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After two days of rain/showers, we finally had a big front come through to clear things out yesterday, but with high winds (40-50 mph gusts & literally ‘howling’ around the house corners) ... got my exercise chasing pots blowing out of my garden area and across the field! The poor birds were hanging on to the bird feeder/suet cages for dear life. Lights flickered a couple of times, enough to cause the WiFi to reset ... fortunately, no trees went down on our place & the electric stayed up.

We got almost 4” of rain ... my raised beds are on a high spot & even the grass/ground around them was super squishy. Four days of rain in the forecast for next week .... I try not to complain about rain, but we’re getting seriously soggy. .... septic fields too saturated to drain (relative’s problem next door), the river is above flood stage, water over the road, just up from us. It’s sunny & chilly this morning - hope it will dry out some over the weekend.

Diana here: It’s not too late for some of these ideas/projects. Some of us still have quite a bit of Winter ahead of us!

A Gardener’s New Year’s Resolutions

Kay Hinkle
Adams County Master Gardener

First, let me be clear – I don’t make New Year resolutions! Quite a few years ago I realized going through that annual exercise was a futile attempt to change overnight – something that isn’t all that realistic for me. I vowed to lose 10 pounds more often than I care to remember; it was no easier in January than in the other 11 months of the year!

With that confession out of the way, let me say that I am all for realizing measured improvement in the coming year over the previous one. If January is a good time to wipe the old slate clean, with progress to begin again in earnest in the New Year, why not? Whatever the reason and whatever the timing, incremental improvement is always good, right? So, I’ve come up with a number of items below that might just be added to the gardener’s list of resolutions for anyone, anytime, anywhere:

* With the leaves off the trees and the gardens in a bare January state, take a good look at your gardens to assess placement. Are there open spaces that need filled in? Conversely, are there cluttered plantings that might be more attractive if separated in the spring? Make notes for each garden in winter months that can be clearly followed when the time is right to divide, move, re-plant or share with a neighbor or a friend.

* Really clean outdoor pots for the coming year. Actually disinfect as the gardening manuals direct. Start fresh this growing season with squeaky clean pots and fresh soil. You might be surprised at the difference it makes in your container gardens this year.

* Examine outdoor gardening tools like rakes, hoes, and shovels. Clean shovel and spade blades. Organize the tools for easy access in the coming months. Simple wall racks available at local garden centers and big box stores can be inexpensive or elaborate. The goal is to know just where to find the ground shovel when it is time to plant that new tree or shrub in the spring, and finding it clean and good repair as well.

* Inspect and organize your tool caddy or bucket; if you don’t have one, make one this winter, by gathering those implements most often needed to plant, weed, or prune into one central repository to be carried along as you plant or weed. It is amazing how much time one saves when what is needed in the process is right at your fingertips!

* Use the winter months to educate yourself on a topic that will improve your gardening expertise in the coming years. Do you know what you need to know about invasive plants? There are new ones to avoid added to the noxious list on a regular basis.

* This one is fun and serves to brighten your home this winter – scour the after- Christmas sales in gardening departments to purchase plants and flowers for inside as you wait for the planting season to begin outside. A leftover Christmas Cactus can bring enjoyment for years to come. Amaryllis bulbs that sold for $15 plus before Christmas might be reduced to a third of the original price after the holidays. Paper whites and other spring bulbs can be found at similar savings, potted and ready to force as directed. Once enjoyed indoors, store these bulbs for planting outdoors later and enjoy them again.

* Consider ways to cut gardening costs in the coming year. Start plants from seeds, for example. Divide perennials and share with friends and neighbors. Formalize a neighborhood date for a day of sharing plants this spring or fall.

* Treat yourself to a purchase of a special purchase with a portion of the savings in #4 above. What is the plant or shrub or tree that you have been longing to add to your landscape? Make it a focal point in the garden to enjoy every day of the growing season.

* Make a list of tasks to be completed each month of the year that keeps you on track to a more beautiful result as the year unfolds. (Actually, complete the tasks.....)

* Finally, plot a way to lose 10 pounds that is different than the plan that didn’t work last year. What am I saying? Scratch that!

Because of the growing concern over the coronavirus, and how even if it doesn’t spread any further, it is already devastating supply lines in ways that will be felt here, I feel the need to post a list of useful plants that can be used in place of common household items that might be in short supply. This list is for things that are NOT food or medicine, as those lists would take a year to type.

Soapwort: As the name implies, this can be used to make soap. Using it is fairly simple, just take the fresh or dried plant (all parts are usable) and simmer gently in plain water. After straining, you can use the resulting liquid the way you would any liquid soap.

Horse Chestnut: This can’t be eaten like other chestnuts. But, after removing the hulls, you can use the kernels exactly the same as you would soapnuts. Do a search on “soapnuts” for different ways of using them.

Pyrethrum Daisy: This flower is the original source of Permethrin, a common insecticide. There are different varieties on the market, some selected for looks and some selected for usefulness. Richters carries one selected for usefulness. I’m sure there are others, but that’s the only one I’m familiar with. The flowers contain the insecticide. Gather the whole flowerheads shortly after they open, and dry as is. To use, grind or mash the flowerheads, and either sprinkle the powder where you need it, or else soak in water to make a tea, which can then be sprayed. Be aware that while the daisy is less toxic than the synthetic form, it’s still possible to get an overdose, so try not to get it on yourself, and keep pets and small children away. If using the tea, treated surfaces should be safe to touch once it’s completely dry.

Luffa Gourd: You’ve probably seen these around. This is a scrubbing sponge that grows like a squash. There are a few varieties on the market, but most are loaf-shaped and look like a zucchini. These vines do love to climb, so I suggest planting them near a fence or other structure. They’re ripe when the fruits start to turn yellowish, but if you know a freeze is coming harvest them anyway. If they get frostbitten while still on the vine, the fibers turn to mush. (That last part is secondhand information. If anyone has had different results, please chime in.) To make the sponges, let the fruits dry in a well-ventilated place, turning them daily. Try not to let them mold, but don’t panic if they do. When dry, tear off the stem end and shake out as many of the seeds as you can. Then soak the fruit in a pail of water for just a few minutes, squishing it so the water reaches the whole inside. This will help the skin separate, and you should be able to peel it off in long strips. Rinse and squeeze the peeled sponge until the water comes out clear, then dry and cut into whatever shape you like.

I’m sure I’ll think of more. Feel free to add more if you can.