Life-Saving Houseplant Resolutions

I've been told confession is good for the soul. So, I'll admit I've made (and broken) New Year's resolutions at one time or another. The gym three times a week. Actually, I've never even considered that one. The low-carb, no sugar diet. Uh-huh. Quitting smoking (fortunately, not one I ever needed). What about resolutions that will ensure great results with your houseplants? No, it's not one you ever hear, is it?

I will choose the right plant. Hello ZZ

Resolution #1 - (Raise your right hand as you swear) I will not put an indoor plant requiring high light (like a Ficus) in a north window and then be shocked when it drops its leaves. Instead, I promise to get a plant that matches my true light conditions, dramatically increasing my plant's chances for survival. For those really low light areas in my home or office I will consider: Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), Peace lily (Spathiphyllum), palms and the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia). I'm really loving this low maintenance "camel" now that I'm growing it.

Resolution #2 - I will water completely, but at intervals that are appropriate for the plant's specific needs. Surprise! Watering once a week is not a universally correct answer to the question, "How often should I water?"

I will remember to empty the saucer

I understand "completely" means applying warm water (not hot, not cold) uniformly around the soil until water runs out the bottom of the container. After 30 minutes (no longer than that) I will empty all remaining water from the saucer. This will prevent the excess water from cutting off vital oxygen to roots and killing them. If I think it's time to water, but I'm not sure, I'll wait another day or two before I do. This reinforces the old maxim, "I can always add water, but if I've over-watered I can't remove the excess."

I will use a pebble tray and cluster plants in groups

Resolution #3 - I will try new ways to increase indoor humidity rather than just misting leaves with a spray bottle. Smart. More long term solutions would be: using the "buddy system" of grouping your plants together. As they give off water through their leaves (transpiration) they're increasing humidity around each other. Another solution would be to place plants on pebble-filled trays with water just below the pebble surface for evaporation. The bottoms of the pots should sit above the water, not in it, so they don't wick water into the soil. Right hand still up?

I will feed only when I see new leaves or flower buds

Resolution #4 - I will not fertilize year 'round if I don't see new growth. I'll fertilize when spring rolls around or when I see my plants actively producing bright green young leaves and/or new flower buds. The more light my plants receive, the more frequently I can fertilize them.

If my plants are in low light sites (north windows) I won't fertilize at all November through perhaps March when our day length and light intensity are so low that plants tend to "rest". I promise to use houseplant-specific fertilizers at the recommended rate.

I will upsize when needed

Resolution #5 - I will repot based on visible need, rather than some psychic sense that it's time. I will check root balls, looking for 40% or more roots in the soil mass before I consider up-potting. I understand most houseplants perform just fine when somewhat pot-bound. If it's determined that I need to move my plants to a larger pot I will increase the pot diameter in small increments, say, an inch at a time. I will not jump 2" or more in diameter at a time.

Your 2016 resolutions are now sworn and witnessed. You may now lower your hand and spend the New Year enjoying more beautiful houseplants and great chocolate desserts!              

  
 
     

Holiday Gift Giving for Gardeners

A personal observation about gardeners - People that do their own: planting, pruning, weeding, edging, watering and mulching are an amicable lot. Translation: Easy to shop for. So, for those on your holiday gift list you know to be "gardeners" you might consider:

Look good banning the bad rays

Garden hats - The sun is not our skins' best friend, that's a given. There are some great outdoor hats that provide 50+ UPF sun protection and are fashionable, too. Who wouldn't feel good about giving (and receiving) the gift of health? Under $50.

Who isn't charmed by playful plantings?

Topiaries, miniature gardens - Seasonal or otherwise, themed topiaries and miniature gardens are meant to bring a smile and even provide an "out loud" laugh. I'm told the idea of these little gardens is especially intriguing to people who may have downsized and no longer have an outdoor garden. Not to be sexist, but many grandmothers tell me creating and maintaining these gardens is an activity they love to share with their grandchildren. Or, buy the components and challenge your personal creativity. Fun, with a wide range of prices.

Hers Shovel - An ergonomically correct tool that addresses the fact that women tend to use their lower body strength, rather than their torsos, like men. The blade is angled differently than standard shovels and has a large, non-slip step to allow women to maximize their leg strength. The handle is not only cushioned, but designed to allow the gardener to really use both hands and arms for maximum strength. Really smart, too, are sizes: small (less than 5'2"), medium (5'2"-5'7") and large (taller than 5'7"). Makes planting easier, under $90.

Stand back and watch the wonder unfold

Amaryllis - A jack-in-the-beanstalk among flowering plants. Once they're out of their fall dormancy their growth is measurable from one day to the next. Not only is their daily progress fun for all ages to watch, but the incredible trumpet-like flowers truly dazzle in a wide range of colors and forms! What a cool gift to interest kids about plants, too. Under $25.

