VOLUME 14, ISSUE 51 • December 20, 2018

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

 
 
 
 

Merry Christmas, my friend. We have fitting stories for the season ready for you in this issue of e-gardens.

Here are the things we've included…
• What to do with your poinsettia;
• Your buddies, the mulches;
• Things to get done (fine-tuned);
• Christmas cacti and how they grow; and
• Steven Chamblee visits the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Thanks for all your support last week for Christmas is for Caring for the Denton State Supported Living Center on WBAP. It was more successful than ever, and we're very grateful.

And thanks for all the book business you brought me. I'm humbled and very appreciative. It was fun signing them for you. If Christmas finds you still without one, you can order it from my website.

Photo: 'Maren' pink poinsettia.

 
 
 
   

Plant of the Week- December 20, 2018: Christmas Cacti

Christmas cacti have been in bloom these past several weeks, which, when you think about it, seems like odd timing. But when you learn where they're native, it makes all the sense.

Photo: Christmas cactus in bloom in the Sperry greenhouse.

 
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Native Son: Between the Whataburgers…

Steven Chamblee paid a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden recently. He’d been there before, but it was as if it was almost all new.

Photo: Poison dart frog in Fuqua Conservatory.

 
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Question of the Week: December 20, 2018

"What can I do with my poinsettias once Christmas has passed?"

I'll tell you how to grow and re-flower them if you're so inclined.

Photo: It's been a great year for poinsettias.

 
 
 
   

The Miracles of Mulches

You can make many great cases for mulching your gardens. Let me point out the reasons.

Photo: Bark mulch performs many functions.

 
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Gardening This Weekend

Odds are that you'll be spending a minimal amount of time in your landscape and garden this weekend, but here are the most critical of tasks for you.

Photo: Tulips must be planted now in order to bloom on time.

 
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And, in closing…

We'll have e-gardens next week on Thursday as scheduled. In the meantime, join me on the radio live this weekend, check out our podcasts, join me on Facebook, or I'll see you in my newspaper columns or at my website.

If you're in McKinney, we especially invite you to join us Christmas Eve at the First United Methodist Church northeast of the downtown square. Check the website for service times (there will be many).

Merry Christmas!

And Happy Gardening!

 
 

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