Hello my dear gardening friends,

We seem to be surviving January just fine. I finally got out of my road on Saturday; the ice ruts are deepening by the day, one has to be very careful not to slide off the road into a hydro pole!!!! Ah the joys of living on a private road.

What have I been up to? Amongst other things, I have been spring cleaning. A little early maybe, but when the feeling moves one, why wait – it is time to divest and get rid of the “stuff” that continues to have “stuff” in the night.

The Master Gardener web page is dealing with house plants. One item that caught my eye and relieved my conscience was a letter about poinsettias. My dear neighbours purchased one for me for Christmas – I am afraid that they left it wrapped in its paper for possibly a week. Of course when I opened it, I am afraid that it was quite moldy. I have been trying to keep it alive and the question is, “Why?” I am going to put it into the garbage, and stop worrying about the poor ugly thing. A big “Thank you” to another gardener who overcame her feelings and dumped hers!!!!!

I loved this called: Garden Meditations - Friendship is a sheltering tree:
Let us give thanks for the bounty of people. For children who are our second planting, and though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where their roots are. Let us give thanks for generous friends, with hearts, and smiles as bright as their blossoms; For feisty friends, as tart as apples; for continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we have had them; For crotchety friends, sour as rhubarb and as indestructible. For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn, and the others, as plain as potatoes and are so good for you; For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussels sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes; And serious friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see you through the winter; For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening time and young friends coming on as fast as radishes; For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold us close, despite our blights, wilts and witherings; And finally for those friends now gone, like gardens past that have been harvested, but who fed us in their time that we might have a life hereafter. For all these we give thanks.
- Reverend Max Coot

We have all had the Christmas cactus, poinsettias, and all the other Christmas plants. What about cactus? I love them, for they include some of the most beautiful and bizarre species of the plant world.

All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. The main characteristic of a succulent is it has either an extremely fleshy stem, fleshy leaves or both. Fleshy foliage enables the plant to hold moisture during the long and very hot periods of sun. A plant that grows in an open, dry situation, needs this kind of foliage to be able to survive. In their natural surroundings most succulents, grow directly in sand or soil, but some succulents, seemingly squat on other plants. These are the ones usually growing on/in trees. They are not parasites, for they get any needed nourishment from the air.

The true cacti belong to the family called Cactaceae and have fleshy water-retaining stems but no leaves. Cacti usually have spines and they all have aureoles which look like little pincushions. It is from these aureoles that the spines, hairs and, if you are lucky, the flowers and any offsets will appear.

The strong spines on some plants, not only protect them from animals feeding on them, but also deflect the suns rays, encourage the collection of moisture and provide shade.

When buying succulents, always from a reliable grower, tell them that you want plants that will flower. Be sure to buy plants that have not been grown too quickly. If the cactus plant has been forced by giving it too much water and heat, it will perhaps not flower, but will also die once it is in your household growing conditions.

Whilst cacti are very easy to grow there are a few rules to encourage flowering. The plants must be allowed to rest for several months each year with the temperature never lower than 40oF. This time of year is a good time to stop watering and just let them rest until the warm weather returns. Water them quite freely during the hot summer months (do you remember what that is – it’s that yellow thing in the sky). I put mine right into the garden – make sure that you mark them well, bring them inside at the end of August – before any chance of frost.

Although most house plants require high humidity and frequent waterings, most cacti and succulents thrive on neglect and few waterings; even if we forget them for months on end they usually do not die.

Light and soil are of the utmost importance. The soil must drain very well and quickly, yet still give adequate moisture to the plant. Funnily enough cacti and succulents prefer a room with white walls, for they get the reflected light; if near a window at this time of year, they get the extra light reflected from the snow.

Keep globe cacti dry from November until at least February. Turn the plants occasionally so that the light reaches all parts of the plants. Do not turn them when they are in bud as the change in light is likely to cause the buds to drop.

