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Part
3
Bring in some
sunshine!
How to brighten
these long, dreary end-of-winter days
[JAN.
17, 2001]
After
several months of frigid temperatures, piles of snow and gray skies, most area
gardeners are suffering from a severe case of cabin fever. Even though promises
of warmer temperatures and the official start of the gardening season are still
in the distant future, there are many things you can do right now to brighten up
your home and spirit.
|
[click here for
Part 1]
[click here for
Part 2]
Forcing
bulbs
Jennifer
Krick, program coordinator at Washington Park Botanical Garden in
Springfield,
says two of her favorite things to do this time of year are poring
through garden catalogues
and forcing bulbs.
"This
is a good time to go through catalogues and decide what kind of
plants you want to try
next year," she said.
She
also recommends forcing bulbs such as grape hyacinths and crocuses,
two of her
favorites. "Bulbs are awesome. I especially like grape
hyacinths, which are very easy to
force. You can plant them in soil or rock, stick them in a dark
closet for 10 days, then place them in the sun and water them,"
she said.
Even
though spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and crocuses
usually signal the
beginning of spring in the Midwest, many bulbs can also be forced
indoors during the winter
months. If properly planned, you can have the heady scent of spring
flowers indoors from
January until spring.
The
forcing of these bulbs actually begins in the fall, but you can buy
some easy-to-force bulbs like hyacinths and paperwhites — a
sweetly scented daffodil variety — throughout the winter months.
Paperwhites and hyacinths are bulbs that do not need special
treatment. Just plant them in rock, soil, marbles or any kind of
material that will keep the bulbs from sitting in water, and watch
them grow. It’s almost embarrassing how easy they are to grow and
how much joy they bring from such little effort.
![](../images/ads/prairie_years/prairie.jpg)
[to top of second column in this
section]
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For
bulbs that need extra care to bloom, make sure to plan ahead in the
fall. Buy good-
quality bulbs and well-drained potting mix. You’ll also need
containers and cold storage facilities. Most bulbs can be forced,
but best results are achieved by selecting varieties recommended for
forcing and choosing large, firm bulbs.
The
forcing procedure is as follows:
*Fill
a container with potting mix; then place the bulbs in the pot so the
tip of each bulb is
even or slightly below the rim of the container. Plant bulbs close
together.
*Add
potting mix and firm it around the bulbs, but don’t cover them.
Keep soil level slightly
below the container rim. Water.
*Label
each container as planted, including planting date.
*Place
bulbs in a cold place like a root cellar or refrigerator for 12 to
16 weeks at a temperature of 40 to 45 degrees. The bulbs should be
kept in the dark and watered periodically.
*After
the designated time, place the bulbs in a cool, semi-dark location
and keep the potting soil moist. Move the pots to a warmer area with
direct sunlight when the sprouting shoots turn green. You should be
rewarded with flowers in a few weeks.
[Penny
Zimmerman-Wills]
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|
Part
2
Bring in some
sunshine!
How to brighten
these long, dreary end-of-winter days
[JAN.
17, 2001]
After
several months of frigid temperatures, piles of snow and gray skies, most area
gardeners are suffering from a severe case of cabin fever. Even though promises
of warmer temperatures and the official start of the gardening season are still
in the distant future, there are many things you can do right now to brighten up
your home and spirit.
|
[click here for
Part 1]
Indoor
plants
Floral
designers say placing a few blooming plants around your house can
brighten up your home and your mood during even the dreariest of
winter days. Sales of houseplants and blooming plants drastically
increase from mid-January through February.
Plants
are especially important after the holidays are over, when the house
looks barren once the
Christmas decorations are stored away once again.
A
few indoor blooming plants to try:
*Orchids.
Dendrobium, paphiopedilum (ladyslipper orchid), phalaenopsis (moth
orchid) and cymbidium will adjust to light from a west or south
window. Be sure to research orchids before buying plants, because
they are among the most expensive of houseplants and require special
care, such as a bark chip planting medium and regular fertilizer.
They are worth the trouble. Mature orchid plants will initiate at
least one spike each winter, and blooms last two months or more.
*Cape
primrose or steptocarpus. A blooming plant that's a cousin to the
popular African violet, but easier to keep blooming. This plant
sports long, fuzzy leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers in bright pink
and purple shades.
*Angel-wing
begonia. Similar to the common begonia found in many summer flower
beds, this plant has great leaves and blooms.
*Clivia,
Lady Clive or Duchess of Northumberland. Large masses of soft orange
petals contrast nicely with shiny foliage. Although these plants are
slow growers, mature plants bloom nicely. The secret to blooms is to
keep the plants pot-bound. Allow the soil to dry out thoroughly
between waterings beginning in October, then move the pot to a warm,
sunny window in January and resume regular watering. A flower stem
should appear within a month.
