Around the Garden: Nipping Those Harsh Winter Realities in the Bud

January can be a very difficult month for plants. There is little for deer to eat right now, and they will devour whatever they can get their bicuspids on.

By Chris Cohan

 

January can be a very difficult month for plants. There is little for deer to eat right now, and they will devour whatever they can get their bicuspids on. So, reapply repellents once a month. Better yet, support efforts to reduce the herd. Press the County Executive and local elected officials to expand a deer-culling program into our area. Too many deer, too little food, too much devastation and way too many have contracted debilitating Lyme disease.

 

In addition, alternate freezing and thawing can cause root balls to heave. Exposed root balls may produce winter damage. Together, with windy weather, plants will dehydrate resulting in injury and even death. If there is adequate moisture in the soil when the ground thaws, plants will be able to absorb it to weather the weather. Make sure your plants are mulched to prevent soil from drying out.

 

And before the next snowfall, even though it seems counterintuitive, I encourage you to spread grass seed on bare spots and fertilizer across your entire lawn. With a snow covering, birds will not eat the seed and it will be ready for early spring germination.

 

When applying deicers to pavement, avoid overusing products that are toxic to plants. Even better for the plants and your waist: shovel and spread sand instead of salt.

 

Back inside, remember tightly sealed houses can be unhealthy. Foliage plants create a healthy environment. They help purify the air, removing many of the toxins that are prevalent in modern houses. Take care of the plants so they can do their job well. Low humidity and hot blowing air ducts make most homes dry as a desert.

 

If the leaves on your ficus are falling, low humidity and low light are the likely culprits. Wintertime light is about one-quarter of summer light. Other plants’ lower leaves turn yellow and other brown. Anything done to increase humidity will be beneficial. Humidifiers, misting the foliage frequently, oversized pans with two inches of gravel and one inch of water set below the plant, as well as grouping plants together are all methods of increasing humidity.

 

I start the winter season by treating all my houseplants with systemic insect control. There are various organic insect controls like Bonide systemic granules. This treatment has the benefit of being proactive rather than frantically dealing with an outbreak when it may be too late to save the plant. Also, no spray mess or concern you did not cover plant completely.

 

Respond quickly if your plants are attacked by the big three troublemakers for indoor plants: scale, mealy bugs, and red spider. Scale is actually sucking insects protected by a hard shell that exude a sticky substance. Spray with superfine oil. Those cottony white mealy bugs siphon sap from the axils of the leaves. Control with insecticidal soap. Red Spiders are microscopic mites that thrive in hot dry conditions and multiply rapidly. They puncture the undersides of the leaves causing discoloration. Spray with a Neem-based product like Safer EndALL Insect Killer. Neem seed contains materials that disrupt insect growth and control developing whiteflies.

 

When you water your houseplants, water them well. You never over-water by watering too much at one time but by watering too frequently.

 

Remember, when it’s cold outside, that your plants need a thick winter coat to survive. Mulch or they shall perish. Now that vexing venison is another story.