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by JoAnne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer During these dreary winter days, gardeners yearn for some sign of color to bring indoors to promise that spring is on its way. However, the garden has little to offer in the way of colorful cut flowers for indoor bouquets in January and February. But there is a way to bring color inside by forcing the stems of winter – and spring-flowering trees and shrubs to bloom.
For the best results, look for branches with many enlarged buds that are starting to show some color. The closer the buds are to actual bloom time, the more successful the flowering will be.
Successful forcing requires both warm indoor temperatures and a good uptake of water into the stems. Before placing the stems in a vase with warm water, remove any buds, twigs, or leaves that will be under water.
If your cuttings have not opened after about four weeks, they were cut too early. Try again with new cuttings.
Through trial and error, you'll discover the flowering trees and shrubs that work best for you and when is the best time to bring them indoors. While waiting for the beginning of the spring planting season, bringing some woody branches inside to flower is a fun way to enjoy some winter gardening.
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Some wreaths were many tones of green, while others included pine cones and berries for ornamentation. Others were lush creations befitting a royal palace.
Thanks to the Master Gardener volunteers who organized the workshop, wrapped the Styrofoam forms, gathered greenery and berries from the gardens, provided assistance at the workshop, and took photos of the completed wreaths for everyone to admire on the website. Special thanks to Teresa Surratt, the Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer who led the workshop.
 By Joanne K., Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum
Mistletoe has a long history in folklore. In a Norse legend, Balder, the son of Frigga, the goddess of love, is killed by an arrow fashioned from a mistletoe sprig. Frigga's tears fell on the mistletoe, turning her tears into white berries. Frigga decreed that mistletoe should never cause harm again and should only be used to promote love and peace. This led to the practice where enemies meeting under mistletoe had to disarm, exchange a kiss of peace, and call a truce for the day. Ancient Greeks thought the mistletoe had healing properties, using it as a remedy for various disorders, as well as an aphrodisiac. The Druids thought mistletoe was a sacred plant because it doesn't grow from roots in the ground. The Druids wore mistletoe for good luck and protection from evil spirits. Mistletoe over a doorway allowed only happiness to enter the house. In the 1700s in northern Europe, kissing balls with mistletoe hung in doorways. A single lady giving a kiss under the mistletoe increased her chances of marriage. In England, young girls placed a mistletoe leaf under their pillows to dream about the man they wanted to marry.
If you want to rid your tree of mistletoe, you must prune the infected branches in winter. Cutting off the plant does not destroy the parasite that is the harmful pest.
When hanging mistletoe over the holidays, be careful to keep the plant and its poisonous berries out of the reach of children and pets. Also avoid hanging it above any heat-producing source, which will cause it to dry out much faster and become a fire hazard. Google 'mistletoe lore' for more of the legends about this fascinating ancient plant. Photos are from the NCSU plant toolbox. 1. mistletoe_031110_LIT_j2u5NyxjcdwH Fall Tree Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 2. Phoradendron_leucarp_SnCegNDnRhzu.jpeg Leaves and Flower Mary Keim CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 3. Phoradendron_leucarp_ukWXqjzH3XLU Leaves Loadmaster (David R. Tribble) CC BY-SA 3.0 By Joanne K, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum
Although called a cactus, the Christmas cactus does need water, but not too much. It's time to water it when the top couple of inches feel dry to the touch. Don't overwater, as that can lead to stem and root rot. Too little water can cause wilting. A native of shady, humid South American rain forests, this cactus also needs humidity. Place it on a tray with pebbles and water just below the top of the pebbles. Continue this until the cactus stops blooming.
The Christmas cactus likes to be pot-bound. Keep it in a small container as long as possible, and only then transplant it to a slightly larger pot using a mix of half potting soil and half sand or perlite. Late winter or spring is the ideal time to transplant the cactus after the blooms have dropped. Never transplant it while it is blooming.
