December 2017 Tips

Dear Gardening Friends, Winter has arrived with a vengeance. The good side of the snow is that it is an excellent blanket of protection for our gardens. You can keep that in mind when you’re out shoveling. The following are a few tips for winter gardeners: - If you haven’t gotten to your critter protection up, do it soon. With the snow on the ground it’s easy to see tracks from visiting deer and rabbits. If you don’t protect susceptible trees and shrubs they will be easy fodder for hungry 4 legged visitors.  - Fencing is the best protection. I use the heavy deer mesh fencing and it works very well. The lighter weight mesh can be easily breached by deer. - Burlap or shrub coat coverings are good for shrubs that need protection from winter winds as well as critters. - When protecting from rabbits the fencing needs to be high enough to go above the expected snow depth by 2 feet. - Most of the sprays are not effective in colder temperatures. Look for one that is appropriate to use in temps below  freezing, however fencing or coverings are more effective. Other winter tips: - Gather boughs from discarded Christmas trees to use as a protective mulch. Any tender perennials or those planted this past season should have some extra protection from fluctuating temperatures. Simply lay the boughs over the plants and remove them in the spring. Easy and effective. - If your ground is heavily snow covered, store the boughs and place over plants when the snow melts. - If the snow isn’t too deep you can put the boughs right over the snow where the plants are. - Remove any dead branches from trees and shrubs that are a hazard or might fall during winter storms. Most other pruning is best done in very early spring/late winter. - Check any houseplants you brought in for the winter for insects and remove any leaves that have withered. - It’s common for plants to drop a lot of leaves if they have been moved indoors for the winter. They should bounce back next spring. - The most common insect problems are mealy bugs, fungus gnats, and scale. - An occasional “shower” bath is great for houseplants to wash away dust and control insects. Spray top and bottom of leaves with soapy water and rinse with the sink nozzle or in the shower. - If you have holiday plants, remove the decorative foil as water will build up in the bottom. If you want to keep the foil on, just drain out excess water after watering the plant. - Keep these plants out of cold drafts and direct sunlight. I recently attended a DEC seminar about, how to tell if ash trees should be treated or cut down, what to plant to replace lost ash trees and what products to use. It was most interesting and informative. Look for a future full article in a week or so about this in After 50 or on my web site: lessonsfromnature.biz. If you have any questions you can always contact me. Gifts for Gardeners: If you are looking for a gift for a gardener how about a Lessons from Nature gift certificate? I can e-mail you a gift certificate for a Garden Consult, Perennials or Hypertufa Planters, Concxrete Birdbaths and Stepping Stones. We  also offer concrete stepping stones or birdbaths made from leaves from anyone’s garden. A unique gift for more than the Holidays. Just give a call. Educational Opportunities: There are two excellent garden events coming up this winter: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County Master Gardener Program Presents 2018 Buffalo in Bloom Spring Gardening Classes Saturday, February 17at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Delaware Ave. and February 24 the Cornell Cooperative Extension, 21 S. Grove St., E. Aurora. Offerings both days are the SAME and run from 9 – 2:30. There will be three Sessions:      - What’s Eating My Plants; learn to identify insect damage and what to do about it      - Let’s Get Growing; seed starting Ensuring Success; Choosing the right plants for your garden Participants bring a bag lunch. Advanced registration for the program is required. The cost for this full day event is $25 for the general public and $20 for Master Gardeners. The day begins with registration from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m., 2 morning presentations, lunch break, and afternoon presentation. The day ends at 2;30 p.m. To register contact Cornell Cooperative Extension 652-5400, ext 177 or online at [email protected]. Master Gardener Education Day Saturday, March 17, 9:00 – 3:00, at Classics V Banquet Center We are so excited to be able to bring Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home and The Living Landscape. I have heard him speak a number of times and he is wonderful and not to be missed.      He will give two presentations: Bringing Nature Home Dr. Tallamy will discuss the importance of the plant choices we make and how they affect the overall health of the ecosystem. Learn about the native plants that will not only add beauty to your gardens but provide food and shelter for birds and beneficial insects. What we include in our gardens can make a difference. Creating Living Landscapes Once you have learned about “Bringing Nature Home”, how do you go about doing that? Can we bring life into urban areas? How can we get more plants into your landscape without it looking wild and messy? Will living landscapes be more prone to insect damage and vermin? Are they higher maintenance? Tallamy will answer these questions and more to help you make your yard a fascinating and beautiful part of nature. Our own Sally Cunningham author of Great Garden Companions CNLP and TV personality will present on: What Would Doug Do (in your yard)? After being inspired and convinced by Dr. Doug Tallamy what’s next? Wherever you're starting from, what can you do in your own WNY yard? Which projects and changes come first? What plants should you remove and add-- and where can you get them? Sally Cunningham will address the practical concerns and Buffalo area realities of our ecologically meaningful goals. Tickets go on sale January 19 until sold out. The cost for the general public is $55. The registration fee includes a hot buffet lunch, beverages, and snacks. The day will begin with registration from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m., a morning presentation, coffee break, second presentation, full hot buffet lunch and an afternoon presentation. The day will end at 3:00 p.m. There is also a basket raffle with lots of garden related items as well as gift certificates from local restaurants and merchants. To register contact Cornell Cooperative Extension 652-5400, ext 177 or online at [email protected]. This is a day you won’t want to miss and will get you in the mood for the spring season. Winter consultations: Yes I do consultations in the winter! If you would like to get a head start on planning for spring, questions on pruning or houseplant problems give me a call. Have a wonderful Holiday and a Happy and Healthy New Year! Happy Gardening! Lyn Chimera Lessons from Nature 170 Pine St. E. Aurora, NY 14052 [email protected] 652-2432   Copyright © 2014 Lessons From Nature, All rights reserved. You're receiving this message because you requested to receive Lessons from Nature newsletters. Our mailing address is: Lessons from Nature 37 N Union Rd Williamsville, NY 14221 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences