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In a mild winter, the sasanqua camellia will begin to bloom within a month. In the coldest of winters, I’ve found that the buds refuse to open quite so early, as if holding out for a sign of mercy from Mother Nature. Either way, these winter-blooming camellias will grace us with their richly textured flowers long before most other plants dare to bloom. “Yuletide” is a wonderful variety for the entry garden. With single, red flowers, bright yellow anthers and deep evergreen foliage, this plant fits perfectly into the holiday decorating scheme.
Viburnum “Pink Dawn” will flower in early winter, even after every leaf falls from the shrub. The tiny clusters of reversed, bell-shaped flowers pop directly out of bare branches. The subtle scent reminds me of cotton candy and the flowers are the color of pink spun sugar. The witch hazel also blooms in winter. I connect the name with the plant because of the shape of its metallic, bronzy flowers. Like the gnarled hand of a wicked witch, the spindly, finger-like petals reach out of bare wood in defiance of the coldest weather of the year.
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If you have a lot of plants in pots, especially large plants such as trees, shrubs and mixed perennial plantings, invest in a mid- to heavy weight furniture dolly. I find this item an indispensable tool in my garden, especially in this season when plants are moved from porches and decks to a more sheltered location. It makes moving the heaviest pots a breeze. Not only do you avoid lifting heavy pots and planters up and into a wheelbarrow or wagon, but you can easily maneuver in and out of tight spaces with limited access.
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Here are a few traditional folk sayings for the season from numerous sources, including the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Foxfire series and the North Carolina Folklore Society:
• A warm November is the sign of a bad winter.
• If animals have an especially thick coat of fur, it will be a cold winter.
• The more black than brown a woolly worm has and the wider the black stripe, the worse the winter. (Does anyone know the typical size of a woolly worm’s black stripe?)
• If berries or nuts are plentiful, it will be a hard winter.
• It will be a bad winter if trees keep their leaves until late in the fall.
• When squirrels bury their nuts early, it will be a hard winter.
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Daffodils should be planted as soon as they are purchased in the fall. Poor storage can damage the flower bud or actually kill the bulb. Daffodils do best in ordinary garden soils that do not hold too much water. The bulbs tend to rot in areas with wet soil. Choose a well-drained area or modify the earth with the addition of organic material and extra drainage.
Robb Rosser is a WSU-certified master gardener. Reach him at Write2Robb@aol.com