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Quotation of the Week: "It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." — Lewis Grizzard

December Is the Time To...

Choose and plant sasanqua camellias and early long-blooming azaleas. Purchase poinsettias early in the month. Continue to plant winter vegetables. Cut off flower spikes that have bloomed from dwarf foxgloves and delphiniums. Don't prune tropicals. Prune grapes, low-chill raspberries, and native plants. Prune wisteria by cutting off unwanted long twiners. Prune roots of vines that fail to bloom. Mow cool-season lawns, including bermuda that's overseeded with winter ryegrass. Do not mow warm season lawns, except St. Augustine (if it continues to grow). Continue fertilizing cymbidiums until flowers open. Feed cool season flowers with a complete fertilizer for growth and bloom. Feed shade plants for bloom; give adequate light. Feed cool-season lawns, but don't feed warm season lawns (except for bermuda that's overseeded with winter ryegrass). Don't water succulents growing in the ground. Keep cymbidiums damp but not soggy. Remember to keep all bulbs, especially potted ones, well watered. Water dichondra if rains aren't adequate; water St. Augustine grass if it continues to grow. Turn off the irrigation systems of all other types of warm-season lawns once they have gone brown. Spray peach and apricot trees for peach leaf curl if you didn't do so in November. Protect cymbidiums' bloom spikes from snails. Control rust on cool-season lawns by fertilizing and mowing them. Control aphids with insecticidal soap and beneficial insects. Prepare beds for planting bare-root roses next month. Harvest winter vegetables as soon as they mature.

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Preparing Your Pond For Winter

Although ponds need little routine maintenance, there are a few end-of-season tasks that are essential if you want to keep your plants and fish in good condition. Protect the pond from the worst of the leaf fall with a fine-mesh net. Anchor it just above the surface of the pond. This is not practical for a large pond, but it is useful for a small one. Remove the leaves regularly, and eventually take the netting off. If you are not able to cover your pond with a net, or don't like the appearance of one, use a fish net or rake to remove leaves regularly — not only from the surface, but from below the surface as well. Too many leaves in the water can pollute the pond. Submerged oxygenating plants, such as elodea and rampant growers like myriophyllum, will eventually clog the pond unless you net or rake them out periodically. This is a good time to thin them simply by raking out the excess. Trim back dead or dying plants from around the edge of the pond, especially where the vegetation is likely to fall into the water. To divide overgrown water plants, first remove the plants from their containers. It may be necessary to cut some roots to do so. Some plants can simply be pulled apart by hand, but others will have such a tight mass of entangled roots that you need to chop them into smaller pieces with a spade. Discard any pieces you don't want for replanting, then pot up the others in planting baskets. Cover the top of the baskets with gravel to prevent soil disturbance.

Christmas Trees That Last

Without a doubt, the freshest Christmas tree is a living tree. Many families choose to buy and plant a living tree each year, then plant it, along with the memories it holds, into the landscape. But bringing a live tree into the house and decorating it increases the risk of killing the tree. For a successful experience, here are a few tips. Choose the right tree. White pines, blue spruce, noble or Douglas firs are good choices. Store the tree in a cool, wind-protected area such as an unheated porch or garage for at least a week before bringing the tree into your home. For best results keep the tree inside 3-4 days. Using ice cubes is a great way to not only water but to keep the roots cool. (Don't forget a saucer for the excess water.) As with cut trees, be sure to keep your live tree away from heat sources and keep indoor temperatures cooler (60-65 deg). This will help the tree to stay dormant while in the house. After the holidays, move the tree back to your garage for a week before planting. Add peat moss and organic compost to the hole to give the tree a good start. With proper care you'll have a living reminder of this year's Christmas joy, and a tree ready to serve as an outdoor decoration next year.

What You'll Need: 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 medium onions, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 lb. Italian turkey sausage 2 lbs. ground turkey 6 cloves garlic, minced 8 oz. diced green chiles 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. salt 3 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. dried oregano 1 tbsp. dried basil 1 (12-oz.) can tomato paste 1 (28-oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes 1 (16-oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes 1 (32-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup beer (optional) 1/4 cup fresh cilantro Step by Step: In a large skillet, heat oil over low heat. Sauté the onions and red bell pepper for about 10 minutes or until tender but not browned. Add the sausage and turkey and brown over medium heat. Drain any excess fat from pan. Add the garlic, chiles, pepper, salt, chili powder, oregano, basil and tomato paste. Stir in the tomatoes, beans  and beer. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning. Stir in cilantro before serving. Can be made ahead for flavors to blend and reheated. Yield: 8-10 servings