The Winchendon Courier
Serving the community since 1878 ~ A By Light Unseen Media publication
Week of December 31, 2020 to January 7, 2021

Gardening

Do-it-Yourself Holiday Centerpiece

Moon Valley Pilea plant
Moon Valley Pilea is a moisture-loving plant that prefers high humidity but will tolerate average home humidity.
Photo credit: MelindaMyers.com


Holidays are filled with new plants and decorations that often find our houseplants relegated to any out of the way available space. Be sure to keep your houseplants looking their best with proper winter care.

Make sure houseplants receive sufficient light now and throughout the winter. The shorter, often gray days of winter mean less light reaches our plants. Start by moving plants to the sunniest available window. A south-facing window is usually best, but if it is obstructed by trees, awnings or shears it may be no better than an unobstructed window facing another direction.

If brightly lit locations are limited in your home, try rotating plants between high and low light areas. Switching plants every few weeks usually keeps them growing healthy. Give the pots a turn every few weeks to ensure each side of the plant has time facing the light. This encourages even growth and discourages stems stretching toward the light.

Consider supplementing natural light with artificial light when light is limited. Newer styles that clip onto pots, are mounted on the wall, or tucked into furniture grade stands make them attractive and easier to use. And now LED plant lights are more affordable, longer lasting and use less energy.

Humidity is the other winter stress. Many of our houseplants are tropical and require higher humidity than our homes provide. As we turn up the heat, the humidity declines.

Boost the humidity around your plants by displaying them together. As one plant loses moisture, the others will benefit. Add a gravel tray for additional humidity. Fill a tray or saucer with pebbles and water. Then set the plant on the pebbles elevated above the water. As the water evaporates, it increases humidity around the plant.

Adjust your watering schedule to fit the conditions in your home. Always water thoroughly but only as needed. Use your finger to check the soil moisture below the soil surface. Water moisture-loving plants, like Moon Valley Pilea, when the top few inches are barely moist. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry for cacti and succulents. And always pour off excess water that collects in the saucer. Or use gravel trays to capture the excess water, eliminating this task.

Most houseplants do fine in the same temperatures we prefer. They do not tolerate drafts of hot air from heat vents or cold air from windows and doors. Move plants as needed to avoid drafty locations.

Never trap houseplants between the curtain or blinds and the window. The temperature can be significantly colder, resulting in injury and even death of some plants. Place plants on a table near the window or windowsill extension, leaving room to close the window coverings at night.

Wait until spring to fertilize. Plants do not need as many nutrients when their growth is limited by less-than-ideal winter conditions. As the outdoor growing conditions improve with longer days and brighter light, so do those indoors.

You will be rewarded with healthier, more attractive plants when giving them the care they need this winter. And as you tend your indoor garden, you will help fight the winter blues.

Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Antiques

Antiques, Collectibles, and Auctions in 2021

Auction in Carlisle


2020 was a difficult year for everyone, and antique collectors and dealers were no exception. I am a member of several auctioneer and estate liquidator groups and have the chance to hear from other business owners across the country. Some members have lost family to COVID, most have struggled financially, and all have had to adapt to working in this new environment. Locally, it has also been a challenge for auctioneers, antique dealers and estate sale companies with regulations constantly in flux throughout the year. With the recent approval of vaccines, there is optimism that 2021 will be a much better year for those buying and selling antiques and collectibles.

As the New Year begins, some auction houses running live auctions are extending preview hours and offering previews on multiple days to ensure there won’t be a large number of bidders gathering together at once. Some auctioneers are allowing only a small number of bidders to attend the auction in person. Other bidders are required to leave absentee bids or bid by phone.

When the warm weather returns this spring, I expect we will see auctioneers return to outdoors sales, like some did during the summer and fall of 2020. Many other auction houses (like ours) have switched to all online auctions. When the situation improves, auctioneers will have to determine whether they want to switch back to live auctions this coming year or to continue running auctions online.

Some estate sale companies continue to run live estate sales by limiting the number of people who can enter the estate, requiring masks, social distancing and offering hand sanitizer. Many other estate sale companies have switched to online auctions instead of traditional estate (tag) sales. Others are offering items from estates online with fixed prices. You can purchase items outright and then make arrangements to pick up your items(s). Some estate sale companies may also reevaluate how they’ve done business in the past and determine how to move forward in 2021.

How things will change in 2021 is partially dependent on the distribution of the COVID vaccine. The Massachusetts timeline for COVID vaccinations shows that Phase One is taking place now through February, Phase Two from February to April and Phase Three from April to June. Connecticut plans to offer vaccinations for members of the general public early in the summer.

This timeline gives us hope that we may be able to walk the fields of Brimfield in September, possibly even by July. In what may be another promising sign for us, the Malvern Flea Market recently opened in England. It is scheduled to run on weekends throughout 2021. The distribution of the new vaccine and the good news from our friends across the pond should provide optimism to antique fans throughout New England. Thank you for reading my column in 2020. Happy New Year to all as we look forward to a better 2021!

The first session of a huge toy collection, all from one estate, is taking place online now. We are currently selling the diecast cars. Most are unopened and in their original boxes. Vintage and antique toys will be sold in later sessions. We will be offering the equestrian and other paintings from artist Fay Moore’s estate in another online auction soon. Keep watching www.centralmassauctions.com for details.

Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com (508-612- 6111) info@centralmassauctions.com