Winter

DECEMBER

  • Winter Dormancy: Winter is the best time to prune trees and shrubs while they are dormant and less prone to stress. Pruning will encourage better flowering in the spring and eliminate damaged and unhealthy branches that could pose a hazard during ice and snow. Late fall and early winter are the safest times to prune oaks to prevent aAn easy to maintain Anthurium makes a good alternative to a Poinsettia. Photo by S. Cook fungal pathogen called oak wilt, carried by insects, which can infect and kill trees through fresh pruning wounds.
  • Drop a Hint: There is still time to order from catalogs for holiday gift giving. Garden tools may not seem romantic, but they make great gifts for yourself and your gardening friends and family. How about live plants? A beautiful, easy-to-care-for amaryllis bulb or red anthurium is sure to please and brighten many dark, snowy days, and is a nice change from the ubiquitous poinsettia.
  • Oh Deer: Browsing deer and rabbits can do a lot of damage in the garden when food is scarce. Small trees are especially vulnerable. Put guards around saplings and even larger trees which are targets for buck rubs which can destroy the beauty of evergreens and even kill trees.

JANUARY

  • Take a Hike: Bundle up and go outside to enjoy the beauty of winter. Secrest and other nature centers have many outdoor events open to the public at no charge. So, grab your coat and your family and join a guided winter bird watch, tree identification, or other workshops. Check out “Coming Events” towards the end of this newsletter for date, time, and location.
  • Colorful Conifers: Walk through your garden and access your winter landscape. Where is your winter interest now that the colorful flowers and berries are gone? Think green as your new winter color. Aside from hollies and rhododendron, go vertical with conifers. They come in all shapes and sizes for every landscape. Start researching now so you’ll have your favorite come spring. Join a tree walk at Secrest to see these beauties wearing their winter whites.
  • Snow Management: Snow stakes are a great way to mark the outlines of your driveway and sidewalk for plowing. But, when plowed snow ends up burying your nearby plants, damage is the sad result. Commercial plowers dump the snow where they think it will be out of the way. They don’t know and maybe you’re not there to say otherwise. Put up markers to keep this from happening. 


FEBRUARY

  • Build a House: If you enjoyed seeing the Eastern bluebirds (not blue jays) flitting around your garden last summer, then show your appreciation by building them a bluebird nest box. This can be easily and cheaply done using a three-foot board of pine and a few screws. This is a fun family project and will attract nesting bluebirds and other cavity dwellers. Directions for construction are available in a pamphlet from ODNR titled Hit the Trail for Bluebirds. Find it HERE. Now is the time since bluebirds seek out nesting sites by the middle of March.
  • Going to Seed: It’s time to organize for indoor seed starting so you’re ready to go and grow next month. Existing containers and trays need to be washed and sanitized usinga mild bleach solution. Check out catalogs and order seeds and other supplies, such as potting medium and new trays if necessary. Dust off the grow lights and make sure all are in good working order.

–Sue Cook, Master Gardener Volunteer