Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is a native vine that climbs readily on walls and trees. It has leaves with five leaflets and the foliage turns bright red in fall. Small berries are produced and provide food for birds. This vine is native to Illinois.
Virginia Creeper grows in both sun and shade and tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. This plant can grow very aggressively.
Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is a native grass that grows 3-4 feet tall. The seed heads of this grass are flattened and have a grain-like look. The seed heads dry well and can be used in dried flower arrangements. It is native to Illinois.
Although many native grasses prefer sun, Northern Sea Oats does best in partial shade and a consistently moist site.
For more information and to see pictures of these plant, go to www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hortanswers/
Houseplants don't grow much in winter months, so they generally do not need fertilizer. As days start to lengthen watch for new growth (possibly as early as February) and fertilize at that time.
There are many wonderful blooming plants for the holidays and one of the most interesting is the holiday cactus. These used to be referred to as Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti, but many of today's plants are hybrids between the two, leading to a more general name.
Care of these plants during flowering is fairly simple. Give them cool temperatures at night (55-60°F) to prolong blooming. Place the plant in some direct sun. Water thoroughly, but allow moderate drying between waterings. Do not fertilize during bloom.
To rebloom a holiday cactus for next year is a little more difficult, but can be done.
From the time that bloom ends, through the end of summer, place the plant where it can get bright light. Fertilize regularly, but lightly.
In early September, give the plant 4-6 weeks of short days (8-10 hours of light) and long nights (14-16 hours of complete dark). Plants should flower about 2 months later. Cool night temperatures (55°F) in September can overcome the need for long nights and stimulate bud development.
A Few "To-Do" Items for December-January
December
- Start paperwhites indoor for easy, fun holiday plants
- Start making your seed order now, so you can submit it in January. Early orders help insure that you get the seeds you want and that they arrive in time to start them indoors.
January
- Go out and look at your yard. Does it have any winter interest? If not, start thinking about what you could plant next summer to provide winter interest. (Shrubs with colored stems or fruit, perennials with persistent seed heads)
Your New Year's Resolution: Become a Greener Gardener.
"Green" seems to be the buzzword these days. Gardeners are obviously green by the nature of their activities, but all gardeners should take some time to consider how they can make their garden "greener' (more environmentally friendly).
Although there are items that can be purchased (like rain barrels) to help us attain this goal, often we can go green and spend very little money doing it. Some of the best green ideas are merely changes in our everyday gardening practices.
Water conservation can be a big part of a "green" garden. Certainly products like rain barrels may help us here, but the real key to conservation is changing our watering practices.
Many gardeners run the sprinkler every day for a short time period. This is a bad practice as it does not benefit the plant and it wastes water. Try watering once a week for a longer period of time. This will insure deeper penetration of the water into the soil to really benefit the root system (as opposed to the shallow penetration of water that occurs with frequent sprinkling).
Better yet, abandon the overhead sprinkler and install soaker hoses in your flower and vegetable gardens. Soaker hoses deliver water right to the soil, with very little loss. Overhead sprinklers can lose up to 50% of the water they put out through evaporation and drift caused by wind.
A third way to conserve water is to select and position plants properly. When possible, select plants that are more drought tolerant. If you want plants that have a higher water requirement, put them in a part of the yard that tends to be moist on a regular basis. The right plant in the right place is always a good idea.
Rain gardens are another way to make the most of the water in our yards. Rain gardens are designed to capture water and put it to good use, rather than allow it to run off into storm sewers. University of Wisconsin Extension has a great publication about rain gardens that can be downloaded from the internet. Go to: http://learningstore.uwex.edu/pdf/GWQ037.pdf to download a pdf file of this publication.
Another way to be "green" in the garden is to reduce the amount of pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, weed killers) and fertilizer that you use in the garden.
These products can be valuable tools, but they are often over-used or misused, leading to pollution of the environment and possible harm to beneficial organisms.
If a problem occurs in your yard, consider first the severity of the problem. Many diseases and insects cause relatively little damage. If the plant is not in danger of dying, you may not want to use a pesticide at all. There may also be non-chemical methods available to control the problem. Call your local Extension office and ask the Master Gardeners for some control options. Often, just giving your plants proper care will reduce problems.
Fertilizing is often done on a regular basis, whether the plant needs it or not. Consider using fertilizer more on an "as-needed" basis. Spring is a good time to fertilize, but every plant may not need fertilizer every spring.
Frequency should be considered too. It is common for lawns to be fertilized 3 or 4 times a year. A good lawn can be maintained by using a time-release fertilizer once a year in May.
Other ways to be "green": use fall leaves as mulch or start a compost pile.
Look to be a greener gardener by examining and modifying your garden practices. Green can be simple and inexpensive.
