Video of the Week:
For Winter Color, Plant Amaryllis Bulbs
Fruit:
Winterizing Strawberry Plants
Normally, strawberries should be mulched for the winter around Thanksgiving. However, if temperatures stay abnormally warm, give plants another couple of weeks to become cold hardy before mulching. Mulching plants helps protect strawberries not only from low temperatures but also from heaving damage. Heaving damage occurs when the alternate freezing and thawing common in Kansas winters heave plants out of the ground where they can die.
Wheat straw makes good mulch and is widely available. The straw should be spread over the plants to a depth of 3 inches. Shake the slabs of straw apart so there are no large compressed chunks. This straw mulch not only helps protect the plants over winter but can also help avoid damage from late spring frosts by delaying blooming a few days in the spring. Mulch should be removed gradually in the spring as plants begin new growth. Remove enough so leaves can be seen.
Leaving some mulch in place keeps the berries off the ground and conserves moisture. Also, mulch left in the aisles helps protect pickers from muddy conditions. (Ward Upham)
Miscellaneous:
Ashes in the Garden
Houseplants and Indoor Pollution
Superior Removal Efficiency
Hemigraphis alternata: Red Ivy
Hedera helix: English Ivy
Tradescantia pallida: Wandering Jew
Hoya carnosa: Porcelain Flower
Intermediate Removal Efficiency
Ficus benjamina: Weeping fig
Polyscia fruticosa: Ming aralia
Fittonia argyroneura: Silver Nerve Plant
Sansevieria trifasciata: Mother-in-Law's Tongue
Gusmania sp.: Type of Bromeliad
Anthurium andreanum: Flamingo Flower
Schefflera elegantissima: False aralia
Poor Removal Efficiency
Peperomia clusiifolia: Peperomia
Chlorophytum comosum: Spider plant
Howea belmoreana: Sentry palm
Spathiphyllum wallisii: Peace Lily
Schefflera arboricola: Hawaiian Elf Schefflera
Codiaeum variegatum: Croton
Calathea roseopicta: Peacock Plant
Aspidistra elatior: Cast Iron Plant
Maranta leuconeura: Prayer Plant
Dracaena fragrans: Corn Plant
Ficus elastica: India Rubber Plant
Dieffenbachia seguine: Dumbcane
Philodendron scandens: Philodendron
Syngonium podophyllum: Nephytis, Arrowhead Vine
Epipremnum aureum: Pothos
Pelargonium graveolens: Rose Geranium
(Ward Upham)
Monitor Indoor Plant Temperatures
Plants and Wind Chill
However, wind alone can desiccate (dry out) plant tissues. Plant tissues require moisture to survive, and high wind velocity can cause moisture loss. This desiccation may be great enough to injure or even kill tissue, particularly the smaller size wood as in peach twigs, apple spurs or blackberry canes. (Ward Upham)
Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate