Now that the growing season has come to an end, its time to think about digging up the non-hardy bulbs and storing them for the long winter season. Most of us gardeners do not like to let those beautiful, non-hardy, tropical plants go to the compost pile and dig them up for storing for the next growing season.

If you are one of those gardeners who do not like to throw away your non-hardy bulbs follow these steps on storing.

Dig the bulbs- You'll need to dig your bulbs right after a light frost has nipped back the foliage. Try not to nick the bulbs as you dig, this makes them susceptible to disease and rot later on.

Shake off the excess dirt, cut back the foliage to an inch or two above the bulbs and set them in a warm dry area, out of direct sunlight, for a week to ten days to cure. This gets the bulbs ready for a dormant period and gives any little nicks a chance to heat over. You can dust the bulbs with a fungicidal powder, but it's not critical. You can use screen from an old door or window as a bulb drying rack, then hose the screen off when you are finished.

Store the bulbs. Store you bulbs in cardboard boxes or other breathable containers. You want just the right amount of moisture and dryness for your bulbs. That's why I use this combination of plastic bags, newspapers and peat moss. Line your box with a plastic bag with 30-40 holes poked in the bottom and sides, then several layers of newspaper. Add a 3-inch layer of barely damp peat moss in the bottom. Set a layer of bulbs on the peat moss, not touching each other. Cover with another 3-nch layer of peat moss and repeat. Tuck several layers of newspaper over the layer of peat moss.

Set the box or basket in a dark place where the temperature stays around 40-50 degrees. If you have an unheated basement or bedroom, the temperature should be just right.

Bulbs can shrivel in a newer home's warm basement or semi heated garage. Most gardeners have luck storing their bulbs in the basement or heated garage which stays around 62-65 degrees. The bulbs can be packed in the plastic storage boxes with holes poked in the sides. Wrap each bulb in tissue paper before placing it in the moss and snapping the box lid on. The plastic container holds in a little extra moisture.

Either way you store them, you'll need to check on your bulbs a couple times during the winter to make sure they're not drying out or rotting.

Next spring. You can start summer bulbs indoors in early spring or plant them in the ground when temperatures are consistently above 45 degrees at night. If they multiplied during the last growing season, spring is the time to split them. What a wonderful bonus.

- Sally Reuter - Bureau County Master Gardener

Bagworms are a nuisance and can defoliate and kill a wide variety of both coniferous and deciduous trees. They seem to prefer arborvitae and red cedar but attack and destroy pine, spruce, willow,cypress, juniper, black locust, sycamore,apple, maple, elm, poplar, oak and birch. Bagworms tend to be a problem on trees that are isolated or in urban areas. They can be found all through the Eastern United States from New England to Nebraska and south to Texas. How do you know if you have them, by observing your trees, and searching for their spindle-shape bag. The common bagworm, Thryridopteryx ephemeraeformis , is a caterpillar that lives inside these spindle- shaped bags, which they construct to protect themselves against birds and other insects.Unfortunately, these bags can go unnoticed because they look like so much of the tree., and this cammoflauge allows them to do considerable damage.

Early in June, the insects hatch from eggs which wintered in the old bags. They have a one year life cycle. The young worms emerge and start to spin bags as they eat and grow. The caterpillars will crawl part way out of the bag to feed. Each female can produce over 1,000 bagworms. The bagworms mature in early September , the worms then attach firmly to the branches and move into the adult stage. The wingless female never leaves the bag and is fertilized by the winged male. She produces the eggs, then literally mummifies herself around them. After that they overwinter and the cycle goes on and on. How can we control these pests? Hand control is the first line of defense. You can pick the bags off the tree and either squash them underfoot or drop them in a bucket of soapy water. Be careful if the bags are too high up on the tree. You can spray them with an insecticide designed to control bagworms. Read labels carefully and follow the directions. As the bags approach their full size (2 inches) pesticides become less effective. Keep a watchful eye out for these damaging pests and hopefully you will never see them but if you do , act quickly to destroy them.