There are many different types of soil on the market for cacti and succulents do not grow in pure sand. In fact they like a good nutritional soil. Commercial potting soil mixed with vermiculite and some sharp sand (salt free of course) provides an excellent medium. If you are going to transplant any of your plants the early spring is the best time when the plants have started to grow again. Regular potting rules apply – I suggest a pair of tweezers and a pair of tongs, for some of the spines are very difficult to remove from tender fingers!!

Hoyas are of course a succulent, I follow all the rules, but I cannot get Hoyas to grow for me, similarly African violets. Ah well, can’t be good at everything can we????

My neighbours John and Renee have been seeing several deer each morning. Today Judie and I found large footprints in my garden – I will have to keep my eyes open or perhaps get up a little earlier. I have not seen deer so close to our homes in all the years that I have lived here. It must be because of all the ice in the woods, walking is safer on the roadway – even if I am afraid to drive out!!! Actually it’s the return trip down the hill that is so scary – I know take your foot off the brake, wheeee here I come!

Jerusalem Cherry is another plant that people love. It is a shrubby member of the potato family and it is appreciated for its orange or scarlet fruit and its dark green foliage. This plant will not do well in a room that is too hot, dry or contaminated with gas – and cigarette smoke – another reason to stop smoking. To carry the plant over until next year is somewhat similar to that for poinsettias, except after a rest period. The lateral stems must be pruned back to approximately two (2) inches from the main stems. The plant need not be re-potted until June, when it can be taken out into the garden and the pot sunk into a well prepared flower bed, in a shady spot. The second year plant is always much larger and more colourful than the first year plant. Remember that the berries ARE poisonous –make sure that they are out of the reach of small children.

Are you reading those catalogues that are arriving in your mail? I do not know yet what the plant of the year is going to be – we will all have to wait and see. This is a good time to decide what you are going to be removing from your garden in the spring. Do not forget to hand them on to neighbours and the upcoming plant sales for the things that you wish to replace or try. Order early and you will not be disappointed; the different things always go very quickly.

Now for a little humour. It seems that humans, especially women, have a special soul-relationship with fairies, although, since the spiritual feminine dwells within every heart, men certainly need not feel left out of the equation.

The beautiful old Gaelic tale of the fairy Queen, recounted as history, casts light on this soul-relationship. The story called "The Fairy Queen and the Cup of Mary" ------Ma and other variations of the name Mary, have been given throughout history to the Mother Goddess (Mother Nature) or to earthly representations of her, sets the Fairy Queen within the Tree of Life, that ancient living symbol of spirit dwelling on earth, with its root nourished in the dark, secret, depths and its crown spanning the heavens.

"The maiden-queen of wisdom dwelt, in the Beautiful Bower of the One Tree, Where she could see the world entire, And where no fool would look on her."

The Fairy Queen was deeply grieved ‘at seeing the want of wisdom in the daughters of men'. She magically imbued every herb and tree throughout the world with an occult message to all women, so that every growing thing breathed forth her invitation to come to the fairy knoll, so that she herself could give them wisdom.

The story tells that many women came in answer to her invitation, and many did not. When they were all gathered together she appeared with the cup of Mary, the blue eyed limpet shell containing the wisdom of wisdoms, in her hands. This, she held aloft, and all the women were invited to come and drink from it. So it was, that all who sought wisdom in their hearts the fairy Queen gave of that wisdom - to each according to her faith and desire. Some women came too late to drink from the cup of Mary, and others refused it - which is why, the tale ends, 'some women are wise and some are not'. Yet woman means the 'spirit of wisdom' and if all who seek women's mysteries, will listen in silence to the voice of the heart (not the emotions) then all can receive from the Cup of Mary, or sacred well within the heart.

Fairies often give us our dreams, and the power to heal. They will give us the name of the herb that we need to cure illness, so when you need such advice it is worth asking them to do so, with due courtesy, before settling down to sleep. Leave a pencil and note pad handy, for they will wake you for a few moments, to write down their recommendations. Of course always check that any herb they suggest is safe for human consumption!!!!

Good Gardening to us all - I think that next time I will discuss colour combinations with you. As always hats, warm gloves, scarves and sunscreen - look out for deer and other "pets" especially if you are driving in the country for they are all on the move looking for food.

Lovingly, Beryl