Reduce damage to plants with a 2 1/2- to 3-inch layer of mulch to moderate soil temperatures. Without snow cover, the soil can shift, causing damage to plantings.
In the red: Place poinsettias in a bright location and turn them once a week to assure uniform growth. Plant them in the garden in early summer. The red bracts, mistakenly referred to as flowers, eventually fall off to leave a green plant. If long floppy growth develops, trim the plant back by 25 percent. Poinsettias, brought back in the house in early fall, color up for the holidays again if proper lighting cycles are implemented.
Invited guests: Observe feeding habits of neighborhood fauna. Plan now to incorporate into the landscape plants that will attract wildlife. Shrubs that retain fruit or berries through the winter usually attract birds through the season. Maples that retain their samara (seeds) late into fall are a good food source for squirrels and other local denizens.
Plan ahead: Use seed and nursery catalogs for ideas to implement in spring. Place orders early to assure availability and delivery for starting seeds indoors.
Early spring: Prune forsythia, pussy willow or fruit-tree branches on a sunny day when the temperature has warmed. Bring clippings indoors and soak them in warm water for eight hours to overnight. Place stems in a vase of water; they should bloom in three to five days.
Holiday cleanup: Carefully remove holiday lights from exterior trees and shrubs so as not to damage plant stems. On cold days, branches and needles can become brittle, break and become brown.
Evergreen care: Keep evergreens well-watered during dry periods and warm spells. Without enough water, winter winds can draw moisture from the leaves and cause damage. Warm winter days with lots of sunlight cause plants to become active, and if the soil is dry, winter windburn can occur.
