Getting ready for the cold
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By STEVE BATIE
Lee Newspapers
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 7:06 AM CDT
LINCOLN, Neb. — I thought now — before it’s too late — might be a good time to offer some suggestions for coping with the rest of fall and the coming winter.
My first suggestion, of course, is that we all move to places where children only know about snow from what they see on Christmas cards. You know? Those sleigh-bells-jingling, dashing-through-the-snow, off-to-Grandma’s-house memorials to Norman Rockwell?
I’m thinking good relocation choices might be Southern California, or Florida, or maybe Puerto Rico.
I personally find New Mexico very inviting.
But if you’re determined to weather out yet another winter:
— Covering plants with mulch during these final fall days will give them a few extra weeks of root development before freezing.
Compost, freshly raked leaves, woodchips and bark all can be used to give plants an extra blanket of protection for the winter.
— Most perennials need to be divided at least every three years to stay healthy and productive. Fall is the best time to transplant, divide or plant perennials.
The nutrients gained during the summer make the plants less likely to die during a move, and the moist soil and cooler air provide the extra TLC the plant needs in its new location.
— The safe time for planting evergreens has passed, but deciduous trees can go into the ground for a couple of more weeks.
One of the most important things you can do for a newly planted tree is provide plenty of water. Water new trees every seven to 10 days in dry weather and continue to do so until the ground freezes.
And be aware that may not happen until after Christmas.
— If you find icy steps outside your door, pour warm water and Dawn dish-washing liquid over them. They won’t refreeze.
— When using salt to melt the ice on slippery walks and driveways, spread it carefully to avoid damage to nearby shrubs and lawn grasses.
Consider switching to sand, sawdust or leftover lawn fertilizer, which works nearly as well at melting ice as salt and is a whole lot safer for your plantlife (although you can overdo it, too).
— A rubber-tipped floor squeegee makes an excellent tool for removing snow from the deck or porch and not scarring the wood. If the snow is dry, simply brush it off with a broom.
— It’s an amazingly petty thing to worry about, but I have a winding concrete walk that connects the house to the workshop, which means I have to keep it shoveled in the winter. But a fresh layer of snow makes it tough to distinguish the walk from the adjoining planting beds (which I’d prefer not be chewed up by shovels or snowblowers).
It finally dawned on me — after two winters of probing for the walk — that I could mark the edges with the same bamboo sticks I use to stake up leggy perennials in the garden.
— You can make your Christmas season decor last longer if you soak living wreaths and garlands in the bathtub overnight before hanging them. Let them dry thoroughly and then spray with an anti-desiccant (available at nurseries).
This will keep decorations fresh longer, delaying needle and foliage drop and — as an added plus — making them just that much less flammable.
— For color by Christmas, start amaryllis bulbs indoors at Thanksgiving. A single bulb can produce a dramatic cluster of huge blooms, and colors range from deep red to pink, white and combinations.
Put a bulb in a large pot and fill it with potting soil. Keep it watered. Tall foliage will appear quickly, followed by the thick flower stalk, which will bloom a few weeks later.
Send your home repair and remodeling questions to: HouseWorks, P.O. Box 81609, Lincoln, NE 68501, or e-mail: houseworks@journalstar.com.
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