TOW N.H.Do in Dec - Garden
Jane McGary (Tue, 02 Dec 2003 10:09:16 PST)

Things to do in December in the foothills of the Oregon Cascades mountains:

Make sure the potted forcing bulbs are well mulched against freezing (I
keep them in a sheltered but open frame under the eaves of the garage).

Watch for aphids in the plant room and apply systemic granules as soon as
they appear.

Bring the flowering orchids into the house (I was surprised to discover
that my yellow Cattleya is night-scented).

Check the seedling pots on the covered deck daily and bring any tender ones
that are germinating into the plant room (unheated solarium). Harvest and
plant Cardiocrinum seeds.

Manipulate the openings of the bulb frame to maximize ventilation while
minimizing freezing.

Make permanent metal labels for bulbs that have expressed their intention
to be permanent enough to warrant them. Don't get optimistic enough to put
a curse on them, though -- no metal label for Fritillaria falcata yet!

Order seeds from the collectors' lists -- Halda, CKS, Euroseed, Rocky
Mountain Rare Plants. Fall planting is better, of course, and some of these
will take an extra year to germinate.

Catch up on reading. Plan plant-hunting trips I won't have time to take.
Make wreaths and garlands to use up all the greenery knocked down by the
recent snowstorm. Resolutely avoid making the Christmas cookies for which I
was famous when young and thin....

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA