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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 22


Rose pruning can begin now, but be sure to discard old canes and leaves to prevent the spread of fungal disease. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Winter starts soggy and very busy



Welcome to winter! Rainy weather and holiday celebrations will pretty much keep a lot of gardeners indoors this week.

On the other hand. a little vigorous exercise outside can be refreshing. Keep it simple and tackle chores that really need to be done:

* Pay attention to where rainwater collects. Make a note to address muddy spots (or turn them into rain gardens). Redirect water away from the house or other structures.
* Dump out water that collected in or under potted plants. Remove any saucers.
* Start pruning roses. Strip remaining foliage and reduce the bush by about half. Discard old canes and leaves to prevent spread of fungal disease.
* Rake, rake, rake. Remove leaves from hardscape (when wet, they make sidewalks slippery). Keep drains leaf-free.
* Use disease-free fallen leaves for compost or mulch.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location indoors. Water thoroughly, but make sure the plant has drainage: Poke holes in the foil wrapper. After the holidays, feed your plants monthly so they'll bloom again next December.
* Just because it rained doesn't mean every plant got watered. Give a drink to plants that the rain didn't reach, such as under eaves or under evergreen trees. Also, well-watered plants hold up better to frost than thirsty plants.
* It's bare-root season, but don't plant in soggy soil. If you can't get the plant in the ground right away, refresh roots by soaking overnight in water.

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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3

November still offers good weather for fall planting:

* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.

* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.

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