January is a month filled with reflections of the previous year and notions of looking ahead. These are great fodder for coffee time with friends where you share notes and observations and also make intentional plans for modifications and improvements.
A great opportunity for improvements in the interior and exterior landscape is our new GroBigRed local gardening series. Check it out!
These are the first 3 in a year long series. A few details about the series:
Cost:
- Advanced registration at go.unl.edu/gbr: $15
- Cost per class if purchasing more than one: $12
- Day-of: $20
Severe weather policy: Class cancellation will be at the discretion of the presenter. Advanced registrants will be notified via email about any cancellation. Any cancelled classes will be offered later via Zoom, and the class will be recorded and shared with registrants. No refunds will be given.
Here are a few nuggets to prime the pump so to speak and start the conversations.
*Buy yourself a “New Years Day Gift” of a garden journal and keep notes on plants that you currently have and how they’ve performed over the last couple of years, ones that you plan to plant and something to experiment with. Information on blooms, bugs, fungi, fruits, color and size are good notes to take.
*Check leftover seeds in storage for viability. Wrap 10 seeds loosely in a damp paper towel and keep them warm and moist. If fewer than half of them sprout, it’s time to order new seeds.
*Consider swapping stored seeds and bulbs with family and friends.
*After amaryllis have bloomed, remove spent flowers and set the plant in a sunny window to allow the leaves to fully develop.
*Make tools easier to spot in the garden by marking the handles with brightly colored paint.
*Cut off boughs from your Christmas tree and place them over tender perennials.
*Avoid foot traffic on lawns to reduce damage to turf crowns.
*Allow ice to melt off tree and shrub branches naturally instead of hitting them with a stick. Prune stems that break during winter in early spring.
*Pull houseplant foliage 6 inches back from cold windows to prevent injury.
*When you dust your furniture, give houseplants a dusting also. This will allow more light to hit their leaves at a time when it is needed the most.
*Inspect houseplants for pests such as aphids, spider mites, thrips, scale and mealy bugs.
*Use your finger to test for soil moisture before watering houseplants. Their water need is at a low point in winter and it’s easy to overwater, which leads to root rot. When needed, room temperature water should be used; about 10% should drain out of the bottom of the pot.
*Take inventory of stored patio planters. On a nice day when temperatures are above 40 degrees F, scrub them with a bristle brush or steel wool to remove salt buildup, insect egg masses and soil clods.
