Winter survival tips for tender plants

Although tender fuchsias and pelargoniums (non-hardy geraniums) occasionally survive if left outdoors during the cold season, most of the time these delicate plants end up in the dumpster if you don't take steps to protect them from winter temperatures. The easiest method is to leave them in their pots, or if you dig them out of the garden, put them in a box and cover the root balls with compost. Cut the branches back to about 6 inches. Cutting back at this time isn't necessary, but it will remove most of the leaves and save you a huge clean-up job in spring. Store the plants in an unheated garage, or in a crawl space. Water just enough to make sure that the soil never completely dries out. Keep an eye on your plants and, when new growth appears in spring, transplant into fresh soil and move the plant into a brighter location. Place the plants outdoors on nice days, but remember to bring them back under cover at night until around Mother's Day, when the plants can remain outdoors for the rest of the season.

Plant your garlic bulbs now to stay healthy later

The healing powers attributed to garlic run the gantlet from curing headaches, preventing worms, reducing tumors, ridding one of pimples and curing heart ailments. According to Greek mythology, it can even keep you from being turned into a pig. Buy garlic bulbs at a nursery or from a seed catalog. Plant the cloves 2 inches deep, fat end down, in well-cultivated, organically rich soil. Don't fertilize until March, and then feed with a liquid, high-nitrogen fish fertilizer every two weeks until the summer solstice. At that point stop fertilizing and begin weaning the plants off water. In July, when there are only three or so leaves left on each plant, it's time to harvest. Allow the bulbs to cure in a dry, well-ventilated location for a week or so, and then begin eating lots of it. You'll live a long life, without the worry of turning into a pig.

Divide herbaceous peonies to make new plants

Herbaceous peonies started my gardening career. When I was a kid, a neighbor woman was the state champion peony grower. Unfortunately, I was a 10-year-old "budding" baseball star and I hit every peony bud for a home run two days before the big state fair peony competition. For punishment, I helped her in the garden all summer, and since she burst into tears every time she looked at me, I began to realize there was value in flowers. Peonies can live for more than a hundred years and they never need dividing, but if you want to make new plants, this is the time to do it. Cut and remove the old stems. Then carefully dig the clump. Shake off excess soil and wash the roots with a hard spray of water. You may need to use a knife or old pruning saw to divide the clump, but don't be surprised if it just falls apart. Discard worn-out, shriveled bulbs and try to keep at least three to five bulbs in each division. Replant in an open, sunny, well-drained location, after working in plenty of organic compost. Make sure the buds are right at the soil surface. As long as there are no budding baseball stars in your neighborhood, your new peonies should begin blooming within a couple of years.