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Quotation of the Week: "The poetry of the earth is never dead." — John Keats

"Pitcher" This

by Tamara Galbraith Any gardener with a penchant for the unusual should give Nepenthes, commonly known as tropical pitcher plants, a try. They're beautiful yet unique, relatively easy to care for, and they can help clear up indoor bugs, if you have them. Did you catch that last one? That's right, nepenthes fall under the carnivorous plant category. Their lovely dangling pitchers aren't just for beauty, but are actually traps for insects. Like the more famous Venus Flytrap, pitcher plants attract bugs with an intoxicating nectar, then "consume" them as part of their nourishment after the unfortunate insect tumbles into the pitcher. Native to several countries, such as Malaysia, India and Borneo, Nepenthes fall into two categories: highland and lowland. When choosing a variety for yourself, it's important to know the difference, as each type has a different caresheet. In general, highland species prefer day temperatures of 70-85 degrees with cool nights in the mid-50s, while lowland types like it hotter. Nepenthes prefer a potting medium similar to orchids: a well-draining mixture of long fiber sphagnum moss, peat moss and perlite works well. Clay pots should be avoided due to salt buildup. And, again like orchids, pitcher plants love high humidity, good air circulation and bright, indirect sunlight. If your plant doesn't seem to be making any new pitchers, increase the humidity. Keep the soil wet but not soggy to avoid root rot. While it's not necessary to keep your pitcher plant on a steady diet of insects, do make sure a small amount of rain water stays in the pitchers in order to keep them from drying out. Any other soil additives or fertilizers are not recommended.

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Keep the Color Coming: Post-Holiday Amaryllis Care

by Tamara Galbraith Attention: Anyone who received an amaryllis as a gift over the holidays...don't throw that bulb away just because the flower stalk is now withered and ugly! With a little coddling, you can enjoy the same beautiful blooms next year. After the blossoms shrivel, cut the flower stem 1 inch above the base with a sharp knife. Continue to water and feed the remaining bulb regularly, and provide plenty of light. Amaryllis can be planted outdoors - pot and all - in partial shade and then into full sunlight during the summer. For Christmas blooms next year, bring the plants into the garage in late September and place the pots on their sides. Cut off all water. This gives the plants a couple of months to rest before preparing to bloom again during the holidays. In November, remove any dead leaves and replace the top couple of inches of potting soil. Resist the urge to pot up, as amaryllis like being jammed into a small space; there should only be about 1" between the bulb and the pot. Thoroughly water, place in a sunny window indoors and wait until growth emerges. Once a flower bud becomes evident, continue watering when soil becomes dry, and make sure the plant is receiving plenty of sunlight. Water well during blooming, but put the plant in a less bright spot to help the flowers last longer. Then, when the flowers begin to fade, it's time to start the whole process over again. If you're in USDA hardiness zone 7b or warmer, amaryllis can also be grown outdoors like any other flowering bulb, although many of the Dutch hybrid types will not do that well. Just make sure the soil is well-drained and rich in organic matter. Space bulbs about a foot apart and barely cover the bulb tops with soil. Select a sunny spot in the garden that receives some shade during the afternoon hours. Avoid placing the bulb where it will dry out excessively; a light layer of mulch will help retain moisture and keep the bulb from overheating in hot weather.

How to Plant a Bare-Root Deciduous Fruit Tree

Choose a spot in full sun with good drainage and adequate space for the tree to grow. (If space is limited choose a dwarf tree, or plant as an espalier, training it on wires; on an arbor; or against a preferably east-facing wall.) Prune off any damaged or broken roots, and plunge the remaining roots into a bucket of water to soak while you dig a hole. Dig a planting hole and check the drainage. If the soil is heavy clay, work at least 2 pints of amendment into the soil in the bottom of the hole. It will do no harm, and it may improve drainage. If gophers are a problem, line the hole with a basket made of poultry wire to protect the roots while the tree is young. Hold the tree in the hole so that the bump on the bud union faces north, to shade it from the sun, and the original soil line (look for it below the bud union) is 2 inches higher than the surrounding ground. (The bud union is the location where the variety was grafted onto the rootstock; on trees it usually appears as a slight bend in the trunk or a change in its width.) Backfill the hole by sifting the native soil you took from it back into the hold--around, through and over the roots. (Do not add soil amendment unless you're planting in pure sand.) Plant high, so that as the tree grows the area where the trunk meets the ground is high and dry. Press down with your hands to compact soil around and over the roots Make a watering basin. Mulch the ground around the plant and in the basin. If the tree does not already have a good branching habit, prune it immediately after planting; cut the tree to a height of 30 inches to 36 inches above ground. Remove most of the side branches (if there are side branches) except those needed for main scaffold limbs. You can produce a low branching tree by choosing to keep three low branches that are not exactly opposite each other. To protect the trunk from sunburn, paint it with flat white latex paint (not enamel) that you've slightly diluted with water. Water deeply by allowing the hose to lie on the ground and trickle into the hole until it penetrates around the roots. In fast draining sandy or decomposed granite soil, water often until the tree is established. If drainage is poor or if the soil is heavy clay, check once a week and water when the soil begins to dry out. Gradually lengthen the intervals between irrigations.

January Is The Time To...

1. Purchase and plant bare-root roses, trees, vines, berries and vegetables 2. Choose and plant camellias and azaleas 3. Purchase cymbidiums 4. Purchase and plant cool-season flowers to fill in bare spots 5. Plant seeds of warm-season flowers for transplants to put out in spring 6. Continue to plant winter vegetables from transplants and seeds 7. Many succulents, including cacti, bloom in winter and spring; purchase new types now 8. Prune deciduous fruit trees 9. Prune roses 10. Deadhead azaleas 11. Mow cool-season lawns. Most warm-season lawns are dormant now and don't need mowing 12. Begin to feed citrus trees in coastal zones 13. Treat citrus trees for chlorosis 14. Start feeding epiphyllums for bloom with 0-10-10 or 2-10-10 15. Continue to fertilize cymbidiums that have not yet bloomed with a high-bloom formula 16. Feed cool-season flowers 17. Feed cineraria 18. Fertilize cool-season lawns 19. Water plants according to need (when the rains are not adequate) 20. Irrigate citrus trees 21. Remember to water plants under eaves where the rains cannot reach 22. Dormant spray roses and deciduous fruit trees 23. Dormant spray sycamore trees 24. Check citrus trees for pests 25. Pick up dead camellia blossoms to prevent petal blight 26. Protect cymbidiums from slugs and snails 27. Control rust on cool-season lawns 28. Check trees, shrubs, and ice plant in coastal zones for overwintering whiteflies. Control by spraying 29. Pull weeds 30. Spray peach and apricot for peach leaf curl 31. Protect tender plants from frost 32. Stake cymbidium bloom spikes 33. Near the end of the month check bamboo in coastal zones to see if it is time to propagate

What You'll Need: 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 strips smoked bacon, chopped 1 cup chopped onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups cubed, peeled acorn squash 2 cups diced, peeled red potato 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 can (28 ounce) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped 2 cans (14-1/2 ounce) chicken broth 4 cups chopped kale 1 can (15-1/2 ounce) navy beans or other small white beans, rinsed and drained

Step by Step:

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon and saute for 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic; saute for 3 minutes. Add squash and next 6 ingredients (potato through thyme), stirring to combine; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes. Add kale; simmer 5 minutes. Add beans; simmer 4 minutes or until potato and kale are tender. Yield: 4 servings