- Laurie Bonnucci, Bureau County Master Gardener

At the time of this writing we have 67 day until Christmas! Which means many of us will soon be in search of the elusive perfect Christmas tree.

Each year as we don our winter gear and tread to the cut your own Christmas tree farm we are met with thousands of beautiful trees. Each one unique in its own way, shape and form, from the tall and skinny, short and fat and the ever popular "Charlie Brown" tree that looks like it has seen better days.

When my family decided to start cutting our own we just drove to the farm and were greeted by a smiling Elmer Fudd looking man who asked what we were looking for? I responded with the ever popular, "We are looking for the Perfect Christmas tree"! He mumbled, "Aren't we all". Next he asked several questions, are you looking for a Fir? Spruce? Or Pine?

Interesting, I thought they were all pine trees. Not so, I was told. Needle length separates many of the Christmas trees from another, and what about real pine cones? Do you want those? Yikes!

Needless to say our first year at the Christmas tree farm was a learning experience.

The most popular Christmas trees are Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Balsam Fir, Colorado Blue Spruce and the Scotch Pine. The Fraser Fir is the most popular for its dark green needles, needle retention and it outstanding fragrance. The Douglas Fir usually has cones that remain attached and are quite fragrant. The Balsam Fir is short and fat, has a beautiful pyramid shape and has long lasting aromatic needles. The Colorado Blue Spruce is very familiar to most. It possesses dark green needles that may turn to a powdery blue. This tree has excellent needle retention and is usually symmetrical. Rounding out the top five is the Scotch Pine. Scotch Pines have excellent needle retention and are very aromatic. They have 1-3 inch long needles that last over four weeks.

Now that we have had our over view of the most popular trees for the season, we now need to prepare for the hunt. Most Christmas tree farms offer saws for cutting the tree down, which is great, but to make the trip enjoyable the family need s to prepare first by making sure everyone is dressed for being outdoors for at least a couple of hours . Warm boots, hats, gloves and coat are a must. And finally, a tape measure. A tape measurer in needed to insure that you have the proper height for the tree to fit in your home. Often, we end up with a tree that is too fat or way too tall. Find a tree that is at least one foot shorter than your ceiling height.

Prior to cutting the tree down give it a good shake. Watch for falling needles. You want a tree the will look good standing in your home not sprinkled on the carpet.

Now that you have your tree selected and cut, check to see if the farm has a shaker machine that will get rid of any loose needles, bird nests and bugs. Have the tree wrapped or baled. This will protect the tree while you transport it to your home and will also help in getting it into your house.

Put the tree in a bucket of water as soon as possible. Water is very important to the longevity of your tree. A tree can drink up to a gallon of water a day. Place the tree in its base and secure. Add water once the location is level. Make sure you place the tree out of direct sunlight, away from drafts and heat vents and of course as far away from the fire place as possible. Each of these will prematurely dry out your tree and could cause a hazard.

Now your family is ready to decorate! Enjoy the wonderful aroma of your fresh cut tree and the beauty that it possesses while it is part of your Christmas decorations. Please try to recycle your tree after the holiday. Many areas offer a mulch service or possibly offer it to a neighbor with a pond. Fish love sunk trees!!! Have a wonderful holiday season.

- Shelia Thomas, LaSalle County Master Gardener

Birds that brave northern winters deserve TLC. Providing food and shelter is critical for their cold winter survival.

The "Birds of Winter" include pigeons, doves, woodpeckers, jays, crows, ravens, chickadees, nuthatches, creepers, kinglets, waxwings, finches, juncos, titmouse, larks, sparrows, buntings, starlings and cardinals to name a few. Wow, that's a lot of the little buggers that stick around and speaking of buggers, since there aren't many bugs in winter, supplementing their diet is crucial.

