DECEMBER GARDEN CALENDER

First Week

· Collect pinecones, old bird nests, any remaining seed heads, etc. to be used in making wreaths and other holiday decorations.

· Spray seed heads and dried flowers with hair spray to keep them intact.

· Clean and sanitize (mixture of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water can be used) emptied seed flats before storing so that they will be ready when needed in the early spring.

· Make herbal presents like herb vinegars and/or potpourri for the holidays.

· Select your tree early and tag it while visiting your local Christmas tree farm.

· Change the oil and do routine maintenance on your outdoor power equipment, such as rotary tillers and lawn mowers. Remember to recycle this used oil.

Second Week

· Order your 2011 seed catalogs.

· Check stored dahlia tubers and gladiolus corms; if they are sprouting, move to a cooler location. If they appear to be shriveling, rewrap them using a ventilated plastic bag.

If there are signs of molding, change their environment; this is usually a result of moisture conditions.

· Mulch azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias thoroughly after the ground freezes. These acid-loving plants prefer acid-loving materials like oak leaves or pine needles. If you do not have either of these, any mixture of dried leaves will do.

· Scout your landscape for the small, buff or yellowish velvet gypsy moth egg cases attached to trees, stones, walls, logs and other outdoor objects, including outdoor household articles. Pick them off and destroy.

· Feed birds continually throughout the winter once you start feeding them. Birds need feed, water and cover (discarded Christmas trees are great for providing bird shelter).

Third Week

· Prevent fires by placing Christmas trees away from heater vents, fireplaces, television sets and anything else that can cause the needles to dry out. In addition, be sure to keep your tree watered the entire time it is in your home.

· Make evergreen arrangements with branches that have been trimmed from Christmas trees.

· Prune fruit trees anytime this winter. Keep in mind, it is easier on the tree if the temperature is 45^o and above.

Last Week

· Check around trunks of trees and bases of large shrubs for rodent damage.

· Fertilize peach and apple trees anytime after the leaves drop and before spring growth.

· Give special attention to water, light, and feeding requirements of houseplants.

· Recycle your holiday tree; it has several good uses. The branches can be placed over spring flowering bulb beds and/or perennial flower beds to help prevent heaving damage caused by the ground freezing and thawing, and, as mentioned above, placed outside next to a bird feeder, it provides shelter for birds.

· Buy yourself a new houseplant if you are suffering from the end-of-the-year blahs. Because of the light, water and feeding requirements, determine where it is going to be placed before you buy.

Have a happy and healthy holiday season.

Firewood

November is here and we all have to face the facts that colder temperatures are demanding that we turn on our home heating systems or light our woodstoves and/or fireplaces. At our house, we have had our cut firewood stacked by the hedgerow since spring. Who knows what will crawl out of it when it is warmed by indoor temperatures!

If you also bring in wood to burn in your fireplace or woodstove, you may have noticed a few insects emerging from the wood. They are living in wood or just under the bark where they are over-wintering. As the split wood becomes room temperature, insects are fooled into thinking it is spring. These nuisance insects include wasp carpenter ants, wood roaches, earwigs, powderpost, long-horned and bark beetles. The occasional wasp that is found creeping from or near the stacked wood can be easily killed using a fly swatter or an indoor flying insect spray.

Carpenter ants are predominately black colored and vary in size (from ¼ inch to ¾ inch); they have a very narrow waist. They tunnel into diseased moist wood -- for example, an old stump, fence post or large pieces of wood (like stacked firewood) -- in order to increase their nest size. They are nocturnal creatures, and if seen during the day, they are searching for food or water.

Powderpost, long-horned and bark beetles are usually wood boring while in the larval stage. They live in fresh cut logs or living trees they do not infest dead trees or dry wood. Adults usually enter through the bark crevices, a wound or scar on the tree. You may notice sawdust accumulated around the holes or found on the ground just below small holes in the wood. Powderpost beetles feed only on dead wood. They are brought into the home on infested wood. Adult female beetles lay their eggs in unfinished wood. The hatched larvae or grub tunnel through the wood.

Long-horned beetle larvae are whitish and legless, and can be seen crawling around on stacked firewood. The adult are bullet shaped with long antennae. Adult bark beetles, tunnel directly through the bark to the cell tissue leaving a very characteristic gallery or tunnel. The beetle larvae hatch and feed away from the galleries. Favorite living environments for wood roaches are compost, old plant debris, and piles of wood. They are scavengers and eat decaying plant and animal matter.

