No December Downtime

For many people, December is downtime, at least in the garden. It’s a month when we all plan and enjoy Christmas with our families and probably put off garden chores. Most of them can wait anyway.

December is anything but downtime for me. On our 17-acre citrus ranch, we are picking fruit like crazy, everything from Meyer lemons to mandarins to bergamot sour oranges. And that’s just during the day. At night, I’m trying to protect the same fruit from cold damage. The first part of the month has been colder than normal, with temperatures into the upper 20s. That’s cutting it close for most citrus. For protection, we run water and wind machines, which can raise temperatures by a degree or two. So far I think we’ve come through unscathed. Keep your fingers crossed.

December is also when I start to prepare for this year’s Tournament of Roses. This is seventh year Bayer Advanced has had a float in the parade, and this year I’m going to be riding on it. Oh boy! You can find out more about the float, Red Carpet of Roses, on the float information page. It’s going to have many great garden roses, including celebrity roses like ‘Betty Boop’ and ‘Paul McCartney’, and we’ll be introducing the 2007 All America Rose Selections. It’s going to be fun. Make sure you watch on New Year’s morning.

In the meantime, have a Merry Christmas!

Lance Walheim video podcast

Watch Lance Walheim's video podcast about Bayer Advanced Brush Control.

Orange isn't so bad.

I've always told people to have a color theme when they plan their garden. It gives a garden order and prevents it from looking like a box of Crayolas left outside on a hot summer day. In my own garden, I concentrate on red, pink, white and gray, leaving out yellow and orange. But thanks to the test roses I get every year from various nurseries, I've changed my thinking a bit. Some of the most beautiful bouquets I've made recently have included some orange roses. My favorite combos- “About Face,” “Livin’ Easy,” “Hot Cocoa” and “Orange Marmalade”. Throw in a few “Julia Child” and you really have something. Try it.

Tree Care

How to select, plant, water, and prune your trees -- plus protect them from insects.

Lance Walheim's Tree Care MP3

Wear gloves when you work in the roses.

Two months ago I was picking roses for a bouquet and caught a thorn in the middle finger of my left hand. Man that hurts. Worse, the thorn broke off in my finger and pained me for two months. Just yesterday, it worked its way out. Thank goodness. My finger was killing me for 2 months. I'm a guy who likes to put his hands in the soil (I'll tell you about the slice of potato I got under my fingernail another time) but from now on, I'm using puncture-proof gloves (nurseries have many types) when I work in the roses.

More mulch!

A few weeks ago we were getting ready to shoot some videos in my garden for the Bayer Advanced web site (bayeradvanced.com), so I had to get the garden "TV-ready.” Well it rained (see above) and we had to postpone the shoot, but I'm still enjoying the work I put into the garden. It never ceases to amaze me how far a little mulch will go to make a garden look better. A pickup truck full of ground bark spread around the garden makes everything look so neat and clean. Remember that when you're expecting guests or planning an outdoor party.

Caring For Your Shrubs

Learn the correct way to plant and care for shrubs – the most versatile plants in landscaping.

Lance Walheim's Shrub Care MP3