*Christmas
cactus. If you received one as a gift this year, don't toss it out
with the wrapping paper. This plant is easy to care for and will add
a burst of color to any décor.
[to top of second column in this
section]
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Besides
buying new blooming plants, winter is also an ideal time to
thoroughly inspect the plants you already have and check for pests,
diseases and problems. Poorly performing plants could signal poor
growing conditions.
The
correct amount of light is vital to indoor plants, and although a
plant may not show the effect of inadequate light right away, it
will eventually kill the plant.
Plants
are usually classified as needing low, medium or high light. As a
guide, consider that low light means light coming from a north
window, medium from an east or west window, and high light coming
from a south window. If the shadow cast by a window is barely
noticeable, the light is low; if the shadow is present but
indistinct, light is medium; and when the shadow is clearly visible,
it’s a bright light. Choose plant types according to your existing
light conditions.
![](../images/ads/LDN/announcement%20forms.gif)
Too
much light can also be harmful to a plant and cause stunted growth
and burned leaves. Sometimes placing a sheer curtain on the window
is enough to correct the problem.
Plants
sitting on a windowsill often grow toward the light, so turn the
pots frequently.
Besides
correct light, most plants also like humidity, which can be
accomplished by a light misting several times a day. Another way to
increase humidity levels for your plants is to group them together
on a tray of wet gravel so pots will not sit directly in water.
Periodic
grooming keeps houseplants looking their best. Clip dead flowers so
the plant’s energy is spent on flower, not seed, production, and
pinch the growing tips of foliage to encourage lush growth.
(To
be continued)
[Penny
Zimmerman-Wills]
[click
here for Part 3: Forcing bulbs]
|
|
|
Part
1
Bring in some
sunshine!
How to brighten
these long, dreary end-of-winter days
[JAN.
16, 2001]
After
several months of frigid temperatures, piles of snow and gray skies, most area
gardeners are suffering from a severe case of cabin fever. Even though promises
of warmer temperatures and the official start of the gardening season are still
in the distant future, there are many things you can do right now to brighten up
your home and spirit.
|
Quotes
to brighten your winter days
If
we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.
— Anne Bradstreet
In
the depths of winter I finally learned that within me there lay an
invincible summer.
— Albert Camus
From
December to March, there are for many of us three gardens — the
garden outdoors, the garden of pots and bowls in the house, and the
garden of the mind’s eye.
— Katherine S. White
We
go, in winter’s biting wind,
On
many a short-lived winter day,
With
aching back but willing mind
To
dig and double dig the clay.
—
Ruth Pitter
|
Statuary,
urns, gazing balls, ironwork and fountains are all being used
indoors these days to bring the look of nature inside your home,
helping a lot of people get through the depressing winter months.
![](../images/ads/MErealty/MERealty0101.gif)
Instead
of wistfully counting the days until you can dig in the dirt, use
the dreary days of winter to keep busy planning and preparing for
the upcoming season. The cold months offer a great chance to analyze
what you liked and didn’t like about last year’s garden and
landscaping plan. Start a garden journal and sketch out plans for a
new rose garden or make a list of what new vegetables you want to
try this summer. Browse through the barrage of
seed catalogues filling your mailbox and make an order list. Bring
in some garden furniture or garden accessories like sundials and
birdhouses that may make their home in the summer garden but bring a
breath of fresh air to your living or dining room.
One
of the fastest ways to bring a hint of warmer days ahead into your
home is adding some new houseplants.
(To
be continued)
[Penny
Zimmerman-Wills]
[to top of second column in this
section]
|
Tips to bring the outdoors inside and
brighten your home during the winter
*Display pictures of outdoor
summer scenes and vacations.
*Buy inexpensive fresh flowers
to add to the mantel or coffee table. Flowers like carnations will
last up to two weeks if the water is changed frequently and the
stems are trimmed.
*Rearrange the furniture to
give your room a fresh new look, and add textured throw pillows and
throws to the backs of sofas and chairs to add warmth and color to
your room.
*Plant an unusual container
like an antique bucket with grass seed, and soon you will have a
splash of summer freshness.
*Bring in a few pieces of
garden furniture or accessories to add an instant splash of summer
to your winterscape. Take your painted garden bench out of your yard
and place in your hallway, or use a metal garden urn inside by the
fireplace and fill with pine cones and dried berries. Bring in your
birdbath and fill with floating candles. Other great items to
scatter
throughout the house include antique hand tools, metal watering
cans, sap buckets, wicker baskets, garden hats, birdhouses,
sundials, trellises, ladders, botanical prints, picket fences and
gates, and outdoor lanterns.
