Hello my dear gardening friends,

Happy New year to you all – wishing us a wonderful gardening year ahead, as we always say “ this year it will be, bigger, better, more rain, less rain, more sun, less sun, less bugs, and weeds!” We gardeners are ever optimistic.

I have had a couple of weeks off – thanks to so many of you who inquired if I was sick. Not sick, just tired. Christmas came and went as did the New Year. However if you watch the weather – it is still light at 5:00 o’clock which means that spring is not so very far away!!

My granddaughters spent the holidays in Oman, thankfully they are back in Canada. My wonderful family came to spend Christmas here at the lake, it is so gratifying to see the love the “step” children (now approaching middle age) have for each other. They are truly sisters, my own daughter and Jack’s three daughters, there is no animosity or jealousy there. Was it luck? Perhaps! We added a new friend (Fatih) from Turkey to our family.

Today it has snowed all day and it is getting quite deep out there – I have given you excursuses for the garden and especially for pulling weeds, how about a few for snow removal??? I read these tips in a couple of magazines:

1) Wait until the afternoon, for muscles that are stiff in the morning are looser later in the day. And as we know loose muscles are less likely to be injured.

2) S-t-r-e-t-c-h your arms and legs, try marching on the spot, swinging your arms for a few minutes, do a few shoulder circles until you feel that you have loosened up.

3) Snow is heavy – one shovel full can weigh 20 lbs or more. Limit this weight by picking a smallish shovel with a plastic blade, which will be lighter than a metal one, putting less strain on your spine. Sometimes the smaller shovel will avoid the risk of trying to pick up a pile of snow that it too heavy for your body to carry. Choosing one with a curved handle would be even better. These ergonomic shovels with a bent shaft are very good and have been tested by the Liberty Mutual Research centre for Safety and Health in Hopkinton. Researchers found that when people use a bent shaft snow shovel, they bend forward 16 % less than they do with a straight shaft shovel, meaning that your heart doesn’t have to work as hard. They are available at Home Hardware Store in Lakefield for $21.95.

4) When you grip the shovel, make sure that your hands are at least 12 inches apart. This will increase your leverage and reduce strain on your body. Always keep one hand close to the base of the shovel to balance weight of the lift with less lower back strain.

5) Stand with your feet about hip width apart for balance, and keep the shovel close to your body. Bend from your knees and tighten your stomach muscles as you lift the snow.

6) Squat with your legs still apart, keep your knees bent and back straight. Lift with your legs but do not bend at the waist. Scoop small amounts of snow into the shovel and walk to where you want to dump it. Holding a shovel of snow with arms outstretched puts too much weight on your spine. Also, spray your shovel with a lubricant or silicone spray so that the snow does not cling.

7) Step in the direction in which you are throwing the snow because this will prevent the low back from twisting and next-day back fatigue which is experienced by many shovellers.

8) Tackle heavy snow in two stages. Begin by skimming off the snow from the top and then remove the bottom layer. Avoid overloading the shovel. You are working too hard if you cannot say a long sentence in one breath. If this is the case take a short rest or decrease the intensity of effort.

9) Take frequent breaks when shoveling. Stand up straight and walk around periodically to extend your lower back. Do standing extension exercises by placing your hands on your hips and bend backwards slightly for several seconds. Because you bend forward so much when shoveling, you need to reverse this by straightening up and bending slightly backwards.

10) Dress warmly to conserve your body temperature. For example wear mittens not gloves, that are wind proof, and water resistant. Add many layers of clothing that will keep perspiration away from your body, two pairs of socks, cotton next to the skin, then wool, a scarf and a hat that will cover your ears to avoid heat loss through your scalp. Wear proper footwear with a good tread to avoid slipping or falling. Layer the clothing to keep muscles warm and flexible. Do not wear cotton alone, for it traps moisture close to your body. Again check that your footwear has good treads to prevent falls.

11) I fell on New Year’s Day and still have a lump on the back of my head - ouch!!!

12) If you have a health problem or are not in good shape, do not even consider shoveling. Find someone ahead of time to help. Do not wait until there is a lot of snow on the ground before you figure out how to get it removed!!!! I have noticed a number of young boys with shovels, in and around Peterborough, how I wished they would drop by my house!!!

13) The warm soothing effect generated by black pepper (Piper nigrum) makes it ideal for treating muscle aches, pains and strains. It can be used in a massage blend before and after exercise.

The use of pepper in cooking and medicine can be traced back over 4,000 years. The essential oil is extracted from mature black pepper berries. It has a powerful aroma and is highly concentrated.

