4 minute read
Magic of Gardening
THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
BY BETHANY O’REAR
The holidays always put me in a great mood. Everything is amplified: sunrise seems more golden, crisp air is fresher, frost doesn’t just lay on the garden, Jack Frost put it there. That being said, this happy gardener has lots of thoughts about how to celebrate time with family and friends, the Christmas season and the start of a new year.
Even novice gardeners will appreciate some of the fun stocking stuffers which abound. Some of my favorites include brightly colored Sharpie pens, waxed twine, or gardening gloves. If you’re looking for a gift project to make with kids, pick up a small can of chalkboard paint to make reusable plant labels—make sure to include chalk. You can also buy wildflower seed in bulk and make “seed planting bombs” as gifts. If bombs are too messy a project, just divide the seed into smaller hand-decorated envelopes to give to doting grandparents and patient teachers.
Gardeners appreciate gadgets and tools which make their work easier and more effective. Many hand tools come with “fist” grip ergonomic handles which place less strain on hands and wrists. Tools with brightly colored handles are easy to spot in the bed or lawn and are particularly helpful for individuals with low vision. Water faucets are easier to turn on and off when equipped with rubber grips. Wheelbarrows designed
for low vision gardeners are designed with two wheels, a resting bar and a single handle — and this design is widely appreciated by all gardeners who navigate uneven terrain or simply want to keep one hand free. Self-watering containers and waist-high beds come in a variety of attractive materials and finishes as well.
Handmade wreaths make a nice alternative to store-bought. Many evergreen cuttings can be attached to a grape vine or wire frame or glued onto a foam circle. Common choices are holly, boxwood, magnolia, cedar or juniper. If you want to glam it up, you can dust with a fine spray of white or gold spray paint. Red holly berries, golden pyracantha berries or even orange bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) pods can make striking additions to wreaths or decorative sprays.
And once Christmas is past, holiday plants such as poinsettia and amaryllis are set out to pasture, but that need not be the case. With a little time and patience, you can rejuvenate the plant and even start new ones. As soon as the plant has finished its bright show, remove dead bracts and place in indirect light and keep
the soil barely moist until April. In April, cut the stems back to 6 inches, water deeply and move to a bright warm place. This will encourage new shoots and a rejuvenated plant; at this time, you can take cuttings to root in a peat and sand combination using a rooting hormone. The mother plant and any rooted cuttings should receive regular watering and fertilization until fall. In October, reduce the fertilization and bring outdoor plants inside. To get that bright red color, the plants need to be placed in total darkness at night for at least twelve hours for six weeks. Make room in the hallway closet and your hard work will be rewarded. Amaryllis plants can be made to rebloom by planting outside after frost has passed. Plant them in an area with morning sun and afternoon shade and water and fertilize regularly until August. Lift from the garden back into a pot in early September and move to a cool dark place and leave it alone (no watering or fertilizing) until mid-November. Resume watering and a week later, bring it out to a cool growing area with bright, indirect light. Flowers should follow five to seven weeks later.
Many people make resolutions for the new year with good intentions but fail to follow through. For the home gardener, this may mean getting the vegetable garden soil tested or digging a new bed so that crops can be properly rotated to reduce pests and diseases. Don’t put off these important tasks. Do your future self a favor and follow through now. After all, a healthy harvest is a gift to yourself and your family. Soil test kits are available through County Extension offices and many public libraries. Instructions are also available at Extension’s website, www.aces.edu. Specific instructions on crop rotation are available as well. Another good project for the new year is to be deliberate in your seed and plant choices. Botanists are in the business of developing disease-resistant and heat-tolerant plants for the Deep South. Take advantage of their efforts and give your garden a head start to success.
Let me wish you all a joyous holiday season and happy and healthy gardening in 2023.
