Knowledge from Olle Garden Bed: December Gardening

Some may think that it is a bit late to talk about winter protection of plants in December, but in fact, most growers agree that the real key tone for plants on the verge of hardiness is in late winter, when warm sunlight combined with dry winds absorb water from leaves and branches when the roots are unable to replenish water due to cold or frozen soil. So don't worry too much if you procrastinate, but on the other hand, don't procrastinate too long. The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.

1.TRIM

It may be necessary to take advantage of those comfortable days when working outdoors and being busy with trimming trees and shrubs. It is especially desirable to start pruning trees that "bleed" if pruned in late winter or early spring. While we are told that this bleeding does not cause any harm, it does prevent people from immediately applying a protective coat to the wound. So, if you have any maple trees that need to be pruned, prune now or wait until midsummer. Dead and diseased branches should be the first concern. Whether or not to cut off any health depends on the purpose you see. If it is to improve the symmetry of the tree, this can be done now, but if you have a tree that grows too vigorously and you want to limit it, it is best to wait until the summer pruning in the winter stimulates the growth of strong shoots, and the summer pruning tends to make it strumble.

2.Do not prune the bush indiscriminately

Before pruning shrubs, their flowering habits should be fully understood, otherwise it may cause more harm than good. Most early flowering shrubs begin to form buds in the fall, and any extensive pruning during bush dormancy will result in a reduced number of flowers produced the following spring. A good point to keep in mind when trimming is lying prone in a way that maintains the natural shape of the bash. Usually this means that the primer should be a dilution process, limited to removing dead and worn brandy.

Before treating prunes through a campfire, review them in hopes of preserving next year that may be valuable as plant support. Many low-growing perennials, such as Veronica, Tokrim, Potentilla, Coreopsis, and Gypsophila, can more effectively and artistically support branch growth by pushing them into the surrounding ground before they finish growing, rather than through the more common methods of stake and hemp rope. If the plants to be supported are to be planted in rows so that fan supports become desirable, the selected trims should be placed on the ground and weighted with planks to press them into the desired shape. If this is done fairly early in winter, they will retain the desired shape when the boards are removed before use.

3.Vermin

Those who live in the parts infested by tent caterpillars, gypsy moths and grass moths can spend a little time in winter looking for and destroying the egg masses of these pests. The mahogany brown caterpillars of tent caterpillars are found on young branches, enveloping them almost completely. As a rule, the most convenient way to get rid of them is to cut off the branches with eggs attached to them and destroy them by burning. Gypsy moths and grass moths lay their eggs in clusters. Removing eggs mechanically, or applying them with a paint brush moistened with creosote is a useful winter chore.

Any garden debris that may harbor insect or fungal pests and are therefore not suitable for composting should be destroyed by burning. This includes peony tops that may carry Botrytis and deciduous rose leaves that contain winter spores or dark spots.

4.Proliferation

It's not too late to hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs. As stated in the previous calendar (October), these should be cut into 6 to 10 inch lengths, bundled, buried in damp sand or peat moss, and kept cold in the winter, but not frozen. If the greenhouse has cuttings of evergreen plants such as trees, yew, juniper, bellflower, box and alderwood, it can be inserted into the propagation bench.

5.Forced bulbs.

Bulbs should be brought in from outdoor planting pits at regular intervals for mandatory use at home or in greenhouses. Do not expose them to too high a temperature at first. Give them a couple of weeks at a temperature of 50 ° and raise it to 65 °.