Black pepper oil is strong, fortifying and warming - much like the spice that we are familiar with. These qualities make it suitable for improving a sluggish circulatory system. To massage cold hands and feet, rub them with a blend of 2 drops black pepper oil, and water that contains 2 drops of black pepper oil, and 1 drop of geranium oil mixed with 1 teaspoon of vegetable, grape seed, almond or soy oil. Aching muscles and stiff joints are common complaints suffered by sports enthusiasts, athletes, and people sh snow!!!

Use black pepper oil before and after exercise in a massage blend made with 3 drops of the oil, and 1 drop of cypress and benzoin oil in 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. The deep penetrating heat will warm the affected muscles. Bathing in water that contains 2 drops of black pepper oil, 3 drops of frankincense oil and 1 drop of rose oil, will soothe tired aching muscles. This particular remedy will also clarify the mind.

Bruising responds well to black pepper oil. Soak a cloth in cool water with 2 drops of the oil, 2 drops of lavender oil and 1 drop of chamomile oil, then apply to the bruised area at regular intervals.

The pungent aroma of black pepper – released when the oil is vaporized – with bergamot, lavender or lemon oil will help to overcome appetite loss (we do not need this after all the Christmas goodies we downed do we?) by stimulating the digestive system. This same blend can also be used to increase alertness.

As a precautionary note because black pepper oil has stimulating and slightly diuretic properties, it is not recommended for use during pregnancy or anyone suffering from high blood pressure. It can also irritate sensitive skin, so use it in small doses. All of these oils can be purchased in Lakefield from January onwards at “The Pantry”.

Now to gardening:

Question: “What do I do with the poinsettias that I purchased/was given for Christmas?”

Most important, poinsettias love bright sunlight, but they should never be placed in window ledges or near sources of hot air. Drafts and sudden changes of temperature will often cause the leaves to yellow and usually drop off. The ideal home temperature for poinsettias is around 65oF, but never below 60oF. Watering is extremely critical with this plant. Often during these short winter days it is easy to overwater them, so do not water until the soil at the top of the pot is just dry to the touch. If your water is fluoridated let the water stand about 24 hours before you use it – it not only lets the chemicals dissipate but also allows the water to “warm up” to room temperature. Remove those coloured wrapping so that the water does run through the container and that the plants feet are not sitting in water, otherwise they will develop root rot. After it has finished flowering, rest it in a cool location and allow the soil to dry out. Cut the plants back to about one foot in height, repot and apply water to start new growth. At the end of February/March expose to strong light and keep it at a temperature of 65oF to 70oF. When you are really sure that all frost is finished then it can gradually go outside for the summer months – it makes a beautiful plant in the garden. Bring it indoors before any frost returns – around the end of August. Do not give your poinsettia more than 13 hours of light daily after September 1st, as it is a short day plant and will not flower if exposed to light, even that of an ordinary electric bulb, during this, its dark period. Some poinsettias specialists cover their plants with a heavy black cloth until later in the fall when daylight does not exceed 13 hours a day. With this loving care you should have more of those beautiful red bracts (leaves) for next Christmas.

One of the problems with poinsettias is mealy bugs; these are a common pest related to the same family as scale insects. There are two types: the citrus or short tailed mealy bugs which produce living young; and the long tailed mealy bug, which have long, waxy processes resembling tails, that reproduce by means of eggs. These are carried by the females (of course) in cottony, waxy sacs which are found chiefly at the axils of branching stems or leaves of infested plants. In the green house the eggs hatch in about 10 days; the young flattened, oval, smooth bodied, light yellow, 6 legged bugs crawl over the plants, start sucking sap and soon begin to secrete the white, waxy, covering. The young females (called nymphs) change very little as they grow to ¼ inch long, but the males form a white case inside of which they transform into minute active 2 winged flies.

Mealy bugs are especially troublesome on soft stemmed plants, but they also attack succulents, ferns, gardenias etc. On house plants mealy bugs may be removed with a tooth pick or Q-tip dipped in alcohol and/or soap suds.

After telling you all this – when we were in Mexico, by the Pacific Ocean, there were hedges of Poinsettias, fully blooming for weeks and weeks. They were exposed to the salt in the air, and full sun during the day and at night the street lights were on most of the night but they did not seem to suffer! In fact, that beautiful shrimp plant grew there like weeds because our house was covered with Bougainvillea - you could purchase a pot of it in the market for around $2.00!!!!

Next week I will talk about that wonderful plant the Christmas Azalea and also the Jerusalem Cherry. Be very careful with those “cherries” they are poisonous!!! Keep away from pets and children.

Well my dears good gardening and happy snow shoveling to us all! Peace, love and good health in 2006! Remember hats, sunscreen, warm mittens, and lots of hot chocolate!

Lovingly, Beryl