Some Tips for Winter Yard Care

Winter Yard Care

1.Winter is the time for bare root, planting and transplanting of roses. This time of year is when you need to prune your
roses back. Leave the stalks at least one foot high, and take off all plant material that is dead and diseased.

2.Dormant spray is a good idea to use on your fruit trees. Its will keep pests in check. Make sure to fallow label instructions
and ask your local greenery plenty of questions to ensure best results.

3.Frost sensitive plants can be covered with a bed sheet, blanket or plastic sheeting. If the plant is wet when covered, frost
temperatures can still damage the plant. Make sure leaves and soil are simi dry before coverings.

4.Do not cut frost damage off the plants until you you see new growth.
Winter is a good time to get seed catalogs for the next seasons planting and to think of new design ideas.

Herb of the Day for August 23 is ROSEHIPS

ROSEHIPS (Rosa canina)

To grow:
Try to plant where roses will receive full sun all day. Avoid planting where
other shrubs or trees will steal water from the roses. Plant in well drained
soil. Dig soil deep and incorporate organic matter such as ground bark, peat
moss, or compost. Add complete fertilizer to soil at the same time and dig
supplemental phosphorous and potash into planting holes. Before planting bare-
root roses, immerse them in water for several hours. Be sure to make holes large
enough so you will not have to bend the roots or cut them back. Before planting
cut broken canes and broken roots just below the break. Set plant in the hole so
that bud union (knob from which the canes grow) is just above soil level. After
the rose is planted and has been watered well, mound soil or damp peat moss
around the bud union and the canes. Remove gradually after the leaves begin to
expand. You must water regularly. Water deeply so that entire root system
receives water. Big, well established plants need more water than new plants.
Apply nutrients fairly regularly. Feed when a blooming cycle has just ended and
new cycle is beginning. Stop feeding about 6 weeks before first hard frost.
Regular pest and disease control should be followed. Begin to control
aphids as soon as they appear. To prune, use sharp pruning spears. Remove wood
that is obviously dead or wood that has no healthy growth coming from it. Also
prune branches that rub against the plants larger canes or branches that cut
through the center. Each spring, remove 1/3 1/2 inch of the previous season’s
growth. Cut flowers as a form of pruning. Cut enough stem to allow rose to stand
in a vase but do not cut to much foliage from the plant.

Uses:
A good source of vitamin C. They help in the bodies defense against colds and
flues. They help in cases of constipation and mild gall bladder problems as well
as conditions of the bladder and kidney.

Parts used:
Fruit (hips) and seeds of the dog rose. Collect the hips in the fall.

Decoction:
Put 2 1/2 tbs. of the cut hips in a cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for
10 minutes.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.