UT Gardens, Knoxville

Need a Christmas gift for a gardener? How about a King of Spades 18-inch DuraRake? If you bought or received the King of Spade Diamond Point Spade last year for Christmas as we suggested and fell in love with it, you'll love the rake just as much. Its high-quality all metal construction means you can leave it in your will. It is made from aircraft-quality tubing, with a replaceable head. At the UT Gardens in Jackson, we are now using many of the W.W. Manufacturing/King of Spades tools. Once you use their products, you will not want any others. They are costly, but well-worth it. If you live in the Knoxville area, Knoxville Seed on Rutledge Pike sells King of Spades products. They may not stock the full line, but they should be able to get many of the products for you. For more information visit: http://www.americangardentools.com or http://kingofspadesonline.com

Check out the sale racks at your local garden center for bulbs that have been reduced in price. If they feel firm and are not moldy, they should still be good. Plant them as soon as possible. There is still time for them to get the winter chilling they need.

Winter is a good time to lime your soil if it is acidic. Your local UT Extension office can provide you with instructions on how to take the oil samples and send them to the UT Soil, Plant and Pest Center for analysis. The center staff will analyze your sample and send recommendations for how much lime you need to apply to your lawn and garden. It takes months for lime to react with the soil, so by applying now, you will be helping your spring garden. Pelletized lime is the easiest, least messy form to apply. To contact you UT Extension office visit https://extension.tennessee.edu/Pages/Office-Locations.aspx

If you haven't already winterized your irrigation system, do it right away to avoid broken pipes and costly repairs.

The idea of a living Christmas tree that can be planted outdoors after the holidays often sounds appealing, but without proper selection and care, this can be a disappointing experience. First, you should carefully select a tree that is suited to your part of the state. While white pine, spruce and fir will work in the cooler parts of Tennessee, they should be avoided in the warmer parts. Virginia pine, eastern red cedar, Japanese cedar and Arizona cypress are good choice for all parts of Tennessee. Avoid hemlock and leyland cypress due to numerous problems with insects and disease once they are in the landscape. Any living tree brought indoors should not remain inside longer than five days. One option is to go ahead and put the lights on the tree and enjoy the lights outside before time to bring it indoors. Be sure to keep it well watered, but not standing in water.

Remove frozen plants from pots and hanging baskets and replace them with evergreen boughs, branches with colorful bark or berries, and interesting seed heads from perennials and ornamental grasses. Leave the soil in place and push the cut tems into the soil. Be sure the pots are made from fiberglass, concrete, plastic or some other material that will not be affected by freezing temperatures.

Small hollies, conifers, twisted willow and redtwig dogwoods make great additions to winter pots and can be added to the garden come spring.