Wood roaches are brown colored and only reproduce outdoors. Earwigs are reddish brown colored and a half to one inch long. They have pincher-like forceps (called cerci) at their posterior end. The adults have wings, but do not fly. They, too, are harmless and cannot reproduce indoors. They prefer high moisture conditions and feed on living and dead insects, mosses, lichens and algae found on wood. To manage these pests in the firewood, keep in mind the following practices:

· The sooner the firewood is split, the quicker it dries.

· Cut living trees in autumn or early spring when insects are in the over wintering or inactive stage.

· If possible, keep wood off the ground and covered (without covering, it is likely to become infested). Dry wood is less attractive to pests of firewood.

· Unseasoned wood should not be stored in basements or garages.

· NEVER spray firewood with an insecticide that is going to be burned during the current season with an insecticide.

There is nothing warmer and more relaxing than a wood fire in your woodstove or fireplace on a cold winter day or night. Do not let a few nuisance insects keep you from enjoying this comfort.

Small Farms Tip:

On December 12 and 13, 2011 the Small Farms Program at Delaware State University will be hosting a Profiting From a Few Acres Conference at the Dover Sheraton. Whether you have 1 acre or 1,000 acres this may be a conference for you. There will be sessions on Alternative Uses for Ag Buildings, Opportunities with Dairy Goats, Profiting through Game Birds, Agriculture as a Source of Entertainment, New Beginning Farm Purchase Program, Organic & No-Chemical Weed Control, Building Your Own Web Site, Season Extension and Marketing Alternatives for Animal Fibers, just to name a few. The cost for this two-day conference is $25.00 and includes lunch on both days. Scholarships are available to waive or reduce the registration fee. For more information or to register call 302-857-6462

Maggie L. Moor-Orth

Delaware Cooperative Extension

Delaware State University

NOVEMBER GARDENING CALENDER

First week of November:

· Finish planting spring flowering bulbs.

· Pull up disease-free annuals and add to compost pile along with leaves and leftover garden material.

· Cut back and mulch perennials. This mulch will insulate them from the winter cold and cutting them back will give them a tidy appearance.

· Dig up dahlias, caladiums, gladiolus, etc. Wash away soil, dry, label and place in a bag or box; cover with sphagnum moss, sawdust or perlite. Store in a cool, dry place.

Second week of November:

· Pot amaryllis to have them bloom by winter.

· Drain and bring in garden hoses and sprinklers to avoid freezing damage.

· Transplant trees and shrubs after leaves have dropped.

· Clean up garden and plant cover crop to improve existing soil condition.

· Cut back roses 18-20 in. and mulch heavily to give them protection and help them survive the winter.

Third week of November:

· Fertilize shade trees and peach trees.

· After frost has killed the leaf stalks on perennial vegetables such as asparagus and rhubarb, cut leaf material down to ground level.

· To prevent winter windburn, thoroughly water all trees and shrubs weekly until the ground freezes.

Final week of November:

· After chrysanthemums have stopped blooming, cut the stems back to ground level and add these stems, dried leaves and branches to the compost pile.

· Check guy wires around newly planted trees to make sure they will not be damaged by windy weather throughout the fall and winter.

HALLOWEEN PLANTS

This coming weekend is Halloween and over the years there have been many plants associated with this spooky day. The following article is based on folklore found in many plant books I have read through the years and should not be taken seriously. Historical like witches there are good and bad herbs plants. The good herb plants repel evil and act as a remedy against enchantment or spells and lightning.

The following are some herbs and plant materials associated with Halloween: Ash, Bay, Caraway, Chicory, Oxalis, Elder, Hawthorn, Hazel, Garlic, Rosemary, and Thyme.

· The Mountain (Sorbus aucuparia) and European (S. American) Ash trees are associated with Halloween folklore. In the fall Ash leaves change from green to yellow to red. Also, on the ash tree there are clumps of persistent orange-red berries that provide food for birds. These trees are planted near homes; it is said they protect all who reside within. Europeans believe cut branches brought indoors bless the home in the coming year. A piece of bark from the mountain ash carried in your pocket keeps away evil wishes. Furthermore, a small branch put in the butter churn keeps butter from souring.

· Bay (Laurus nabilis) is planted near homes or either side the entrance to prevent evil spirits from entering. Also, it protects the house from lightning and thunderbolts.

· Caraway (Carum carvi) has magic powers, too. It is believed a few seeds placed in a straying husband’s pocket will bring him back and keep him from being lured away.

· Chicory (Chicorium intybus) is very powerful. Whoever possesses it has the ability to become invisible.

· Oxalis, a four-leafed clover, gives the wearer the power to see fairies. In addition, strawberry and viola tricolor are considered protectants and avert the evil eye.

