I long for the sunshine and warmth that the longer days of summer bring. So when the winter solstice hits it’s comforting to know that the days will be getting longer, and summer will eventually get here.

I need my daily fill of sunshine, and the short winter days and cold weather make it hard to soak in enough light.

It’s time to break out the garden catalogs and plans, to start dreaming of next summer’s garden, just knowing that the days are getting longer are enough inspiration to start dreaming of my next garden.

Happy winter solstice! If you’re in the southern hemisphere happy summer solstice!

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

Legend has it that holly helps to ward of bad spirits, that’s where the tradition to add holly to holiday decorations began. Many believed that a sprig or two of holly added to the door, or entryway would help keep evil out of the house. So add a couple sprigs of holly to a wreath, a vase, or a table centerpiece for beautiful red and green holiday cheer (and to keep the dark side away).

Holly berry bushes are easy to grow, and can provide you with several snips of holly this time of year without anyone even noticing there are branches missing. If you plant holly it’s a good practice to plant more than one. Holly berry has male and female plants, and only the females produce berries.

So how do you tell the difference between male and female holly? You can only reliably tell the difference in the spring when they’re blooming. A male holly plant produces flowers with yellow stamens in the center. The female holly has flowers with a fat green center. Planting several holly bushes will increase the chances that you have both male and female plants for the beautiful winter berries.

Image(c) L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

I have a wonderful sunny window in the living room where I usually put my poinsettia, and the sunlight (and a little care from me) usually keeps my poinsettias looking good through the winter months. I always notice they start fading away in the spring no matter what I do.

I’ve never been successful at making them re-bloom. I’ve gotten a tiny red leaf or two, but I’ve never gotten a poinsettia to look as fabulous the next year for Christmas. They’re usually just green and still growing.

I usually put my poinsettias outside for the summer in their pots, or repot them into one of my container gardens. Sometimes I bring them back in for the fall, but other times I leave them for the frost to take them away.

If anyone out there has had success with re-blooming their poinsettias I’d love to hear about it. I just buy a new one each holiday season to fill my house with Christmas cheer.

Image L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

I do have a couple plants in my house blooming this month, not many. There’s nothing blooming outside any more. We’ve had some freezing cold days in the last couple weeks, with temperatures in the single digits (brrr!).

Here’s what’s blooming at my house in December.

I bought a beautiful salmon colored poinsettia at the store the other day, because it just doesn’t feel like Christmas at my house unless I have a poinsettia blooming happily in my living room window.

I also have a couple geraniums blooming away. A light pink one in the laundry room.

And a hot pink one adding cheer to the kitchen.

I have an amaryllis sprouting in the laundry room but it’s not nearly ready to bloom yet.

What’s blooming in your house or garden this month? Check out what’s blooming in other gardens at May Dreams Gardens official Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post.

Images (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

I keep my houseplants on a once a week watering schedule. About once a month it’s also good to give them a good look over to check for any pests or bugs that may have found them. Look for telltale signs like droopy, or brown leaves, or little white spots. If you find pests on your houseplants give them a good spray with some insecticidal soap.

If your plants are getting powdery mildew, or some other kind of fungus you might make sure they’re drying out fairly well between waterings, and that they’re in a well ventilated area.

In the early spring just before your houseplants start to grow again it’s a great time to repot plants that have outgrown their space, or to divide plants that are too crowded.

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

Then January hits and everything comes to a standstill. That’s when I start to get garden fever, or the winter blues, whatever you want to call it. I’m ready for spring! I’m done with winter and ready to start heading outside to the garden again.

That’s when I dive into the seed catalogs and check out all the new and wonderful plant varieties that are available. I love to see what’s shiny and new in the plant world.

It definitely gives me something to look forward to during the long winter months until I get to head out to the garden again in the spring.

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Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

I thought I’d put together a list of gift ideas for the bird lovers on your Christmas list.

• If you feel like making your own gift make up a 6 pack or a dozen bird seed ornaments for your recipient to hang on the trees in their back yard.
• Make them a bird feeder.
• Make up some bird feed in a jar, put a bow on top or tie a ribbon around it and you’re ready to go.
• If you’re looking for a unique bird feeder check out this Garden Angel bird feeder at Amazon from 7Gifts I think it’s adorable.

Do you have a bird lover on your Christmas list this year?

Image L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

The snow was very pretty while it lasted. It looked like Mother Nature decorated for Christmas for a day or two. It finally put me in the mood for Christmas, and I’ve been decorating and baking the last few days.

I’m always ready for the hustle and bustle of Christmas, but as soon as it’s over I’m ready for spring. I’m all for skipping the rest of the winter.

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

Here are my 2010 garden plans and goals:

• I didn’t plant enough plants for fall decorating this year. I want to plant more gourds, broom corn, strawflowers, and other plants and flowers to dry and use for decorating next year.
• Ditto on cutting flowers. I love fresh flowers in a vase on my kitchen table, so I’m going to plant more flowers to cut this summer for indoor enjoyment.
• In my vegetable garden I want to include plenty of onions, tomatoes, peppers, beets and a couple plants of squash, pumpkin, melon and cucumber. Maybe one row of green beans, and a little sweet corn.
• I’d also like to revamp my kitchen herb garden, it’s been there for about 5 years now, some plants have died back and not returned, others seem to be taking over. I think I’m going to give it a major overhaul this spring.
• I have a new plan for landscaping around my house this spring that involves removing some perennials along one side and replacing them with some evergreen bushes. I’ve been thinking about making the change for a couple years, so I think this spring I’ll take the plunge.

What are your gardening plans and goals for 2010?

Garden Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden

For me it’s good to plan things out a little before the garden seed catalogs start arriving in the mailbox every day and filling my head full of new and exciting plants I think I might need to try. If I go into it with a plan I’m less likely to over buy when the seed catalogs start piling up beside my comfy chair.

I’ve been working on my garden plans for 2010, I’ll be back tomorrow with what I’m planning in my garden for the new year.

Have you started thinking about your 2010 garden yet?

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Mother Earth's Garden