Wichita Gardener’s Almanac for Feb. 28

Bluebirds of happiness — Anne Duncan of far-east Wichita sent me a photo of bluebirds around her heated birdbath last weekend as it was lightly snowing. The picture was taken from inside the house, through sliding-glass doors. The activity shows how a heated birdbath draws bird crowds — and provides much-needed hydration for them — in the winter. The fact that the birds are blue makes it that much more happy.

Birdhouses — A tip from the Washington Post: “Birdhouses or nest boxes should be constructed, purchased or, in the case of existing boxes, repaired and cleaned out in advance of spring nesting season. Wrens and chickadees are among species drawn to birdhouses that are correctly sized and positioned. More information is available from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.” You can find it at www.birds.cornell.edu.

Easy houseplant propagation — Ward Upham of K-State gives an easy way to propagate a houseplant: Make a slit or hole in the bottom of Styrofoam coffee cup and add moist potting soil. Remove about a 4-inch or smaller piece from the tip of the plant, just below a node. The node is the point where a leaf attaches to the stem.

Remove the leaf or leaves from the bottom node. That is where roots will form. Leave only a few leaves on the whole stem.

Push the bottom of the cutting into the soil, not allowing any leaves to touch the soil. Put three straws in the soil around the edge of the cup and place a plastic bag over the cup like a tent, securing the bag to the cup with a rubber band.

Put the cutting in bright, indirect light and keep it warm; a temperature of 72 degrees is ideal. Roots should form in about 10 days. Check by removing the bag and pulling gently on the cutting. If it doesn’t pull out easily, roots have started to form, and the plastic bag can be left off.

Garden events

Gardening-with-roses lecture — Don Suderman of the Wichita Rose Society will be at Botanica on Wednesday to talk about how to landscape with roses, including coordinating colors, and about the varieties that do well in our climate. The lunchtime lecture, at 12:15, is included in Botanica admission.

Last indoor farmers market of the season — The last Kansas Grown winter market of the season will be March 7 at the Extension Education Center at 21st and Ridge Road. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and admission is free. The outdoor farmers market will open April 4 in the parking lot of the center.

— Annie Calovich

This story was originally published February 27, 2015 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Wichita Gardener’s Almanac for Feb. 28."