Discover the Fun of Gardening
November 29, 2012
|
|
|
|
Discover the Fun of Gardening |
November 29, 2012 |
|
|
In This Issue
| ||
|
Christmas Cactus Zygocactus x The unique blooms of the Christmas cactus are a lovely addition to holiday arrangements and patio planters. They come in a variety of colors, including, red, white, salmon and yellow. Each year they bloom as the days shorten, just in time for Christmas. You can keep them in a pot on the patio year round, and since they are a type cactus, they don't require as much water as most potted plants. Easy and beautiful! |
|||
|
Protecting Plants from Winter Frost All that hard work. The sweat, the backaches . . . don't let it go to waste by not preparing for the winter. Make sure you are stocked up on all of the essentials for protecting your plants, like frost blankets and anchor pins. Follow these easy tips to make sure your garden comes into spring looking even better than before.
Protection
- When frost or freeze approaches, the best thing you can do is be prepared
to cover your plants. Have frost blankets and anchoring pins on hand so that
you don't have to make a last minute trip to Kerby's and have a plan for
covering up your most sensitive plants. Make sure that you cover plants all
the way to the ground, resting the blanket lightly on the plant and then
anchoring the blanket to the ground with the pins. Not attachin
Water Well - The day before cold comes in, make sure you give your plants a good soaking. A lack of water when cold, dry winds are blowing can cause double the damage to your plants. Water plants at the roots only. Water on the leaves doesn't help and can cause more damage for landscape plants.
Stop Fertilizing - By now, you should have done your fall fertilization on all of your plants. At this point, you want to hold off on any general feeding until springtime. Too much fertilizer right now may encourage growth spurts during warmer days, and this new growth is extremely sensitive to cold, no matter how hardy the plant.
Avoid Some Pruning - On sensitive shrubs, you'll want to avoid pruning unless absolutely necessary. Pruning stimulates growth which can lead to weaker plants. A plant that is a little taller or wider than you want can be a good thing, as it will provide a little extra insulation. The winter is a great time to prune roses, crape myrtles, evergreens, and any deciduous trees.
Double Protection - If you're a fruit nut and have exotic tropical fruit trees, consider doubling the protection by using multiple layers of frost blankets. For covering trees, have a few stakes on hand to prop the blankets up so they aren't pulling the leaves and branches down.
These are a few tips you can use to protect your garden this winter. The
best protection is being prepared for whatever mother nature throws our way.
| |||
|
|
|||
|
Kerby's Nursery 2311 S. Parsons Ave. Seffner, FL 33584 (813) 685-3265 www.kerbysnursery.com |
|
g the blanket
allows cold winds to creep under easily and either blow the blanket off, or
push out the warm trapped air that is protecting the plant.