· European Elder (Sambucus nigra) tree is often used to drive away evil spirits and as a charm against lightning. If one stands under an Elder Tree on Midsummer Eve, he/she will see the King of Fairyland and his entourage.

· Hawthorn (Crataegeus) tree is considered magical and protectant. It protects people and animals from witches, spirits, and thunderstorms. Branches hung on New Year’s Day in farm kitchens ensure bountiful harvest for the coming year.

· Hazel or European filbert (Corylus avellana) nuts used at Halloween reveal to unmarried girls who their future husbands will be. Named for each maiden present, a row of nuts is placed among hot embers. The name of the lucky man is whispered and, if the pairing is a successful one, the nut jumps from the coals.

· Garlic (Allium sativum) is worn and/ or hung in the home to prevent bewitching, dispose of vampires and to avert the evil eye. During the times of the plague, it caught any circulating germs.

· Rosemary (Rosemarius officinalis) has many legends associated with it. Tiny bundles are tied together and hung over the cradles of babies to protect them from bad dreams. Sprigs carried in the hands have the ability to keep away witches and evil.

· Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) has a pleasant legend. It is considered the favorite and cherished herb of fairies. Furthermore, it is believed that if a young maiden places a sprig of rosemary in one shoe and a sprig of thyme in the other, she will have a vision of the man she will marry.

In closing, keep in mind the plant folklore and legends mentioned in this article are to only provide you with a Halloween treat.

OCTOBER GARDENING CALENDER

First Week of October

· Dig up gladioluses, dahlias, tubers and other tender bulbs.

· Plant budded chrysanthemums, the buds will open once planted to add color to fall landscapes. If you buy plants already in full bloom, they will not last long.

· Check your perennials some may not have survived this years heat and droughts.

· Water evergreens if needed.

· Take a soil sample of your gardens and lawn so that the results are available in time to add fertilizer or lime, which will improve or adjust soil fertility.

· Use shedding needles from pines, yews and arborvitaes as mulch around azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and andromedas.

· Bring in your houseplants which have been living outdoors all summer. Be sure to inspect for pests before you bring them in.

Second Week of October

· Dig up and pot an herb plant or two from the herb garden. Parsley, chives, sage, thyme or scented geraniums do well all winter, if watered and set in a warm sunny window.

· Rake and add the leaves that are falling from deciduous trees to the compost pile.

· Pick bagworms from the evergreens and shrubs and destroy them. This will abolish the spring hatching of over-wintering eggs.

· Plant shrubs and divide crowded perennials.

· Prune leaves and stems of herbaceous perennials as they turn brown.

Third Week of October

· Mow the lawn continually so that it will not be matted down under heavy snow (if we have another winter like last year).

· Plant spring flowering bulbs (tulips, daffodils, etc.). Master Gardeners are having a Bulb Workshop on Friday, Oct. 15, call 302-730-4000 to register.

· Protect broadleaf evergreens from winter damage caused by wind and sun.

· Rake and clean up rose gardens to prevent black spot and other diseases.

· Keep an eye open for reduced prices on end-of-the-season gardening tools and equipment to be used next year or to be given as gifts.

Last Week of October

· Transplant small trees after leaves have fallen.

· Secure vines to their support systems.

· Clean up garden debris and add to the compost pile.

MASTER GARDENER TIP:

Call your local County Extension Office to see what gardening workshops are offered this fall in Sussex County, 302-856-7303 and in Kent County 302-730-4000.

FALL WORKSHOPS SUSSEX COUNTY

Master Gardener workshops continue through November in Sussex Co. Workshops are free, unless noted, and are in the Carvel Center. To register, contact Tammy Schirmer at 302-856-2585 ext. 544/tammys@udel.edu or register online at http://ag.udel.edu/rec/Extension/MasterGardeners/workshopreg.html. On the list are:

Putting Your Garden to Bed – Cherie Dorfman – Tuesday, Oct. 11 at noon.

Garden Information Resources – Master Gardener Panel – Thursday, Oct. 20

at 7 p.m.

Gifts From the Garden – Tracy Mulveny – Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. Cost is

$5 per person. Limited to 25 participants.

FALL WORKSHOPS KENT COUNTY

Four workshops are on the schedule for Kent Co. Master Gardeners. They are free, except where noted, and will be at the Paradee Center. To register, call 302-730-4000.

Accessible Gardening – Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Fall and Winter Curb Appeal – Thursday, Oct. 13 at 1:30 p.m.

Preparing for Spring – Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m.

Make and Take a Lovely Fall Wreath Thursday, Nov. 17 from

6-8 p.m. Cost: $5. Class limited to 15.

Mail your registration and payment to

Kent Co. Master Gardeners,

69 Transportation Circle, Dover, DE 19901.