Suggested foods are sunflower seeds but black oil sunflower seeds have more oil content, cracked corn mixed with bird seeds, thistle seed and millet. Suet cakes provide fats and peanut butter, cornmeal, nutmeats and fruit, strings of popcorn or small pinecones will provide protein. Suet is hard beef fats (especially around the kidneys) you can purchase from your butcher and melt down at home, or buy cakes readymade. This provides much needed fats in cold weather. (Suet gets sticky if temps are too high.) Any of the above can be added to suet balls or cakes and hung from a branch in mesh bags or store bought small metal cages.

Providing water is very important. To prevent water from freezing you can purchase an electric heating ring that fits nicely into a birdbath and some have a thermostat that kicks on when water reaches freezing and off when it gets warmer.

Feeding feathered guests is very rewarding and entertaining to watch on a cold winter day. Keep the birds well fed all winter and they will repay you next year by eating annoying insects. It's a wining bargain.

- Darlene Ray, LaSalle County Master Gardener

It's happening again this year. I spend hours, days, weeks, pouring (drooling) over your catalogs. My eyes are red. I lack sleep and my work is undone since your catalogs graced my mailbox. My mail carrier flips a finger as she drives on to stuff the box with tons of catalogs. (I'm certain she's anticipating the boxes of gardening goodies next month.)

As I study each page I "X" the seeds, plants and a myriad of garden tools that I must have and can't live without.

My goal is to have one variety (maybe three) of everything in your catalog and then I can die. I only have two acres. Last year our basement looked like a giant greenhouse. I even built shelves above the washer and dryer with lights over them. Every square inch of shelving, window sills, tables and little portable homemade hothouses will soon be loaded with seedlings. (Last year I had over 750 seedlings and 30 plants,) Oh, and I also had a few resident snakes who thought they found the Garden of Eden. Can you blame them? Warmth, moisture, lots of vegetation, gnats, and baby crickets. Reptile Nirvana!

Now I'm in my annual quandary. After I pick out my orders, the total comes to $489.62. I have to order something from each catalog. You know if I don't, God forbid, you'll stop sending me your catalogs,

My budget is only $100. I'll have to pare down my orders and wait until next year to order the rest and this will all happen again. I guess I won't be dying anytime soon, will I?

Sincerely,

Darlene Ray, LaSalle County MG.

P.S.This letter is true, no exaggerations.

I've heard some people will do anything to keep squirrels away from their bird-feeders. It becomes a war. They will stop at nothing to outsmart those furry intruders and lie awake at night plotting their revenge. Here are a few tricks that have been used, but aren't necessarily foolproof or safe for the animals.

nSticky Stuff! Sticky products are sold that can be spread on feeder surfaces and poles that repel squirrels. However, the substance can also get on birds-sometimes with fatal consequences.

n The ingredient capsaicin that makes peppers hot is sold as an additive to bird seed. They say it doesn't bother birds and repels squirrels but may do some minimal harm to them. There are also feeders sold with built-in electrical shocks but this doesn't seem humane either.

n Buckshot? No, No Please No!

So what can you do that's humane and works? The trick is to never let squirrels get to the feeder. Once they do, almost nothing will stop these agile, clever critters. Okay, how do we do that?

¨ Keep birdfeeders at least eight feet away from a limb or structure they can jump or climb to or from.

¨ Some expensive pole baffles may work and may not. They are plastic umbrella-shaped domes that fit above the feeder on the pole to keep squirrels from getting to the seeds. However, to get the seeds I have seen squirrels perform a balancing/stretch act that the tightrope family 'The Wolendas' would envy.

¨ Purchase a "squirrel-proof feeder" but be prepared to pay more that a traditional one.

¨Another option would be to provide foods squirrels like such as nuts, corn or peanut butter on a feeder at the opposite end of the yard. They may not need to raid the bird feeders at all.

¨ If all else fails, enjoy their presence and stock up on enough feed seeds for them and the feathered 'birds of winter'. Besides, the balancing acts can be amusing.

