The December glory of a poinsettia can fade to January/February paleness in a matter of weeks. Those bright red, white or pink leaves (bracts) can turn limp, curl up and drop, creating a desire to toss it out with the rest of the Christmas leftovers.
Author: John Fech
John Fech is a horticulturist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. The author of 2 books and over 200 popular and trade journal articles, he focuses his time on teaching effective landscape maintenance techniques, water conservation, diagnosing turf and ornamental problems and encouraging effective bilingual communication in the green industry. He works extensively with the media to extend the message of landscape sustainability, making over 100 television and radio appearances each year.
Norfolk Island Pine – A Great Option for Christmas
If you lack the space for an 8 foot Christmas tree, or detest the 3 foot plastic types, here’s a great option for you – a Norfolk Island Pine.
Poinsettia Gifts May Include Whiteflies
My good friend Dave Robson who is a horticulturist in Illinois reminds me that while poinsettias are great for holiday gift giving (for your friends/family/neighbors and yourself!), sometimes pests tag along on the plants.
Christmas Tree Success
Okay, you’ve picked out the perfect tree and set it up in your favorite spot. All done, right? No, wait, there’s more. There are several more factors to consider:
Late Fall Color in the Landscape
As we ease into winter, late November keeps our attention focused on a few plants that exhibit great color even though a few hard freezes have been delivered.
Veggie Garden Cleanup in Late Fall
We’re nearing the end of the veggie harvesting season with the coldest of cold hardy plants possibly still hanging on. It’s time to move to the next phase in edible gardening – the cleanup and storage phase.
Watering in Late Fall
If you want to see healthy outdoor plants in the spring, it’s important to water them in late fall.
Dig and Store Cannas in Fall After Frost/Freeze
Cannas are big robust plants that add wonderful texture and color to the summer landscape. Once Mother Nature sends a couple of hard freezes our way, it’s time to put them to bed for the winter.
Cleaning up Your Diseased Garden
Let’s face it, by the end of the growing season, many plants aren’t looking too good. The heat, drought, bugs and diseases have turned them from assets into liabilities. If the spots and rots have been active with your shrubs, perennials and other garden plants, it’s time to act.
Falling Leaves are Great…for the Garden
It’s fall, which means the calendar says September, October and November, but in a gardening sense it also means falling leaves.