by Gary Crispell, EMGV

December 2020
Finally, is here.
Let’s hope it’s a time
Of goodwill and cheer.

A time of peace
A time to be jolly,
Decorate the house
With red and green holly  (Ilex sps).

Let’s celebrate
So many things,
A festival of lights,
The birth of a king.

Kwanza will fill us
With hope and cheer,
And the 31^st
Will conclude this strange year.

But before it gets COLD
And the ground hardens,
There are things you can do
Out in your gardens.

Lawn
If your lawn is Fescue
Or Kentucky blue,
There’s still some mowing
You’ll need to do.

Not too short;
Four inches is neat.
Or there’ll be more weeds
You’ll have to defeat.

And speaking of broadleaf
Weeds to be slam(ba)
Try 2-4D
And/or dicamba.

Always, always
Follow package directions
In order to prevent
A lawn insurrection.

Fertilizing
Check the results
Of your SOIL TEST
To see how much
Lime would be best.

Planting
If in your Spring garden
Blooming bulbs shall be found,
Now is the time
To put the bulbs in the ground.

Even though
The sun’s rays are slanting,
It’s not too late
For Fall plant planting.

Trees and shrubs
And things that bloom,
Somewhere in the garden
There must be some room!

Pruning
You can prune again
Now that it’s cold.
Remove those branches
That have gotten too old.

Shape those non-blooming shrubs
Make ‘em real nice
Before they get covered
In snow or ice.

Spraying
If there are bugs
Still left to foil
Give them a shot
Of horticultural oil.

Then clear out the sprayer
And hang it to dry.
You won’t need it again
Until Spring is nigh.

Other stuff
Other activities
And gardening fun
For staying outside
In the winter sun.

Look at the garden
Is there mulch to be spread
To protect the plants
And enhance the bed?

And what of that spot
Right over there?
Does it need a plant
To make it less bare?

And if it’s too cold
Outside to be,
There are seed catalogues
That have to be read.

And when it’s all done
Find a good book
Grab a hot cup of something
And curl up in a nook.

Happy holidays, y’all! Here’s to a great 2021!