For additional information on squirrels or feeding winter birds, check out these Web sites:

Ö www.illinoisaudubon.org

Ö www.worldbirdsanctuary.org

Ö www.hsus.org

Ö www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hort/

Ö Or a local library and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

- Darlene Ray LaSalle County Master Gardener

They can be "forced" to bloom in containers whenever you choose. Sometimes they are planted in large wooden or clay bowls. Set the bulbs in soilless mix almost touching each other. Sprinkle more mix between and over them until they are barely covered. Put them in a cool, dark place until growth appears, usually about 8 weeks. Set them in the sun and they will grow and blossom. Bulbs that are forced should not be planted again. But its always fun to break the rules of gardening. Some bulbs do bloom , if not this growing season the next.

Happy Gardening!

- Sally Reuter - Bureau County Master Gardener

The sweet potato, ipomoea batatas is a tender, warm weather vegetable that is native to Central and South America. Being related to the morning glory family, (Convolvulance), the sweet potatoes grow on trailing, lush vines that quickly cover the soil.

As an ornamental plant, sweet potatoes are often grown in hanging baskets, planters and even in a bottle or vase of water in the kitchen window to chase away the winter blahs.

Some types of ornamentals have particularly attractive cut leaves.

Several ornamental varieties have been developed after the ornamental sweet potato vines were discovered during research from an edible sweet potato trial selection. Therefore the ornamental variety is edible but they lack the same quality and taste of the original variety. Experiments with saving the tuberous roots to start new plants the following spring were disappointing, as the resulting plant did not stay true to color reverting back to the original green color.

The ornamental varieties are many including 'Blackie", with burgundy-black foliage; "Marguerite", with lemon-lime or chartreuse foliage with heart shaped leaves and a graceful cascading habit; 'Terrace Lime' is similar to 'Marguerite' but has a bushy growth habit; 'Lady Fingers' has a deeply lobed green leaves with burgundy stems and veins; 'Tricolor' or 'Pink Frost' foliage is variegated with violet-pink and blush coloring; and the 'Sweet Caroline' series comes in many colors and has a less vigorous root system. A new cultivar 'Black Beauty' has black foliage with rounded leaves as opposed to the deep cut leaves of 'Blackie'.

Sweet potatoes are started from "slips" of the parent plant. Always buy plants from reputable growers to assure disease free roots. Pinch plants back two weeks after planting. If planting in a mixed container, it may be necessary to pinch back a second time to keep the plant from taking over the container. Ornamental sweet potato vines are vigorous growers and require high light, relatively warm temperatures and adequate moisture. Plants can be fertilized with a complete fertilizer such as 15-16-17. Growers report that "Blackie' may turn a bronze color in cool temperatures and 'Pink Frost' might revert back to green.

When planting containers using ornamental sweet potatoes strife for high contrast container partners. 'Marguerites' stand out when paired with magenta or purple, such as 'Purple Wave' petunias or several colors of verbena. 'Blackie' foliage stands out against a cool gray color such as dusty miller or licorice. For color, combine with orange marigolds, yellow lantana, or 'Pink Wave' petunias.

While we are waiting anxiously for spring to arrive, have fun planning the combinations you would like to use. Experiment with ornamental sweet potato vines in a flower bed, large containers, hanging baskets, and don't forget the window boxes.

- Sharon Acuncius, Marshall-Putnam Master Gardeners

It is not at all too early to be thinking about the gardener on your Christmas list!! You'll want to be prepared with that special gift and the list is endless.

