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January News 2004 |
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and Updates for January
2004 Welcome to our monthly "Newsletter". This is where we announce the most recent additions to our website along with "what's happening in our gardens", helpful hints, herbal tips, etc. Please check back often as we will be updating regularly. What's happening in our garden for January: Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful a Christmas. Our kitchen is still under major renovations but cooking Christmas dinner was still a pleasure especially since we have a new addition to the family. Our beautiful new grandson “Owen” was born on December 2nd and is doing terrific. This is the month that I take stock of last year’s seeds and decide what will be needed for this year’s growing season. As per usual we have major home renovations going on which my husband actively works on every spare minute he gets. We also have to do some heavy pruning on some of our large deciduous and evergreen trees. January "To Do" List: -pull weeds. -rake winter debris and moss off lawns. -apply dolomite lime to mossy lawns. -plan layout of vegetable garden. -order seeds. -prune deciduous trees. -spray fruit trees and roses with dormant oil spray before buds open. -clean and install nesting boxes. -plant perennials if ground is not frozen. -prune back wisteria vines hard leaving about 2 buds per each lateral branch for this year’s blooms. -check stored bulbs and tubers for rot discarding deteriorated ones. Greenhouse Gardening for January: (for a cool greenhouse kept at 40 - 45F (5 - 7C) -plants in bloom for this month – bougainvillea, pelargonium, begonias. rosemary, jade plant, cyclamen. -maintain a minimum temperature of 40F (5C) in the cool greenhouse if frost sensitive plants are stored. -it is important to maintain a dry atmosphere to prevent disease – water only when absolutely necessary. -severely cut back tropical plants. Indoor Sunroom or Conservatory: A list of plants presently blooming in our sunroom: -Poinsettia -Christmas Cactus -Oncidium Orchids (Dancing Lady Orchid) -Dendrobium Orchids -Phalaenopsis Orchids -Bromeliad -Cattleya Orchids -Oxalis -Anthirium -Arabian Jasmine Growing Conditions for House Plants – Part 6 Location: No Heat in Winter Suitable plants for this area include Araucaria, Aspidistra, Beloperone, Cacti and Succulents, Chlorophytum, Cineraria, Clivia, Cyclamen, Fatshedera, Fatsia, Grevillea, Hedera helix, Helxine, Hydrangea, Netera, Rosa, Saxifraga sarmentosa, Setcreasea, Streptocarpus, Tolmiea. Herbal Hints: Last spring I planted a large container with several of my favourite herbs. In the fall before our first frost I brought the planter into our heated greenhouse and we are still enjoying many fresh herbs for cooking. I also bring in a large bay tree in a pot along with a large rosemary bush now several years old. As I enjoy cooking, the use of these fresh herbs especially this time of year is a real treat. Herbal Vinegar Dijon Dressing: 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp wine vinegar 1 Tbsp water 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 1 tsp brown sugar Mix all the above in a salad dressing bottle and add chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, chives or thyme. Handmade Soap News: Part 6 – At first the earliest settlers brought a plentiful supply of handmade soap along with them. After these pioneers were settled and had endured many hardships they found it more advantageous to make their own handmade soap using their plentiful supply of wood ashes and animal fats from butchering. They did not have to rely on waiting for soap to be shipped from England nor waste their valuable currency purchasing their soap. Handmade soap with some work and luck could be made for free. Soap making was performed as a yearly or semi-annual event on the homesteads. Handmade Soap Balls: This is a great way to use up all those small bits and pieces of left over soap. Save leftover soap pieces until you have collected enough to fill a medium sized bowl. Grate these leftover soap pieces into another bowl and sprinkle with warm water. Let sit for at least 20 minutes. Stir the mixture and add a few drops of your favourite essential oil or blend of essential oils. Mix again. Scoop up some of the mixture into your hands and roll into a round soap ball. Place on a rack to dry. These look great displayed in a decorative bowl on your bathroom counter. Optional: additional ingredients such as ground oats, cornmeal, aloe vera, and or herbs may also be blended in. Organic Gardening Tips: Winter, the slack time in the grower’s calendar, is the time for organic gardeners to consider pest control techniques for the coming season based on successes and failures during the previous season. Here are a few questions that will aid in identifying the source of various problems: 1) Was the soil adequately drained the previous winter? 2) Was the soil properly prepared and adequately nourished? 3) Were the seeds planted viable and of good quality? 4) Were the seeds planted at the right time of the year? 5) Was a place provided where beneficial predators could survive during their dormant period? 6) Was this area close enough to the growing area for the beneficial predator to reach its prey? 7) If any species of plant was infested by pests, was that species of plant suitable to the area. By answering these questions honestly you may gain some insight on how to deter some of the gardening pests plaguing your gardens. Health and Wellness Aloe vera: Aloe vera belongs to the Lily family (Liliaceae). If you grow your own plant you can use the gel fresh (considered the most effective for healing purposes). To harvest, either cut a piece off the end of a leaf (the cut will heal) or remove an entire leaf. The plant produces its new leaves in the centre, so use the older, outer more potent leaves first. Remove the skin with a potato peeler or simply split a leaf to scrape off some gel. Unused portions of the leaf can be wrapped in saran wrap and stored in the fridge. The healing gel of this first-aid plant is applied for minor cases of poison oak, ivy, and sumac, insect bites and stings, fungal infections, diaper and heat rash, minor wounds and burns including sunburn. Where practical you can use the split leaf, gel side down as a poultice. This gel also can treat dry skin, “gardener’s hands” and “outdoor face.” It leaves my skin feeling soft and supple. This multi-purpose plant also makes a very attractive indoor plant display. Remember to not water it too much as like other succulents, aloe vera does not like to stay wet too long. Thanks for visiting! Susan |
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