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12-20-01
HOME (Indoor plants and activities)
Keep holiday poinsettias and other plants near
a bright window. Water as top of soil becomes dry.
Increase humidity around houseplants by grouping
plants together, placing them on a pebble-water tray or running a humidifier.
Check stored produce and tender flower bulbs
and roots for rot, shriveling or excess moisture. Remove and discard
damaged material.
Repot houseplants as they outgrow current pots.
YARD (Lawns, woody ornamentals and fruits)
Check young trees for rodent injury on lower
trunks. Prevent injury with hardware cloth or protective collars.
Keep road and sidewalk salt away from plants.
Construct a screen of burlap, if necessary, to keep salt spray off plants.
"Leaf" through nursery catalogs and make plans
for landscape and home orchard additions. Order plants early for best
selection.
Early spring-flowering trees and shrubs, such
as forsythia, crabapple, flowering quince, flowering dogwood and honeysuckle,
can be forced for early indoor blooms by placing cut branches in water
in a warm location.
GARDEN (Flowers, vegetables and small fruits)
Send for seed catalogs for the garden.
Sketch your garden plans on paper, including
what to grow, spacing, arrangement and number of plants needed.
Order seeds and plants as early as possible for
best selection.
Wood ashes from the fireplace can be spread in
the garden, but don't overdo it. Wood ashes increase soil pH, and excess
application can make some nutrients unavailable for plant uptake. Have
soil tested to be certain of the pH before adding wood ash.
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