What does a Gardener do in Winter?

   If they own a sunroom or tiers of lights they are probably very busy tending a variety of plants. I have my summer geraniums under my lights, I brought them in sometime in September, cut them back and used many of the shoots for cuttings then potted the parent plants up in new soil as an insurance in case the cuttings do not root. I will probably get more cuttings from these plants later in the winter. I do not bother with ordinary geraniums but these are the ones with green and white variegated leaves and they seem happy in a container in a sunny patch in my rather shady garden and certainly give a marvelous splash of colour all summer. This year I am also hoping to root some cuttings from a trailing geranium I was given in a basket of mixed plants. There was a shortage of trailing geraniums last summer so this year I hope to have my own ready to refill the hanging basket. Later I will be rooting the variegated impatiens, which has multiplied every year and also makes a brilliant showing in the darkest corner. It is very happy in any container, so can be used whereever there is a gap in the garden from late summer until the frosts

   Many gardeners will have bought or been given an Amaryllis (Hippeastrum), one of the most satisfying winter flowers. It is exciting to watch it grow from the large bulb, putting out its shoots until in about five or six weeks after planting the flower stems appear. If you have bought a large bulb then you may get two or three stems, each bearing three to four flowers.   These will be magnificent for weeks and will be followed by large strap like leaves. With care, your Amaryllis can be kept for many years, increasing in size each year. The secret is in the following instructions passed on to me from a successful home grower.

   First fertilize the Amaryllis regularly during its growth cycle starting a month after planting. Use a complete liquid fertilizer twice a month.  When the blooms die cut off the stems just above the top of the bulb. Then continue to grow the plant with its strappy leaves in a warm spot with bright light.  Water regularly and continue to fertilize.  Move it outside for the summer, sinking the whole pot in the ground or using it as a container plant. Bring inside before the first frost. In September stop watering and put the bulb in its pot in a dry cool place (12C to 16C) for ten to twelve weeks.  At the end of this time it will be the end of November or beginning of December and the bulb should be removed from its pot.  Clean off any old foliage and old roots; leaving new roots intact. Now repot it in the same pot or one very slightly larger and start it growing in a warm spot (21C to 24C), water thoroughly at first and then sparingly until the new growth appears. From now on it can be moved to a cooler bright area and watered and fertilized regularly until it flowers again. If this process is repeated year after year, according to my informant, you may end up with amaryllis bulbs that have been growing for 15 years and have twenty or thirty flowers!

   If an Amaryllis is too big and showy there is another much simpler and smaller form of winter gardening. The sprouting of seeds for salads. I always sprout my own alfalfa seeds and sometimes other herbs or radish or lentils.  Sprouting seeds is very easy. You will need a wide mouthed jar. The opening should be covered with a fine wire mesh or cheesecloth. I prefer the wire mesh, which I attach with a rubber band around the neck of the jar.  Now put about two tablespoons of dry seeds in the jar, just cover them with water and leave overnight. In the morning drain the water off and leave the jar tilted at an angle so that water does not collect at the bottom. Every morning and night rinse the seeds with water, draining it off each time. Leave the jar in the dark or cover it with a cloth. About the third day the seeds will have sprouted. When you see this move the jar into the daylight and let them grow for about a day. They will then be ready to eat and can be enjoyed in a salad, a sandwich or just as a snack.

   This year the Thompson and Morgan catalogue is listing broccoli seeds for sprouting! The description says that the cancer blocking agent that broccoli is known to have is between ten and a hundred times more concentrated in the sprouts than in the mature vegetable and that the sprouts should be eaten fresh, not cooked. This is certainly an easy way and tasty way to get the benefits of broccoli.

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Rachel McLeod has many years of experience in gardening... particularly with herbs. She occasionally lectures on herbs and plants for natural gardens.

She can be reached at 905-659-1001

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