
on walks that border lawns and perennial beds. Most de-icers are
fertilizers that contain salts and will burn plants and turf if not
applied carefully. Rock salt and table salt are also very harmful
to plants and will damage cement and concrete. It is preferable to
use sand on icy walkways or steps. |
