Perennials, Annuals, and Bulbs

• Seeds of celery, celeriac, sweet Spanish onion, parsley, anise, fibrous rooted begonia, snap-dragon, verbena, geranium, and petunia can be sown indoors now for transplanting outdoors later in the spring.

• Add variety to your perennial border by planting some single or Japanese peonies. Flowers of these peonies are held erect on stiff stems and are more resistant to damage by wind and rain than the double varieties. Also, they make attractive, long-lasting cut flowers.

• Coarse materials, such as corn stalks and evergreen boughs, can be used to mulch chrysanthemums when extra protection is needed during cold winter. This is a great use for left-over Christmas tree branches.

• Consider using ferns in your home landscape. Maidenhair, sensitive, cinnamon, and Christmas ferns are good choices, especially for shady nooks. These ferns need an even supply of water throughout the growing season, so soil with a high humus content is ideal since it retains water.

• Reiger begonias are popular house plants that flower more or less continually. Their flowers resemble those of wax begonias except in size and variety of color; Reiger begonia flowers are about twice as large and come in shades of red, pink, salmon, orange, and yellow. After several months of flowering indoors, they may need their long stems cut back. New growth will emerge soon, and flowering begins again in three to four months.

• When terrarium plants become overgrown, it is best to discard them and start a new terrarium. Empty the container and wash it in hot, soapy water. When replanting, use fresh, sterilized soil and new, healthy plants.

• Gerbera seed started in January will bloom in June. Grow in full sun, providing ample moisture. Pot up a few in fall and grow in a cool, sunny window over winter.

• Geranium seeds may germinate irregularly, so take care transplanting from your seed tray until germination is complete. Do not pinch back seedling geranium plants. Pinching for shaping purposes can create a plant that looks good, but won't flower until very late in the season. To ensure bushy plants, provide bright light.

• If you want lily bulbs free from disease, raise them from seed. Start seed in flats of vermiculite in a greenhouse this month. Crows hybrids, 'Henryi,' Preston hybrids and 'Princepts Creelman' seeds will germinate within three to six weeks. When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them into a conventional potting soil. The second spring plants may be moved outside to flower beds dug two to three feet deep as lilies require good drainage. They will start to bloom that summer. Be careful not to overfeed lilies.

• A pot of Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum spp.) can liven up winter patios. These hardy succulents can remain outdoors year round and are especially prolific when placed in clay strawberry pots. Winter color can range from green to a pink or purple cast.

• On warm days, check to see if any perennials have been heaved by freezing and thawing of soil. Firmly press down any that have lifted and cover with at least 2 inches of organic mulch.

• Plan herbaceous flower beds now. Changes can be made early in the spring. Many perennials will need to be divided. Arrange to trade with friends and neighbors. Designate locations in the bed for summer-flowering annuals to supply color between spring- blooming perennials and fall chrysanthemums.

• In warmer parts of the state, tuberous begonias and caladiums can be started indoors now. In mountain areas, start next month. Set root starts in pots or shallow boxes of rich soil (1/3 sand, 1/3 peat, 1/3 loam). Cover with 1 inch of the mixture. Keep the pots moist, not wet, and in good light at 65 F. Transplant to larger pots in 6 weeks and set outside in the ground after all danger of frost.

• If a few, consecutive, warm days have caused your bulbs to nose out from under protective mulch, plan to thicken the mulch layer as soon as cold weather returns to prevent freezing by exposure.

• Start ageratum, baby's breath, begonia, statice, pansy, sweet pea and snapdragon seed indoors this month or next. Provide plenty of light.

• Start seeds of these and other slow-developing flowers in January or February: alyssum, coleus, dusty miller, geraniums, impatiens, marigolds, perennials, petunias, phlox, portulaca, salvia, vinca and verbena.

• Check perennials to see if any have been pushed out of the ground by alternate freezing and thawing weather. If so, push them back into the soil; otherwise the exposed roots will dry out and die. Replace mulch if it has blown away.

"Though an old man, I am but a young gardener." -- Thomas Jefferson

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