Prepping A Garden For Winter
Rumor has it that we may be in for a winter with above-normal precipitation. I am not sure if this means heavy snowfalls or cold rains. Whatever, Mother Nature has already given a wake-up call that winter is on the way. Snow has fallen on Mount Spokane and many outlying gardens have already been blackened by frost.
It’s time to start preparing our gardens for winter. Here’s a to-do list of fall chores:
* Bulbs: This is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs — tulips, daffodils, crocus, etc. For the best selection, buy or mail-order them now. If the flower beds aren’t ready for planting, store the bulbs in a cool, dark place to be planted later (meaning before the ground freezes).
* Houseplants: Watch the weather closely. When night temperatures drop into the low 40s and day temperatures hover only in the 60s, it’s time to bring summering houseplants indoors. Be prepared for leaf drop if tender houseplants are subjected to cold days and nights, and then brought indoors where it’s warm and dry. A sudden change in environment could also mean a trip to the compost pile.
Before relocating these plants, a warm bath is always advisable. A bit of warm water and a soft cloth not only clean off the summer’s accumulation of dust and grime, but also helps destroy any hitchhiking insects. It’s not unusual to find little stowaways looking for a warm winter resort, namely your living room. Wash under the leaves and along the stems.
If soap is used, always use a very mild soap such as baby shampoo. Remember, not all houseplants tolerate soapy baths. Test your plants first by washing a few lower leaves. If, after 48 hours, no damage occurs, proceed.
If you wish to fumigate your plants before bringing them inside, simply set two or three plants inside a large trash bag. Spray with a recommended houseplant insecticide at the recommended rate and make sure the plants to be sprayed are listed on the label. Close the top of the bag tightly.
After a couple of hours, move them to their new location. Of course this procedure may not kill insect eggs which may hatch later. For this reason, segregating these vacationers from the permanent household resident plants may be a wise move. There is nothing worse than an herd of aphids, scale, whiteflies or mites trapped indoors for the winter.
* Taking cuttings from geraniums: Now is the time to propagate geraniums, before the cold days set in and before they’re hit by frost. Propagate geraniums by taking what are called stem cuttings. These are small pieces of new growth, about 4 to 6 inches long. Strip all but the top few leaves from the stem. Lay the cutting on a flat surface to allow the cut end to callous.
After the cut has calloused over, dip each cut end into a rooting hormone (a powdery substance available at most garden centers). Fill a flower flat with equal parts builders’ sand and peat moss, or use only builders’ sand. Dampen the sand. Plant each cutting into the mixture and set them in a warm sunny area. Keep the soil evenly moist, but never soggy. Geraniums are unforgiving if they are forced to endure wet feet.
After several weeks, the new little starts should show new growth and be securely rooted in the soil. Transplant them into 4-inch pots and set them in a cool room, 60-70 degrees, under fluorescent lights. Keep the lights about 4-6 inches from the tops of the plants. Leave the lights on about 14 hours a day until next spring, when it will be time to transplant into larger pots and eventually move them outside.