It's getting lighter again. Here's what that means for your plants

The winter solstice is behind us and we can start enjoying the increase in daylight. Whew.

This sounds silly, of course, unless you live in Alaska. It's only been a day or so. I like to think while Outsiders can hardly notice the change in day length a seasoned Alaskan can. I assure you plants do.

All of a sudden, instead of plunging into shorter and shorter days working to store food, our indoor plants, at least, start to go in the other direction. All manner of things happen inside your houseplants when the days start to get longer. Growth is an amazing thing.

What this means is you should take advantage of the lengthening days. For example, over the next month, you can pay attention to pelargonium plants (commonly, but incorrectly, called "geraniums") in order to get them in shape for spring.

Start with the ones you took indoors and allowed to continue to grow. They may have bloomed and some may even be in bloom now. Leave those that have not by a south-facing window and they will.

Take cuttings from these plants if you want to have some more that are a decent size for spring and summer. One reason you might want to do this is to have more plants with the identical color and type of bloom. Another is to have a plant that doesn't look like a start just purchased from the nursery — and which will need two months to get to bloom.

Take cuttings of at least 3 inches in length. There should be leaves on the tip and two or three sets of additional leaves. Take off the bottom set of leaves. Let the cut heal for 48 hours exposed to air. Then root in the cuttings in damp sand or Perlite so they can be potted up into 4-inch pots (filled with sand and compost (after being dipped in endomycorrhizal fungi, right?) a few weeks later.

There is no reason you couldn't retrieve a few or all of the pelargonium plants you stored (the ones hanging upside down in bags in the dark) and get them growing too. They will provide some early blooms and you can later take cuttings from them for later summer's use or to bring indoors next fall. Just pot them up in 6-inch pots and cut sections off as you move down the dead stem until you find live tissue. Obviously, let them have some good light.

I don't have to tell folks that amaryllis shine during our lengthening days. They are just about the only flower I know that doesn't need very much light, so you can expect to get a 3- or 4-inch set of flowers without doing anything except watering and exposing the bulb to window light. You will find these on sale from now through February. Get them while you can. If you have one in storage, by all means get it out, water it and expose it to our lengthening days.

Finally, cyclamen are not quite making it as a holiday plant, but that doesn't stop folks from trying to sell them as such. No matter. They make great winter plants and will continue to bloom for the next three months as days lengthen. Keep their soil slightly moist and pick off spent buds.

And don't forget you! You respond to the increasing day length too. Even just the thought of it is thrilling.

Jeff’s Alaska Garden Calendar

Happy holidays: Happy Holidays friends! Thank you for welcoming me into your home every Friday.

Christmas tree recycling: Yes, you will be able to recycle your trees thanks to the Alpar gang. More details after the holiday, but if you need to know, go to http://www.alparalaska.com/wp/. (You can find info here about recycling nonworking Christmas lights too.)

Sweet Peas: Time to order yours for early planting a la Rene Shepherd's great advice. I usually get mine from her (www.reneesgarden.com/).

Best gift for gardeners: A family or individual membership in the Alaska Botanical Garden. It is easy and it is one thing every single gardener you know will use. Did I say easy? http://alaskabg.org/get-involved/membershipalaskabotanicalgarden/

YIPEE!: My new book is finally out! "Teaming With Fungi; The Organic Grower's Guide to Mycorrhizae."