Capture the best of your soil

Garden sieve - If you inherited a garden where a former owner used gravel mulch, or if your soil just has lots of junk in it, this is indispensable. When you're digging shovel the soil in the sieve and shake it back and forth like you're panning for gold. You are. The soil that falls through is root, rock and clod-free. Makes planting in awful soils a lot simpler for you and your plants. Functional and under $30.

Get the skinny on garden rainfall

Rain gauge - As any meteorologist will tell you rainfall can vary widely within a very small geographic area. You'd be surprised at how much different the figure may be than your local weather report. So, it's nice to go to your gauge after a rain and know how much your garden received, especially during the heat of summer. Accurate info is a great thing. Under $30.    
     
Subscription to a great gardening magazine - My favorite is always Fine Gardening, a Taunton Press publication. Beautiful gardens, great practical information, with lots of applicable local and Midwest content. Inspirational, educational. A year subscription is less than $30, money well spent.

Share the joys of birding

Bird feeder - Birding and gardening are neck and neck as America's favorite hobbies. Why not combine the two and enjoy watching the birds feeding in your garden from your window? The range of feeder choices is mind-boggling. If you're giving a feeder, why not include a bag of good seed (like everything in life, you get what you pay for, so read the ingredients on the "value" seed label carefully before buying)?

Happy stress-free holiday shopping to all!

Keeping Christmas (A)Live

Many of the new permanent (not artificial, please) holiday greens are incredibly realistic. Still, there are those of us that cherish live greens and the fragrance they bring to the holidays. With that desire comes the challenge of keeping those greens fresh as long as possible. Some easy tips to achieve that goal:

The tree - How long are you going to have the tree up? Are you the family that puts it up the day after Thanksgiving and takes it down in January? Or, do you have it up for 2 weeks and then you're off to the Caribbean? Buy accordingly. In order of needle retention, shortest to longest: Balsam fir, white pine, Canaan fir, Fraser and Nordman fir, Noble and Concolor fir.

Buying early, but not decorating for a while? Take it home and store it out of the drying effects of wind and sun. An unheated garage meets those criteria. Don't lose height needlessly by cutting before it goes in water. Myth: Placing it in a bucket of water outdoors that quickly grows cold does nothing for keeping it fresh before stand set-up.  

If you're going to set it up right away your garden center may make the fresh cut for you. Making your own cut? It can be as little as 1/4". Like a cut flower, your tree just needs freshly exposed cells for water uptake. Once that cut is made you have up to six hours (1-2 hours is far better) to get the tree in the stand and in warm water.

Literally the "Last Stand" you'll ever need

Get a stand that holds good quantities of water. Love the Bowlin stands- huge reservoirs and are so heavy and stable they can could go through a tornado and remain standing. Well, almost. I've been unable to uncover any research that proves commercial preservatives make any difference in tree freshness. Forget aspirin, bleach and the home remedies. Do consider spraying an anti-transpirant like Wilt-Pruf on the underside of the needles, letting it dry in the garage before bringing it inside for set-up. This should make a difference.

 Helps to keep trees and greens fresher

So, the tree has a fresh cut and is in the stand. Always add warm water. Be vigilant the first few days. Check a few times a day to make sure the stand never goes dry. Generally the tree will become hydrated and slow its uptake. Still, water levels should be checked at least daily throughout your tree's time indoors. By the way, when the holidays are over think about cutting the branches off and using them as mulch over ground cover or perennials- a great way to recycle.

Spray the underside where moisture is lost

Wreaths and roping - Wilt-Pruf can be used on all greens, whether they're to be used indoors or out. Like the tree, try as best you can (and I do know it can be difficult) to spray the underside of leaves where the water loss actually occurs. Regardless of what precautions you take, placing greens near fireplaces, radiators and vents takes a toll. Know that balsam is wonderfully fragrant, but has a thin needle that dries and sheds indoors. White pine roping will eventually discolor, but needle drop is minimal.

Live plants in pots outdoors - Treat boxwood, Alberta spruce, really any tree or shrub in a pot, as an annual. If it's alive next spring, what a great bonus! Generally, the smaller the volume of soil the more apt it is to freeze and damage the roots irreparably. I recommend 24" (all directions) containers as giving best chances for success. Use Wilt-Pruf and water periodically if plants are under an overhang, or we experience a dry winter.

Live Christmas trees keep on giving

Live Christmas trees indoors - This references the sustainable practice of decorating potted trees indoors for planting after the holidays. Three things you should know:

* Predig the hole before the ground freezes. Store the soil where it won't freeze. Mulch the hole with straw to keep it from freezing before you plant the tree.
* Limit your tree's time indoors. I like 1 or 2 days in an intermediate cool area (like a garage or unheated porch), 5 days maximum inside, 1-2 days back in the cool area again, then plant.
* Know that cute 4-5' evergreen in a pot is a lot of weight to be hoisting back and forth, in and out, up and down stairs. But it is very cool see it years later in the garden and say, "That was our Christmas tree in 2015!"

Happy Holidays, all!