Gardening Tips
Time to start planning
Happy New Year! We wish you “green thumbs” this new year. If you are a vegetable gardener, a flower gardener, a lawn gardener, or all of the above, now is the time to start planning and thinking about the changes you would like to make in the coming growing season. You might want to create a small map of your gardens and use it as a guide for ordering plants and seeds from the catalogs which will be arriving in the mail soon. If you are not on the mailing list to get catalogs, pick up any gardening magazine this month for information about how to receive them. Mail-order nurseries are generally reputable companies with many years of experience. But many times, you will find the money you saved would have been better spent at the local nursery. If you want help with planning, the Forrest City Public Library has many books on planning, plants for sun or shade, how to set up a watering system, and answers to your many questions.
Here are some ideas of what you can do with your Christmas tree now that the holiday is over. Place it in your compost pile (no decorations, please), take it to the community collection site for discarded Christmas trees, or use in your outdoor fire pit (never in your indoor fireplace).
Here are some tips on how to keep houseplants healthy.
• Water: Houseplants are sensitive to chlorine and fluoride in tap water. Leave water in a watering pot overnight so these gases will dissipate before using the water on plants. If you water too much, the plants will drown. If you water too little, they will dry up. One thing that is often overlooked is the water in the holder of the pot. A holder full of water will soon cause root rot, and the plant will suffer a slow death. The best test is to look at the leaves. If the leaves are droopy, they need a drink and a little liquid fertilizer. Touch the soil, and if it is damp. don’t water, but if it is dry, a drink is needed.
• Dust: Dust on the foliage can clog the leaf pores, so clean them up with a damp cloth or a quick shower under water that has set overnight. There is a spray you can buy at the garden center that will shine the leaves.
• Warmth: On cold days, it is a good idea to close the curtains or blinds between the window and your house plants. Never place your house plants between the curtains and the window. Plants need light, but not the cold. House plants should also be kept away from the warm air coming from a heater vent.
• Insects: Insects can cause major problems for houseplants.
Check the underside of leaves for these pesky creatures when you water the plants. Some of the more destructive pests are aphids, mealybugs, trips, whiteflies, and common fruit flies. An effective way to solve this problem is to wipe each leaf with a damp rag. A second suggestion is to make a mixture of 1/2 cup vegetable oil and one tablespoon of liquid dish soap in a spray bottle, fill the bottle with warm water, shake, and then spray on the leaves once a week until all pests are gone. A final suggestion is to buy an insect spray from the nursery.
For questions concerning gardening call the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service office at the St. Francis County Courthouse at 870-2611730.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Information for “Gardening Tips” is gleaned from gardening guides for Planting Zones 7 and 8. The photo was provided by the Master Gardeners from the Insect, Disease and Weed I.D. Guide.