*Place freshly scented candles
and bowls of potpourri throughout the house.
*Think spring!
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February’s
gardening chores
(source:
County Living Gardener)
*Look
through garden catalogs and place orders for bulbs, seeds and
plants.
*Thoroughly
clean any flats or pots for seedlings.
*Set
aside a potting area for starting seeds indoors and gather necessary
equipment.
*Sow
the seeds that will need 10 to 12 weeks indoors before they can be
transplanted outdoors.
*Beware
of a February thaw!
*Continue
looking for plant damage in the garden.
|
[click
here for Part 2: Indoor plants]
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|
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Animals
for adoption
These animals and
more are available to good homes from the Logan County Animal
Control at 1515 N. Kickapoo, phone 735-3232.
Fees for animal
adoption: dogs, $60/male, $65/female; cats, $35/male, $44/female.
The fees include neutering and spaying.
Logan County Animal
Control's hours of operation:
Sunday – closed
Monday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday –
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday –
closed
Warden: Sheila Farmer
Assistant: Michelle Mote
In-house veterinarian: Dr. Lester Thompson
|
DOGS
Big to
little, most these dogs will make wonderful lifelong companions when
you take them home and provide solid, steady training, grooming and
general care. Get educated about what you choose. If you give them
the time and care they need, you will be rewarded with much more
than you gave them. They are entertaining, fun, comforting, and will
lift you up for days on end.
Be prepared to take the necessary time when you bring home a
puppy, kitten, dog, cat or any other pet, and you will be blessed.
[Logan
County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies donated by
individuals and Wal-Mart.]
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![](../images/011301pics/dog_1.jpg)
[A lot of legs and sweet. A lost and found
husky-Lab mix, this young female is very personable. She is
approximately 1 year old with lots of energy.]
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![](../images/011301pics/dog_2.jpg)
[Lost and found, this Lab mix is so sweet it
is hard to believe his owners have not come to claim him. He
has a friendliness that makes you think he would make a
great companion or family dog.]
|
![](../images/011301pics/dog_3.jpg)
[Remember the RCA Victrola dog? Iris is a
1-year-old housebroken female. She's very friendly and comes
with a gallon of energy for playing. Her previous owners did
not have time for her.]
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Ten reasons to adopt a
shelter dog
1.
I'll bring out your
playful side!
2.
I'll lend an ear to
your troubles.
3.
I'll keep you
fit and trim.
4.
We'll look out for each other.
5.
We'll sniff
out fun together!
6.
I'll keep you
right on schedule.
7.
I'll love you
with all my heart.
8.
We'll have a
tail-waggin' good time!
9.
We'll snuggle
on a quiet evening.
10.
We'll be
best friends always.
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CATS
[Logan
County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies donated by
individuals and Wal-Mart.]
|
In
the cat section there are a number of wonderful cats to
choose from. There are a variety of colors and sizes. |
![](../images/011301pics/kittens_2.jpg)
Kittens!
[One of these
kittens is not like the others. One of these kittens just
does not belong. Can you tell which one of these kittens is
not like the others, before we finish our… caption? A pile
of healthy kittens, not quite ready to leave mom, but still
adoptable, play away the afternoon at the animal control.
Only one of the kittens looks like his mother, a tiger
striped short-hair; the rest all look like dad, all white.] |
![](../images/011301pics/cat_1.jpg)
[This cute little tiger cat with dark, pretty
markings has a lovely demeanor, always sitting primly,
looking attentive. She's about 3 months old.]
|
![](../images/011301pics/cat_2.jpg)
[Remember the black-and-white police cars?
Beautifully marked, this two-tone kitty is ready for a good
home. Frisky couldn't be taken care of by his owners. He's
very soft and cuddly. He needs an indoor-only home.]
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![](../images/011301pics/cat_3.jpg)
[Someone must take this cat home. Scooter is
a 5-year-old male, good with kids, declawed, neutered and
has his shots. His owners didn't have time to take care of
him.]
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![](../images/011301pics/cat_5.jpg)
[There are two grown, fluffy gray and white
cats available. One cat is a neutered, declawed, very sweet
male. His owners had to give him up. The other cat is a
female. She begs for attention but does not like other
cats.]
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![](../images/011301pics/cat_4.jpg)
[This fluff ball goes belly up begging for
cuddling. A golden Persian, Jack is approximately 2-3 years
old and very sweet. He should go to a good home where he
will get regular grooming.]
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