Keep in mind the many common gardening tools – spade, shovel, rake, hoe, pruners, trowels (two sizes is always nice to have) to name a few. How about a large brimmed hat to keep away the hot rays of the sun; and maybe an apron to keep yourself as clean as possible (gardening is most of the time a very dirty/dusty job!!); and don't forget a pair of either gardening shoes or clogs – something easy to slip on and off when you do not want mud strung all over the place. Several pair of gardening gloves are always nice – one pair of the gloves should be the rubberized gloves which are great when you are doing muddy jobs and several pair of the colorful cotton gloves are nice to have – when one pair gets dirty, you have a spare pair to use while the other is in the laundry. These are some of the most common gifts; however, if you want to be fancy, how about a garden kneeler – really saves on the knees; you can purchase a nice one for about $35.00. Another nice gift would be any kind of statuary such as Gazebo Garden Stakes, Garden Stepping Stones, Solar Lights or maybe Fiber Optic Butterfly Lights – these come in 17' strands with 10 lights per strand and can be purchased for approximately $35.00. There are many, many cheaper items that can be purchased for the garden that will make your garden more attractive.

When purchasing for Christmas, the special plant that is out at this time of the year is the Amaryllis Bulb – they can be purchased at most of the places who have garden supplies. They are a beautiful plant that comes in various sizes – most grow up to 10-12 inches – in various shades of red that the entire family will enjoy; the other popular plant at this time of the year are the paper whites – once they bloom, they have the most wonderful fragrance that sort of permeates the entire house – again, a plant the entire family can enjoy; the poinsettia comes in various shades nowadays and they will last all winter if the directions are followed as to watering and light. I have finally thrown one away in May as I have wanted to go on to something new. A gift that you might not think of is the Shiitake Mushroom Log – they can be purchased online or perhaps can be purchased at some of the greenhouses. Mine sits outdoors and I have had quite a few mushrooms on it to enjoy.

Hopefully, the above suggestions will be of help to you when purchasing for your gardener friends. But remember, gardeners are not fussy – they appreciate anything that will enhance their garden.

- Anna Mae Jacobsen Marshall-Putnam Master Gardener

Winter time is a great time for both kids and adults to plan their gardens. It will get everyone thinking about spring even when the weather is cold and snowy outside. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

¨ Search out the library for books about gardening and read them as a family. The books do not have to be technical, even a storybook about flowers or nature can be a good one to get you thinking about your plants.

¨ Go through seed catalogs and choose exactly what you want to grow (it helps to pick stuff that is easy and fast growing). Now is the time to order.

¨ Next, get out your pencils and paper and begin to design a space for your special garden. This is the fun part; you get to choose what and where you plant. Don't forget space for a compost pile, this is a good way to recycle vegetative matter. Also if you like to dig, leave a play space for plain dirt or sand. Sometimes digging is the best part of gardening. Remember, this is your garden!

¨ Next, begin to collect recyclable containers, like egg cartons margarine tubs, yogurt containers and so on. Once you have a good collection assembled, you are ready to begin your seeds. Follow the directions and guidelines for when to plant so that your seedlings will be ready to go in time.

¨ A good way to identify what you planted is to draw a picture of the flower or vegetable on an index card and have them laminated. Attach them to popsicle sticks, and you will be ready to put them in your garden after the seeds have started. Make sure you use these for the seedlings too; it is easy to confuse plants when they are little.

¨ Keep a journal of your planning and planting process and your summer growing season. This is a good way to find out what you liked, what worked, and what you would do or not do for next year. Take pictures each month and place them in your journal. Next January you can get out your journal and begin all over again using your journal as a guide.

Looking for ideas on what to plant? Think about a THEME garden. Here are some neat ideas for theme gardens or you can come up with your own ideas. The best garden is one you like to look at and work in. Have fun!!!

Cinderella garden - pumpkins and lady slippers

Alphabet garden- anything from asters to zinnias and all the letter in between!

Pizza garden - a round garden consisting of tomatoes, pepper, onions, oregano, and marigolds (to represent cheese).

Nose garden - this garden is full of fragrant plants (peonies, lavender, mint and so on)

Rainbow garden- arch shaped garden with a "pot of gold" at one end.

Historical garden - choose a time in history and research plants for this period.

Native American garden - corn, beans, squash

- Sherry Hockings, Bureau County Program Director, Educational Programs

Let's face it, pruning grapevines can make some gardeners 'whine'. Well at least cringe a little. Actually it's not as hard as it seems after you learn the basic systems. Let's try to simplify it.

