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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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