If needed, prune a cactus just after it has bloomed. This is when it starts to grow. Pruning forces it to branch out and grow more stems. After the danger of frost is over, move your plant outside to an area with bright, indirect light. Too much sun can cause wilting or stem burn. To encourage budding in the fall, 16 hours of uninterrupted darkness, 8 hours of daylight, and cooler temperatures are required. To stimulate bud formation, don't fertilize or overwater at this time. Avoid moving the plant because doing so can make the buds may fall off. Once buds form, the light/dark regiment ends. Continue watering but don't fertilize. Move indoors when temperatures below 50° F are predicted. However, spray with water before moving the plant to dislodge any insects that may have taken up residence. According to the Old Farmers Alamanac, Christmas cacti can live up to 20 to 30 years. By following the simple guidelines described above, you will enjoy your Christmas cactus for years to come! Pictures: From NCSU Plant Toolbox Christmas Cactus, Schlumbergera russelliana (Also known as Schlumbergera bridgesii) Flowers and stems Wayne Rae Public Domain Mark 1.0 Thanksgiving Cactus, Schlumbergera truncata J. Kollar Bloom: Schlumbergera x buckleyi Tracy from North Brookfield, Massachusetts, usa CC BY 2.0 By Robert C, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum A terrarium is a beautiful miniature jungle for your home contained in a bottle. It makes a great conversation piece and requires minimal care. It needs watering once a month, once a year or even longer periods, depending on its design. It likes a little sun but too much as it gets hot inside the bottle.  Here is an example of an established terrarium. It was easy to build and this blog is going to describe how to make it. We’ll list some suitable plant choices at the end. Materials: 5 or 10 gallon bottle Cork or stopper (optional) Paper - make a wide mouth funnel from the paper Spoon taped to a bamboo stick Gravel Activated charcoal Screen material Worm castings (optional) Potting or terrarium soil 4 or 5 plants The bottle can be glass or plastic and should have a neck large enough to drop 2 inch plants through. This example used a 5 gallon plastic brewing carboy.  This can get a little messy, so you may want to do this at an outdoor table or have lots of newspaper lining your worktable. Make a funnel from a newspaper or construction paper. The narrow end of the funnel should be slightly smaller than the bottle neck. Materials will be dropped into the bottle with the funnel and the funnel can clog if the neck of the funnel is too small. The bamboo stick can be used to coax material in.  Drop in a layer of pebbles that is about ½ to 1 inch thick. Aquarium pebbles come in a variety of pretty colors. The purpose of this layer is to act as a drainage water reservoir. Use the paper funnel to guide the pebbles in. If your bottle is glass, be careful not to add pebbles too rapidly as the repeated “drip” of rocks can shatter the glass. Use the spoon taped on the end of the bamboo stick to level the pebble layer. Next add a layer of activated charcoal. This acts as filtration for the water.  We want to stop the dirt from working its way in to the pebble basin and we can do this by cutting a window screen to size. It will act as a barrier between the water reservoir and the dirt. The screen can be rolled up and dropped through the bottle neck and then use your spoon-on-a-stick tool to open up the screen and position it on top of the charcoal.  Mix the worm castings (optional) and potting soil and drop the dirt. Follow the packaging instructions for the ratio of castings to soil, but a rule of thumb is about 10 parts soil to 1 part worm droppings. Use your paper funnel to drop the soil mixture in to the bottle. It will pile up in the center and you can use your spoon-on-a-stick tool to spread the soil evenly. You want about 2 to 3 inches soil layer. It will be very loosely packed, but over time the plants’ roots will firm up this layer.  You are now ready to plant your plants. These are in 2 inch pots because you need to drop the plant through the bottle neck and larger plants will not fit. A 5 gallon bottle can comfortably have 4 to 5 plants. You want to plant on the outside edges of the bottle first because dropping a plant in falls in the center. The last plant can be planted in the center of the bottle. Decide on your plant arrangement and then using your spoon-on-a-stick tool, dig a shallow hole where you want the plant to go.  Drop your plant in to the bottle. Be gentle with it fitting it through the bottle neck. The root ball in a 2 inch pot can be coaxed to slip through the neck. It will fall to the center. Use your spoon-on-a-stick tool to push the plant into the shallow hole you dug and manipulate the plant in to an upright stance. Gently push dirt over the roots to cover them. Repeat the process for the next plant – dig a hole, drop it in, maneuver in to place and cover the roots. If there is room, the last plant will be planted in the center of the bottle.  With all the plants in place, you are ready to water the terrarium. Depending on the size of the bottle, ½ to 1 cup of water will suffice. Carefully tilt the bottle and pour the water so that it flows down the side of the bottle. That will add the water without hurting the plants. You can aim the water flow to rinse the side of the bottle where some dirt may have stuck to. Alternately you can wrap your spoon-on-a-stick tool with a damp paper towel to wipe down the sides. The cork/stopper is optional and will change how often you need to water. With no cork, the water evaporates out of the bottle and you will require to water about once a month. If you put a stopper in then the water is retained and you may not have to water for a year or more.  