Dear Husband just rolls his eyes when we're going to be away from the house for an extended period and I'm obsessing about how my "pets" – my 12 ferns plus a few dozen miscellaneous plants – will manage to survive without me. Last summer I made a marvelous discovery: Our back yard stream served well as a watering vehicle while we traveled east. All my pets were smiling when we returned after 2 ½ weeks. But this time of year that's not an option. Ferns don't take too kindly to 5 degrees and 8 inches of snow.

How much to water and fertilize container plants is an oft-asked question. When I was taking the Master Gardener training, I remember the instructor telling us that under watering, overwatering and over-fertilizing produced almost exactly the same symptoms! I've drowned or parched many a plant before I figured out its aqueous needs.

Over-fertilizing container-grown plants results in high concentrations of soluble salts in the potting medium which damage roots by slowing the net flow of water into them and by predisposing the plants to root diseases.

Signs of over-fertilization:

1. Crust of fertilizer on soil and pot surface.
2. Yellowing and wilting lower leaves.
3. Browning leaf tips and margins.
4. Browned or blackened limp roots.
5. Defoliation.
6. Very slow or no growth.

Symptoms of overwatering:

• 2 – 6 above
• The soil feels wet to the touch and you haven't recently watered it
• A fermenting or rotting smell indicating decomposing roots. Healthy roots will be white or light yellow in color and firm. Damaged, rotting roots will be brown or black and soft

Symptoms of underwatering:

• 2 – 6 above
• Pot feels light pot for the size when you lift it

There is no one simple answer to this question of how much to water and fertilize. Here are several guidelines to follow:

• During the months of November through March, give the plants a break from fertilizer to provide a rest period.
• Plants in a warm, dry, sunny location or inside a dry house near a heating vent during the winter need more frequent watering.
• A large plant in a small pot will need water more often.
• Flowering plants and rapidly-growing plants dry out quickly.
• Different soil mixes require different watering schedules.
• Water evaporates more quickly from clay pots than from plastic pots.
• Not all plants need the same amount of moisture; some like to dry out between waterings, others need to be kept moist.

Many of the plants you purchase in stores have a very light soil containing much peat moss which dries out quickly, then is difficult to remoisten. I usually re-pot those plants with a good potting mix into a slightly larger pot.

Water thoroughly every time you water a plant. Apply enough water to moisten the entire soil volume, plus a little extra to run out the bottom to leach soluble salts out of the container.

All my plants are in saucers to hold excess water that drains from the bottom of the pot. I have spread a layer of pebbles in the bottom of the saucer deep enough to keep the bottom of the container out of the water so it won't soak up the mineral-laden water. An added bonus of the watered pebbles is to provide extra moisture to your house in the winter, reducing static shocks, flyaway hair, dry lips, nose and skin. Not to mention that with the added moisture, your house feels warmer. If you don't have pebbles, about half an hour after watering, discard any water in the saucer.

You can use the feel and color of the soil as a guide in watering indoor plants. Plant roots are usually in the bottom 2/3 of the pot. For most plants, do not water until the bottom 2/3 starts to dry out slightly. You can't tell this by looking, so you have to feel the soil. When the top 1/2 inch of the soil (in containers up to 8 to10 inches in diameter) feels dry, the plant probably needs watering.

Tap water at room temperature is acceptable for watering. I have beauteous decorative plastic gallon milk jugs sitting beside my plants so the chlorine can evaporate overnight. Avoid softened water since it contains sodium that can increase the soluble salt levels in the soil.

If you have a sad-looking plant, after checking its roots, you can decide your plan of action. If the roots are reasonably healthy, allow the roots to dry out a bit or re-hydrate. If the roots have begun to rot, hold a small funeral by your compost bin and start over with a new plant.

MASTER GARDENERS OFFER FREE LANDSCAPING WORKSHOPS

When you look out at your now-brown garden, do you think, "I REALLY would like to do something different this year"? Well, here's your chance at two FREE workshops to get you started.

Mark these two Saturdays on your calendar–February 23^rd and March 1, 9 - 11 a.m. Master Gardeners will conduct " Getting Ready for Spring" sessions at the Douglas Hart Nature Center. Sign up by calling the Nature Center (235-4644) to reserve a spot.

Session 1 will concentrate on designing or redesigning your garden space and what to consider when making your plans. Content: The Bare Bones, Making a list and checking it twice, The Back Bones, Design Consideration, Make a Map.

Session 2–The Plants. Things to consider when selecting plants, The Back Bones: Trees and Shrubs, etc., The Little Bones: Annuals, Perennials, etc. This will be a nice jump-start to getting ready for spring.