'Tis December

I couldn't help but notice that when I woke this morning it was December 1. Are you also wondering where the year went? Ten minutes ago I was transplanting tomatoes, five minutes ago I was harvesting them! Va bene, that's Italian for it's all right. The tomato seed catalogs arrived this past week along with an armload of other garden wish books. That's what they are - wish catalogs or serious eye candy for the undecided or have to have it gardener. In a matter of days (maybe hours) the pages will be dog-eared, bookmarked or ripped out and framed in anticipation of spring 2019.

This is the month it truly sinks in that the outdoor landscape is mostly shades of brown, grey and white. Brilliant sunny, Colorado clear days are interspersed with the occasional all day cloudy cast of dull. Winds seem to be either nonexistent or supersized. No sense complaining about the wind, weather and sky - it will officially be winter in another few weeks. This is the time for patience and a strong back because I am hoping for snow and lots of it to shovel, saturate our parched soil and satisfy our garden souls. 

In the meantime...let's focus on Indoor Planting which also works for Seasonal Decorating and Centerpieces

Below are some points from my recent Denver Post Punch List article about indoor holiday planting -

Pink Cyclamen, White Kalanchoe take the blooming show!

• Traditional holiday plants like poinsettias, cyclamen and rosemary are never out of style this time of year and they look perfect placed around the house. This holiday mix it up with your own combination dish garden planting made with houseplants combined with seasonal plants. They also make attractive centerpieces and are conversation starters. 

• The colorful pink cyclamen planting includes white kalanchoe, trailing ivy, dracaena, palm, schefflera and peace lily house plants. It will bloom for several weeks and look beautiful well into next year. 

• Just like planting an outdoor container, consider the same general rules for a mixed holiday dish garden - thriller (tall), filler (round out the middle) and spiller (edging). Or toss out the rules and let your creative side make the rules and choose the plants. Just try to vary leaf shapes along with a complementary color scheme - not hard to do with so many red, white and green plants out there. 

• Choose a container that drains if possible. No worries if it doesn't, just layer the bottom with an inch or so of fine pebbles and charcoal. The charcoal helps with drainage and absorbs odors. You'll find bags of charcoal designated for indoor planting at garden centers. Use fresh potting soil and some slow release granular fertilizer to keep the plants happy and blooming well into the New Year.

  

  'Red Glitter' Poinsettia, Lemon Cypress, 'Electric Lime' Coleus

• If you don't have a container from your own cache, consider a lined basket or purchase one while you're plant shopping. At the garden center head over to the seasonal plant department area first and choose what catches your eye.

• On my recent shopping trip I looked at the fun poinsettia colors and shades. The bright greens and blotchy poinsettia spoke to me. Have fun, you might need to do more than one container because once you start coordinating plants and colors, it's hard to stop at one.

• Try to choose plants with similar watering and light needs, just read the tag or ask one of the sales people.  

• Don't forget to add some seasonal do dads if that's your style. In the photo above I added a small red cardinal bird, some small ornaments and pine cones around one side. 

• The container to the right is a mass of tiny red pepper plants that were on the sale table at the garden center. I couldn't resist the cute little things so massed them in a large, round container.

• The beautiful holiday container below was planted by a popular Denver independent garden center. They used a decorative metal basket. The plants include a red poinsettia, peace lily, Norfolk pine, nerve plant (Fittonia albivenis) and ivy.