Care for your terrarium is simple. A little sun is ok but not too much. It gets very hot and humid in the bottle, which some plants may like and others not. Turn the bottle to change the facing towards the light. This helps the plants to not lean too much in any direction. Watering is infrequent and you can control the humidity level by putting the stopper in or not. Ideally you should see condensation in the morning and evening. If there is none, you need to water. If there is condensation throughout the day, then there is probably a bit too much water. It is easy to reduce the water in the reservoir by removing the cork. This will over the course of a couple of weeks drop the water level. When it is less humid you can replace the cork.  Your plants will start to grow and over time, some of the leaves may die off and decay. There may be algae. There may be mold. You need a cleanup crew. Once the terrarium is established you can add spring tails Folsomia candida to the bottle. These small (1 to 2 mm) moisture loving insects are harmless to people and feed on the decaying roots and fungi and rarely damage plants. They will help control mold issues in the bottle. Folsomia candida Plant Choices for Your Terrarium:
By Joanne K, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum  Sansevieria trifasci As the temperatures drop, we spend more time indoors missing the natural beauty of the great outdoors. One way to remedy that is to bring plants into our homes. Indoor plants have many benefits. They connect us with nature. They add color and beauty to indoor spaces, creating a warm, inviting, and calming environment. However, that's not the only reason to grow plants inside. According to NASA, houseplants have been shown to improve indoor air quality by reducing pollution from formaldehyde, benzene, and other harmful chemicals. Other research has shown less dust and mold in rooms with plants since leaves and other plant parts are natural filters. By following a few guidelines, you can enjoy the benefits of plants while successfully growing them indoors
Plants such as succulents and cacti rarely need water. If they appear wrinkled, that's the time to water. Other houseplants' water needs are determined by the temperature in your home, the type of plant, and the type of pot. Plastic pots hold moisture longer than porous terra cotta pots. Light intensity changes seasonally with the more intense summer sun encouraging peak plant growth. Plants receive less light during the rest of the year, and this reduces or stops plant growth. At these times, plants need less water and fertilizer. When fertilizing, use a balanced 10-10-10 houseplant fertilizer, carefully following package directions. Fertilizing encourages healthy growth and blooms. Be on the lookout for pests such as mealybugs, scale insects, and spider mites that can invade your plants. Check periodically for insects, holes in leaves, and sticky excretions on the leaves from the pests.
Some plants native to dry climates such as cacti, succulents, and bromeliads prefer low humidity since their thick, fleshy, waxy, or hairy leaves hold water. To keep your plants looking good, use pruning shears to remove spent flowers and diseased or dead foliage and stems. If needed, shape the plant with pruning shears. As your plants grow, check for roots coming out of the drainage hole or above the soil line. These are signs it is time to repot. However, just go up one pot size each time. Even if you don't have a green thumb, following these guidelines will help you to create a beautiful indoor garden. Photos courtesy of NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Anthurium— Anthurium— KENPEI CC-BY-SA 3.0 Croton— Codiaeum variegated var. pictum— Kathleen Moore CC BY 2.0 Snake Plant— Dracaena trifasciata— Form Mokkie CC-BY-Sa 3.0
growing season/in the Fall, and store them inside for the winter. Several sites recommended digging up caladiums when the leaves turn yellow and ‘tired looking,’ with most of the foliage falling over. These sites recommended leaving a little foliage on the plants so that it is easier to find and pull up the tubers.
Some sites recommended bringing the plants inside when the temperature dropped to 45 degrees. After willfully dismissing the recommendation to bring the plants inside at 45 degrees, my training as a master gardener took over and I went online to search for reliable, evidence-based research on how to proceed. I went to the place I should have gone to at the start: The North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. The Toolbox is a gardener’s best friend and provides information that is evidence-based. I typed “Caladium” into the search box. The site offers lots of information about caladiums. What was most helpful for me was the subheading labeled Bulb Storage: “Dig up tubers in the fall after first frost, set in wood shavings or peat, and store in a dry location 45 degrees F. or warmer.” Now that I know I likely have until early November to enjoy my caladiums, I can breathe a sigh of relief. Over the next four weeks, I will continue to enjoy seeing the colorful foliage while thinking about what comes next. Will I bring the plants inside for display over the winter, or cut down most of the foliage, dig up the tubers, and store them in a dry location? I am thankful that I have about a month to make this decision, all the while enjoying the foliage.
'Succulent' describes any plant with a swollen leaf, stem, or root that holds water. In general, most succulents come from arid regions requiring them to store water in their fleshy leaves, stems, and roots to survive dry periods.