The most common pruning methods for home garden grapevines is the Kniffin four-cane or six-cane systems. The four-cane method leaves two canes on each side of the trunk, trained onto horizontal trellis wires. The six-cane being three on each side. The choice is yours.

Grapevines produce grapes on the previous year's canes or 'wood'. Two-year old woods or older will not produce fruit again. Those old canes should be pruned off.

Here's a little knowledge about how grapevines grow. Grapevines can have 200 to 300 buds capable of producing fruit. If vines are left that way, they could produce excessive fruit but they will not ripen because vines would not be able to sustain that large of a crop and produce healthy growth. Less is more! Pruning maximizes yields of higher quality fruit and better growth for the next year.

Canes or 'fruiting wood' are the branches that produce the fruit. A vine also has some very short canes that are called 'renewal spurs'. The buds on the renewal spurs provide shoots for next year's grapes.

Prune in late winter or very early spring. If done in fall or early winter the canes will bleed heavily, although this shouldn't seriously damage the vines.

The degree of pruning is determined by what is known as 'vine vigor'. Vine vigor is determined by the amount of the previous season's growth. The pruning is referred to as 'balanced pruning'.

Step one to do a balanced pruning is to decide the number of fruiting canes, four or six you want then choose the ones you want to keep. Tie bright colored ribbons on those. Leave equal numbers of renewal spurs and prune them back to one or two buds. Remove all remaining one-year old canes.

Next, and here's the fun part, weigh all of the pruned canes you removed. The weight determines the number of buds to retain on the canes you left on the vine. Okay, this is where some get confused.

Why does it matter how much they weigh? The weight of the canes determines the number of buds to keep on the vine. The formula is '30 plus 10'. Huh? It works. For the first pound of canes removed leave 30 buds. For each additional pound add 10 more buds. Include both the buds on the fruiting canes and the renewal spurs in your calculations. The maximum number of retained buds should not exceed 60.

Now that wasn't so hard was it? And when someone asks where you heard about this tell 'em, you guessed it, "I heard it from the grapevine".

- Darlene Ray, Master Gardener, LaSalle County Extension

Instead of guessing when it's time to water or use some fancy tool to check the moisture level of the soil, use a device that's always hand: your fingers. Stick them into the soil until they are completely covered, and feel for some moisture. If they come up dry, it's time to turn on the sprinkler or get out the watering can.

- Lucille Ledgner, Bureau County Master Gardener

In the mood for something new in your garden. Try some of the new All American Selections for 2007.

The 'Fresh Look Gold ' Celosia has 4-inch gold plumes on 12 inch tall plants. Minimal maintenance and excellent heat tolerance are two of its special qualities.

Vinca 'Pacifica Burgundy Halo' is the first bicolor vinca to combine a burgundy halo surrounding a large white center. This annual is heat and drought tolerant and has a compact habit with out the need for pinching.

Petunia 'Opera Supreme Pink' has iridescent pink blossoms with a slight eye of creamy white and a yellow throat. Plants are 4 -6 inches tall and spread up to 3 feet

'Holy Mole' pepper is earlier, more vigorous , virus- resistant and higher yielding than most traditional pasilla-type peppers. These peppers are dark, chocolate-brown at maturity, but can be picked as immature green in about 85 days after tracsplanting.

For more information go to http://www.all-americanselections.org/

The Rainbow knockout is deep coral pink with yellow center finishing to a light coral center. This landscape shrub rose can be grown in Zone 5 and Zone 4 with good winter protection and is disease resistant to black spot, powdery mildew and rust.

The Strike it Rich rose is deep golden yellow, swirled and kissed with ruby red. This grandiflora has excellent disease resistance, and can be grown in Zone 5 and Zone 4 with good winter protection.

The Moondance floribunda rose is white and disease resistant . It can be grown in Zone 5 and Zone 4 with good winter protection