Gardening This Weekend: December 22, 2022

Short, sweet and to the point, here are this week’s activities.

PLANT
• Tulips and Dutch hyacinths as soon as possible. If you wait much longer you will run out of time for them to establish roots, grow normally and bloom well. The same goes for all bulbs given to you as gifts this holiday season.
• If you have a living Christmas tree, get it planted outside as soon as possible. Don’t take it out when it’s freezing. It has become acclimated to indoor conditions. Wait until next week.

PRUNE
• Mistletoe out of trees for use in last-minute decorating. The berries don’t hold on the twigs very long, plus they’re a bit toxic, so be careful where you use them to decorate.

FERTILIZE
• No need to feed poinsettias or any other holiday flowers. The fertilizers growers used will sustain them through the next several weeks.

ON THE LOOKOUT
• Don’t let poinsettias, azaleas and other holiday flowers dry to the point of wilting. That greatly shortens bloom life and results in severe leaf drop.
• If you’ve covered pansies and other spring bloomers, also tender shrubs with frost cloth, it’s fine to leave them covered for several days. I’ve actually left cast iron plants (aspidistras) covered for 10 weeks without any damage.