While succulents are easy to grow and are relatively low in maintenance, they do come from different plant families, so it's important to read the plant tag for each plant’s specific requirements. Succulents grow best in indirect light as the leaves burn easily. In particular, succulents should be sheltered from the hot afternoon sun. With too little sun they become leggy, but too much sun can cause scorched leaves. Since overwatering can be a problem, succulents should only be watered when the soil is dry to the touch and the plant’s leaves appear wrinkly. If the soil is pulling away from the sides of the pot, you have waited too long to water. Good drainage in the planter is essential, and it’s important to select a planter in which the water drains freely. Standing water in the pot can cause your succulents to rot. Succulents identified as Sedum and Sempervivum can tolerate winter cold in containers, but others, such as Echeverias, Aeoniums, Pachyphytums, and Graptopetalums, may need to be brought indoors for the winter. The plant label should provide information on the cold tolerance of a particular succulent. If the plant label is incomplete, do some online research to determine whether your succulents need to move indoors for the winter. Remember that the Eastern North Carolina growing zone is zone 8. You can purchase potting soil developed for cacti and succulents, or you can create a quick-draining blend by mixing 50 percent sand or perlite with 50 percent potting soil. When first planting the succulents, give them a thorough watering, allowing them to become dry to the touch before watering again. Since succulents grow slowly, only fertilize once a month during the summer growing season by using a regular house plant fertilizer at half strength. No fertilizer is needed in the winter when the plants are dormant. While diseases are rare in succulents, be alert for mealybugs, aphids, and scale insects, which can be removed with a swab of rubbing alcohol or a spray of Safer Soap. Let your imagination take over as you enjoy creating color low-maintenance summer planters with the unusual foliage and beautiful colors of succulents.  While loveable pets for some, and unwanted company for others, snakes will inevitably find their way into most garden spaces. Before you write these scaly travelers off as your worst enemy, consider some of the benefits that they bring to your backyard.
Snakes feed on many creatures that could damage or feed on garden plants. They help keep rat, mice, vole, and rabbit populations in check. Small mammals and rodents are the primary food sources for many snake species. Snakes may be more active in the spring or fall as they search for or come out of hibernation patterns. There are several venomous snakes found in North Carolina, including the copperhead, cottonmouth (water moccasin), three rattlesnake species, and eastern coral snakes. When observing a snake on your property, keep a healthy distance unless the snake is positively identified as non-venomous. This can be difficult to identify. Rattlesnakes can be identified by a pit between and slightly below the eye and nostril, long movable fangs, a vertically elliptical pupil, and a triangular head. Coral snakes have a distinct pattern of red and black rings separated by a yellow ring. Nonvenomous snakes, such as the black rat snake (also known as chicken snake or simply black snake), have two rows of scales on their tails instead of the single row that venomous snakes have. While some snake species are more common than others, there are precautions you can take to discourage snakes in general; Reducing cover and food supply by mowing closely around homes, gardens, and storage buildings, store firewood and lumber away from homes and elevated off the ground, reduce mulch layers around shrubs to discourage small animals, close cracks and crevices in buildings and around piles and utility connections. It is not recommended to handle or kill any type of snake, particularly in situations where the snake cannot be identified. In general, most snakes will move on by themselves without the need to intervene. Non Venomous species are often valued for their ability to keep areas clean of small mammals and offer little risk to other inhabitants.  Gardening and nature have long been recognized for their potential influence on solace and fulfillment in life. Horticulture therapy specifically taps into this influence by focusing on the benefits horticulture activity could have on human health and general well-being. This practice can be implemented in professional mental health settings, such as by a trained therapist in the clinical practice of horticultural therapy, or in a wider variety of settings, such as in community or residential environments. The American Horticultural Therapy Association supports and advances the horticultural therapy profession.
Therapeutic horticulture programming covers many possible activities. More traditional activities, like preparing beds, sowing seeds, planting, maintenance, and harvesting can be utilized by various age and skill levels. These activities can also be modified to better fit groups ranging from small children to the elderly. Gardening provides connections to nature and the cycle of life. Plants often give prompt feedback on their quality of life. If their needs are overlooked or if care is overbearing, the plant will give signs. Plant care and maintenance activities can be vehicles for personal growth by developing one’s sense of purpose, self-esteem, and respect for other forms of life. Horticulture therapy programs are growing popular in retirement communities, healthcare and rehabilitation facilities, schools, and correctional facilities. More information on existing programs can be found by joining the listserv of Horticulture Therapy professionals in North Carolina at Therapuetic-Hort@lists.ncsu.edu. For therapeutic horticulture news, please visit the NC State Extension Therapeutic Horticulture Portal. Written By: Katie Winslow - Extension Intern |
