It’s Time to Shop!
We’re back with a new episode of Mid-American Gardener, and Martie and Kay are reminding us of just how much there is to do to keep busy to prepare for spring, even during these cold weeks.
The seed catalogs have started rolling in, and Kay shares a little bit about five, perhaps lesser known companies, which give you the chance to try new seed varieties and products while supporting often small or family-owned businesses. Kay suggests ordering as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out on that special plant!
Website Links to Kay's Seed Catalogs:
https://www.kinsmangarden.com/
https://www.southernexposure.com/
Martie brings in more clippings to demonstrate how to correctly prune a tree. Some viewers experienced tree damage due to the sudden cold snap in December and are wondering if they should trim their trees now or wait until the spring. Martie says to wait because you can see exactly where the die-back ends. Her simple tips for pruning are listed below...
Martie’s Tree Pruning Tips:
- Where the branch leafs out, prune back the dead wood into the live wood to the next node
- Use the flat size of your pruners to trim branches
- Don’t cut flat; instead, cut at about a 30% angle at a node, not in the middle of a branch
- Trim any branches that are growing downward/broken/damaged
- Take out any branches that are crossing
- Step back as you prune and make sure you are thinking about surrounding landscaping elements as you think about shape
It’s the end of the holiday season, but you still might have a poinsettia or two that just looks too pretty to simply pitch as our other panelist Kelly suggests. If you’re looking to keep it healthy, Kay has some tips, but reminds us that getting poinsettias to rebloom next winter is a tough ordeal. They are a finicky plant, but Kay suggests to place it in a south or east window, take it out of the foil, perhaps transplant it to a clay pot, and do not over water.
We close out the show by answering your questions about residual black walnut tree toxicity, cold weather damage, and houseplant care. As always, if you’re having problems with a particular plant, pest, or want to know more about something we discussed, send us an email at yourgarden@gmail.com, or message us on Facebook or Instagram!
