PLANTS

The old adage of ‘take two’ (fill in the blank) can make us feel better.  Well, during the middle of winter, thoughts go to the word ‘plants’ to fill in the blank.  I think that we are all feeling a little less connected to nature when we are inside.  The season confirms what the research had proven – and that is we need nature.  We know that something as simple as a view of nature helps us to recover faster from illness.  Being surrounded by plants can help to reduce stress and lower blood pressure.  So, maybe the cure for the winter doldrums is spending time in an indoor botanic garden or some other plant conservatory.  Studies have shown that gardeners feel calmer, are more relaxed and more in control of their environments.  Take heart – spring will be here soon!

JUST FOR THE BIRDS

Winter is a good time to attract Cardinals, Chickadees, and Finches to the bird feeders in your yard.  Filling bird feeders with white proso millet, nyjer seed, and sunflower seeds will appeal to a wide range of birds. It is important to hang feeders five feet off the ground and approximately ten feet from shrubs and other plants to keep away squirrels and predators. Some birds are ground feeders, such as Cardinals, so throw some seed in the garden for them.  And be sure to include water for drinking and bathing.

SMITH & HAWKIN

If you are a fan of the Smith & Hawkin gardening tools, you may have been upset when the company closed after 30 years in business.  Well, it appears that the company had re-emerged at Target.  The tools, furniture and other garden related products are available through Target stores – http://www.smithandhawken.com/

DROUGHT TOLERNANT

Plants that are considered to be ‘drought tolerant’ typically require less water than many other plants.  This means that, after their first year, they can survive without supplemental watering.   Examples include Black-Eyes Susan and Russian Sage.  One thing to consider is that drought tolerant plants do require a little extra attention their first year.  So, regular watering and an application of mulch is beneficial in helping the plants to get established.  After that, they should be ready to handle most of the hot and dry summer months.

ILEX SPARKLEBERRY

A great deciduous shrub to include in your garden is Winterberry Holly.  One of the newer cultivars is ‘Sparkelberry’ which was developed for its glossy red berries and adaptability to different conditions.  The fruit is very attractive for birds as a food source. The leaves of this 12 foot tall multistemmed shrub are green during the warmer months and turn yellow in the fall.

PLANTING SEEDS

A good resource for planting seeds can be found at the Farmers Almanac web site.  There is a listing of the dates when it is best to plant seeds, either indoors or outside, when it is a full moon.  It is a great chart and can be very helpful when planning ahead for the garden and what you are considering planting for the 2011 season.   http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/

SEED CATALOGUES

It is that time of year that the seed catalogues start arriving.  You may be getting some already, but just in case you do not have enough, you may want to visit some of these web sites.  It is also a great way to help beat the winter blues.  The web sits all look great and make you dream of warmer days to come!  (Thank you to Organic Gardening magazine for providing this list:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., 417-924-8917, http://rareseeds.com/

W. Atlee Burpee & Co., 800-333-5808,   http://www.burpee.com/

Fedco Seeds, 207-873-7333,  http://www.fedcoseeds.com/

High Mowing Organic Seeds, 802-472-6174, http://www.highmowingseeds.com/

Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 877-564-6697,   http://www.johnnyseeds.com/

John Scheepers Kitchen Seed,  860-567-6086,  http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/

Renee’s Garden,  888-880-7228,  http://www.reneesgarden.com/

Seed Savers Exchange,  563-382-5990,  http://www.seedsavers.org/

Seeds of Change,  888-762-7333,  http://www.seedsofchange.com/

Territorial Seed Co.,  800-626-0866,  http://www.territorialseed.com/

The Cook’s Garden,  800-457-9703,  http://www.cooksgarden.com/

Tomato Growers Supply Co.,  888-478-7333,  http://www.tomatogrowers.com/

Nichols Garden Nursery,  800-422-3985,  http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com

Punxsutawney Phil

Feb. 2^nd was Ground Hog Day and Phil the ground hog did not see his shadow.  (He even has his own Facebook page by the way). According to folklore, when the ground hog does not see his shadow, we have only six more weeks of winter.  The date of Feb 2nd is significant because it designates the mid point between the beginning and end of winter.  Spring starts on March 20^th and this is 7 weeks after Ground Hog Day.  I am inclined to go with folklore this year and hope for an early spring!

“He that plants trees loves others besides himself.” – Thomas Fuller