Houseplants will soon show new growth

Fertilize houseplants as they begin new growth. Try low dosages of organic fertilizers or a very dilute, balanced granular fertilizer, rather than stronger formulas at this time of year.

Telltale white salt markings on terra cotta pots indicate the overuse of fertilizer or improper watering. Flush out the soil of over-fertilized plants with plain water as the buildup of salts from fertilizer can damage the plants.

• Consider using a free-standing plastic composter to compost in your garden. Continue putting organic material from the kitchen in the composter during the winter, and because it keeps material secured, dogs and other animals cannot get into it.

Compost is the end product of composting; a process where organic matter is collected, mixed and allowed to decompose. Compost can be used to amend soil, or as a mulch layer on garden beds and around trees. In nature, deciduous leaves create a mulch layer that eventually decomposes. Like human-made compost, this natural recycling process returns nutrients to the soil and improves soil structure, and it is one reason why native plants growing in natural ecosystems usually do not need more fertilizer than nature provides.

Composting reduces the amount of garden debris that ends up in landfills and improves your garden's soil.

• Cyclamen plants will continue to bloom for a few weeks if they are kept in a north window in a cool room (55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit) and watered enough to keep the soil evenly moist and never soggy. Avoid splashing the crown of the plant or the foliage, as this can promote disease. Remove fading flowers and their stems as needed.

Most gardeners find it too difficult to force the plant to bloom again the following season. Those willing to take the challenge should follow these suggestions. As foliage and flowers begin to fade, withhold water. Remove all dead foliage from the tuber, clean off the soil, and store the tuber in peat moss or vermiculite in a dark, cool (50 degrees) spot for its dormant period. Later in spring or early summer, check the tuber for new growth. As soon as growth begins, repot the tuber with its top half exposed and bottom half buried in fresh soilless mix.

Resume normal watering and fertilize with a dilute 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 mix twice a month. Cyclamen benefits from summers spent outside in a protected spot in the garden where it receives morning sun. Bring the plant indoors before there is a frost in fall.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.