Start making a list — of gardening chores

With holiday activities upon us, it leaves little time to do much gardening, but don't let these special days divert your attention. There are still things to do to make gardening easier.

If expecting a frost, cover sensitive plants with a blanket, burlap or cardboard boxes before sunset. Leave it on until it warms up the next day. Avoid covering plants with plastic: it gets up to 10 degrees colder under the covering.

Poinsettias: When purchasing a poinsettia, select one with the center yellow flowers just opening and with deep green leaves. Protect the plant from cold drafts while taking it home. Place it in a sunny location away from air vents and keep the soil moist.

Catalogs: They have always been a stimulant to many gardeners. As you sit by the "fire," select seeds for the upcoming season with enthusiasm and optimism. I've never seen a bad word or picture in a seed catalog. You'll forget about all of last year's difficulties. Get your order in, because planting season is two months away.

Living trees: If you are thinking of buying a living tree, be aware that warmth in your home will cause the tree to break dormancy. So place it on a cool, shady porch until you take it into your home. Mondel and aleppo pines make fine Christmas trees and wonderful additions to landscapes. Or consider giving the tree to your school or a park.

Cut trees: Shop early for a fresh tree. It's fresh if needles remain attached to branches when bent. At home, remove an inch of the trunk base and place the tree in a bucket of water to keep it fresh. Store it in a cool location until you take it inside. Place the tree in a stand full of water to extend its freshness.

Gift ideas: Consider a bag of fertilizer, gardening tools, unusual containers, packets of vegetable seeds, a garden book or a subscription to a garden magazine. Or give a personal "certificate of promise" by helping an elderly couple with their garden next spring.

Luminaries: These decorations are fast becoming a tradition for the festive season and are so easy to do. Place an inch of sand in brown paper sacks to hold up the candles. The lighted candles produce a nice soft, flickering light to illuminate your pathway.

Bare-root plants: Near Christmas, you'll find berries, fruit trees and roses in the nurseries. They cost less and do well if planted before Washington's birthday. Buy early to get the best selection. Look for a plump root system and unbruised trunks and branches. Avoid plants starting to leaf out. Once home, plant them immediately.

Fruit trees: Irrigate your trees monthly until they bloom. If planting new fruit trees, select those with low "chilling hours." If they don't get those essential chilling hours, they will not produce the food of your dreams. If you have citrus, protect them on sub-freezing nights.

Roses: For smaller yards, plant miniature roses in containers. They bloom often. Consider discarding roses you don't like. Prepare new rose beds for spring planting.

Indoor plants: Heating your home quickly dries out your plants, causing leaf margin browning. Water pots if they're light when lifted.

Vegetables: With last season still in mind, list what did well to help prepare for next season. Get your soil ready by incorporating generous amounts of organic matter in the top foot of soil and then let it mellow until planting time. Avoid using steer manure, because it's high in salts.

Compost leaves: To hasten leaf composting, shred them. Also, add soil, which is rich in microorganisms, to the pile, and keep it moist.

Trees and shrubs: Here is how to select plants that are leafless to determine their quality. Examine the root ball for untangled white roots. Look for firm twigs that do not break when bent. Finally, ask about guarantees. Most nurseries ensure their plants for a period of time.

Birds: Attract birds to your garden by putting a feeder in your yard. It's surprising the kinds of birds that will frequent your yard for something to eat.

MAKING WREATHS AND SWAGS

The workshop "Making Your Own Wreaths and Swags" will be offered at 8:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday during December at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. We'll show how to make the decorations from plant material gathered from the preserve's garden for you to take home. I teach the Saturday workshops.

Linn Mills writes a garden column each Sunday. You can reach him at linn.mills@ springspreserve.org or 822-7754.