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January
- Dreary outside? Liven things up inside!
The
Christmas tree’s been hauled to the recycler.
All the holiday decorations are put away. Putting
your house back in order may feel good, but it
can sure make things seem a little ho-hum after
all the festiveness. That’s where your green
thumb can really help cheer things up! 
Time
for some new houseplants…
If you enjoyed the lively feel of a real Christmas
tree indoors this past month, satisfy your senses
by bringing home new houseplants, especially some
of the larger varieties. This time of year’s
usually a good one to find attractive prices on
houseplants. And with the earthy smell of
the potting soil, all the decorative choices in
planters, and the fresh, healthy feel of the plant
itself, it’s a great way to enliven any room.
Now’s the time to also check your existing
houseplants to see if any need to be replaced
because of age or damage due to indoor heating/air
systems. For more on houseplants, click
into:
Bring
home spring early with cut tulips…
Have you seen all the bright colors of the cut
tulips offered lately at your Fred Meyer Garden
Center?  Take
some home to brighten your living room, family
room or dinner table -- it's a great way to convey
the promise of spring and bring smiles to family
and friends.
Color,
color, color to brighten those sun-less days…
You can also bring home some ready-to-grow
color with potted tulips, tete-a-tete (miniature)
daffodils, and primroses. It’s another great
way to instantly brighten a room. And as a fun
activity with the kids, try amaryllis and paperwhite
kits. They’re easy to put together, and kids
love checking regularly to see how their garden’s
growing!
Get
ready for outdoor gardening…
- Tool Time
Now’s the time of year to check your gardening
tools to remove rust, sandpaper rough spots
on the handles, sharpen edges as needed, and
replace any worn out, broken or lost tools.
- Fuchsias & Geraniums
If you’re over-wintering these
plants, water them now and check for insects
or aphids. Wash off any you find. Then wash
a systemic insecticide into the soil to help
with insect control on new growth.
- Check out your Garden
Center and Garden Catalogs Now’s
a great time to wander into your Fred Meyer
Garden Center and check out what we’re
starting to stock for the upcoming growing season.
You'll also enjoy flipping through the garden
catalogs that flood mailboxes this time of year.
You’ll get plenty of ideas about new plant
varieties to try and yard projects you can start
planning now.
- Primroses & Pansies
Toward the end of January in many
"Northwet" areas, the mild rainy conditions
are ideal for growing some first-signs-of-spring
flowers. Primroses come in lots of bright, cheery
colors, and they thrive in our typical winter
conditions. You'll love them in hanging baskets,
deck planters and window boxes. In fact, pansies
are under-rated stars of Northwest winters.
They love cool rainy weather, are almost impossible
to freeze, and come in great colors – from
brights to pastels. And don’t forget about
white, a real complement to any other color.
Click here
for the complete story.
Here's
to keeping your green thumb in shape during these
winter weeks...
While
much of the information in these tips is applicable
in several gardening zones/climates, some of the
plants and timing suggested are best suited to
the Northwest, generally in the mild/wet growing
regions found along the I-5 corridor. You should
make appropriate adjustments or consult local
gardening experts in regions whose climates differ
from this area of the Northwest.
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