Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Joy of Gardening Moves Indoors

December is the month to enjoy your winter garden, a warm cup of tea, and the new seed catalogs that grace your mailbox among the many holiday cards and catalogs.


Also consider starting members of the onion family like chives, leeks, onions, scallions or members of the rose family like alpine strawberries indoors with added light and heat so they will be ready to plant outside in early spring.  Ind

Or maybe you decide to start some slower-growing flowers like geraniums, snapdragons, yarrow, or violas to transplant under a cloche in late March.


Invite Wildlife into your Garden

Provide water not only for birds, but also for predatory insects.  A shallow bowl with rocks in it helps both birds and insects get a sip.  In the winter, check the water every morning and thaw it out with warm water if it freezes.

Provide shelter for wildlife.  Bird houses are lovely, but a rotten log, stump, or snag can be a home for birds and insects, too.  Don’t clean everything out of your garden over the winter; a bit of grass, a pile of rocks can be a home for insects.

Provide habitat.  Plant natives and berry shrubs in your garden along with vege-tables, herbs, and flowers.  This provides a habitat for both birds and insects.  As a bonus, the birds help you out in summer by eating pest insects.

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