Flowers at home in January
More light
January, next to December, is one of the darkest months of the year. It is worth providing indoor plants with as much light as possible. One way is to remove dust from your plants frequently.For plants with large leaves, it's best to do
it is with a damp cloth, species with small leaves should be rinsed with lukewarm water in the shower.
To save the plants
During the heating season, plants suffer greatly from excessively hot and dry air.It is good to humidify the air with special devices, sprinkle the plants or simply place pots with water near them.Remember that some species with hairy leaves, e.g. should be sprinkled.
ornamental garden: evergreen ferns
Common fern Polypodium vulgare is a native fern recommended for home gardens, parks and alpine gardens. Its evergreen leaves 15-35 cm long are frost resistant.
This fern requires moist, humus-free soil, devoid of calcium, and a shady position.In such conditions it grows well and forms a nice leaf cover in a short time.So it is a ground fern. Its underground part consists of rhizomes, which, after drying and crushing, can be a component of the substrate for the cultivation of some orchids.
In the past, the rhizomes of the fern were considered edible due to the high content of starch and sugars in them. Asplenium trichomanes is also an evergreen fern. In natural conditions, it can be found in mountain areas and old limestone walls.
This fern forms clumps of feathery leaves 10-15 cm long.It can be recommended for rock gardens and walls, provided that it is provided with a calcareous, permeable, gravel base with the addition of clay and humus.Winters without problems.
Trees and shrubs: Rhododendrons in winter
Rhododendron Rhododendrons in most of our gardens are always associated with green shrubs that do not fall leaves during the winter. It is worth knowing that these plants breathe and transpire all year round.Large water losses and the inability to replenish water when the soil is frozen can cause tissue drying out or even the death of entire plants.
Rhododendrons behave very characteristically during cold, windy days, curling the leaves into a tube or bending them to the shoot, thus limiting transpiration and evaporation. Strongly blowing winds, especially northern and north-eastern winds, are particularly dangerous for them, which cause increased transpiration, blowing the leaves.
Leaves may dry out during prolonged frosty and windy weather. In winter, the frosty eastern winds, which always dry green plants, are more dangerous.Rolling or bending leaves is a form of defense of rhododendrons against unfavorable external conditions.Therefore, it is worth remembering to cover the bushes with non-woven fabric or shading net during frosty days, and systematically water and mulch them during a dry winter.
Vegetable: preparations for the new season
In January, all the plants in the garden are still dormant.Nevertheless, in about a month, we will be able to start the first cutting of fruit trees. Before the upcoming season, it is worth recalling the most important rules for trimming them. After severe frosts pass, we begin to form the crowns of trees that are the least sensitive to low temperatures.
We cut apple, pear and plum trees first, and then cherries and peaches.The sooner we cut, the trees will grow stronger. If we want to stimulate them to grow, start pruning in winter.However, if the trees are too large, it is better to wait a bit before pruning them.
Even in winter there are sunny and warm days, then we should make cuts. Before we start this procedure, it is worth standing a few meters from the tree and pre-determining which parts of the crown will be trimmed more and which weaker.Most often, there is a need to trim branches that hang too low, which, as the trees grow older, lean towards the ground. It is also important to maintain an even crown.
Therefore, if a branch grows excessively in any part, it must be shortened, because with the passage of time the tree may tilt. Let's also cut unnecessary branches where there are too many of them.
Vegetables wintering in the ground
In the leafless period, you can clearly see what the entire crown looks like. In the shaded parts, only poorly tasty and uneven fruits grow.One larger limb can be removed once every few years, which will make the crown more illuminated.At least once a year, we should make a sanitary cut. It consists in the simple cutting of branches that are broken, sick and infested by pests.
In all kinds of open wounds, fungal colonies develop en masse, causing the wood to die and decay or the bark to die off. Sanitary pruning is of great importance for fruit trees.In gardens, where there is usually no complete chemical protection, removing all kinds of sources of disease significantly improves plant he alth. If we want to keep the trees in good condition and enjoy their fruiting for many years, let's use the time of winter to review the condition of the trees and perform this simple procedure.
