Eeek. Have you seen that long-range forecast? Starting tomorrow, the weather will turn much colder and a freeze is predicted for next week. It might be a good idea to plan ahead: figure out where you're going to put all those tender plants, and get more frost blankets if you ran out last week. I left lots of my plants outside during the last little freeze, but the next one (at least so far) is predicted to be colder, so I might cover more. We'll keep an eye on the forecast! If you're on Facebook, like the Papershell page to get more timely updates on the weather.
 | | I'm NOT dreaming of a White Christmas! |
Are you working on the December scrapbook? I took a wander around my neighborhood recently, during those brilliant blue Indian summer days we had. There are lots of plants out there, looking their very finest. Here's one: the giant ligularia, looking for all the world like a humongous daisy!
 | | Flower of Giant Ligularia |
I don't know about you but this year I'd like to give hand-made or homemade holiday gifts to people I love. I've found some neat things at the Imperial Farmer's Market, and I've made vats and vats of jelly, it seems. But the Garden Therapy website has some really good gardening-themed gifts, if you've got a mind to make them. If not, you'll enjoy looking at the photography and checking out her gardening ideas.
 | | About to put my web-mistress crown back on! |
December 20's newsletter will be the last for the 2013 calendar year! I can hardly believe how the time has flown by. Over the holiday interval, my plan is to tweak the website a bit so it more closely reflects what's still going on here. Think of my while you're enjoying your eggnog or wassail! I'll be deep in the thicket of HTML coding, trying not to pull my hair out. But first, I'll be off to Bandera for a few days R and R with the family. I hope you all get a moment of holiday peace in these coming hectic weeks!
Thanks again and garden on! |
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New Gardening Magazine
This is exciting news, for those of you gardeners who also have iGadgets! Publisher Pam Allan has launched a new gardening webmagazine called Your Houston Garden and I have a special offer just for Papershell readers.
The magazine is geared particularly to Houston-area gardeners and is downloadable to iPads and iPhones but will be coming soon for Android devices. My article, "Where In The World Are We, And Why Is The Weather So Strange Here?" is featured in Issue 1, which you can download for free. The publisher has also made available an additional 3-month subscription, free to Papershell readers.
 | | Great local garden info! |
Here's how it works. Download the webmagazine from this link.
Install the app on your iPad or iPhone by clicking the FREE button, which will install the app that houses the magazine. This takes just a few seconds. Launch the magazine by clicking INSTALL.
You'll be taken to the homepage, where you'll see a bright yellow SUBSCRIBE button. Tap on the CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS button, and enter this code: love2garden. This access code is case-sensitive and is exclusive to you!
Issue #2 will automatically download, and every issue following, as long as you are a subscriber. The free subscription lasts 3 months. You can read my article in the free sample issue, or Issue #1.
If you need help with installing the magazine on your iThing, please don't hesitate to contact Your Houston Garden directly. The email address is support@yourhoustongarden.com.
I'll be interested to know how you like it!
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December in the Garden
I don't mind the cold, and after the drought of 2011, I swore I'd never complain about the rain again, but to tell you the truth, I don't like the cold and rain together. I'm assuming you don't either so your list of garden chores for December is quite manageable! I know you have plenty to keep you busy between now and the end of the year!  | | Get those boots on and get out there! |
In the vegetable garden, you should be harvesting broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, mustard, radishes, spinach and turnips. Maybe even English peas if you planted them early enough. Are you running late? Here's a list of seeds you can plant now in the garden. If you've got a mind to prune, don't prune spring-blooming shrubs like azaleas, bridal wreath and kerria. They will bloom on old wood, so pruning now removes next spring's flowers. I don't like to prune until the deciduous (the ones that lose their leaves) shrubs and trees are completely dormant, which means I'm still waiting to prune my apple and pear. Check the foliage on your azaleas and camellias. Yellowing leaves with green veins can signal chlorosis, an inability of the plant to take up iron. Acidifying the soil can help with this problem. Use acid-based fertilizers for these shrubs. Now is the time to clean up the beds and get ready for spring (even though it's just barely winter!) Yank out those plants that did not perform well for you. Discard all diseased or insect-ridden foliage but compost the rest. It's perfectly okay to rake fallen leaves back into the flowerbeds to insulate the roots and keep soil moist.  | | Feed me! |
If you want your winter color to look its best all season long, fertilize monthly. It's hard work producing flowers under the low-light conditions of December and January. Don't panic if your snapdragons seem to bloom less now. They'l pick up again in late January or early February when the days are just a bit longer. If you're planting tulips, by now you should have them in the refrigerator. We plant tulips on New Year's Day but they require a 6-8 week period of pre-chilling. It hasn't been a problem so far, but it's best to make sure plants are well-watered when heading into a freeze. Drying north winds often damage plants more than the cold temperatures do. The garden catalog season is just beginning! I love reading those, and keep a big stack by my chair in the living room. However, be aware that we live in a very peculiar climate zone. If it doesn't say Zone 9 in the description, that beautiful oddity in the catalog might not grow here. Even if it does say Zone 9, if you haven't seen the plant for sale anywhere, there might be a reason for that. Use your good judgment and your self-control when perusing those tempting catalogs. Or at least some of your self-control...  | Photo: KissMyAster.co (yes, .co)
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And that's it! Back inside for eggnog!
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Back at the Farmer's Market
After a 2-week absence, I'm back at the Imperial Farmer's Market! And rain or shine, cold or wind, I'll be there this Saturday with succulent-themed Christmas arrangements, wreaths and all things hibiscus. I picked the last of the hibiscus flowers for the year, so if you haven't gotten your tea for the holiday table yet, it's your last chance. When it's gone, it's gone until next year.
 | | Baby, it's Christmas! |
I've been preserving some of that ruby goodness too, so I'll have jellies for sale. So far, we've got Hibiscus-Pomegranate, Spiced Hibiscus (with allspice and cinnamon), Spiced Apple Hibiscus, Hibiscus Wine (perfect with those water crackers and a stout cheese), and Pink Grapefruit with just a touch of hibiscus for color. I'm still experimenting but there's likely to be Hibiscus-Prickly Pear before Christmas too!
 | | Great for gift baskets! |
If you'd like to try the jellies yourself, get a back of the tea and simmer it gently in a cup or so of water. Then mix with apple juice to use any apple jelly recipe you like.
Stop by and see me! I'm looking forward to it.
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Thanks for reading,
Elizabeth Barrow
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