How to treat roses when fungus is among us

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• January jobs in the garden: Plant, prune, prepare

  January jobs in the garden: Plant, prune, prepare

  Q. What tasks should I be doing in my garden in January? — Philomena Reid

  A: If you’re interested in working off that holiday fare, look no further than your garden. January is a quiet month, especially on the first, and meditation is never better than when working outdoors. But just because you have survived the holidays does not mean that it is now the time to sit back and watch the weeds grow.

  The Rose Parade may be inviting, but planting a rose bush of your own is infinitely more rewarding. January is just the month. Bare-root roses are available and ready to plant. Choose according to growth habit and your growing conditions. Along the coast, disease-resistant varieties thrive in cooler conditions.

• Edible landscaping takes food plants beyond bounds of vegetable patch

  Edible landscaping takes food plants beyond bounds of vegetable patch

  Food plants have jumped the fence from the kitchen garden.

• Zimbabwe rations water to poor after typhoid spell

  Zimbabwe rations water to poor after typhoid spell

  Zimbabwean authorities say they are making sure poor townships get uninterrupted water supplies after a typhoid outbreak, leaving wealthy areas with reduced supplies.

• Drug approved to treat cystic fibrosis' root cause

  Drug approved to treat cystic fibrosis' root cause

  The first drug that treats the root cause of cystic fibrosis won approval Tuesday, offering a life-changing treatment for a handful of patients with the deadly illness and broader hope for thousands more patients with the inherited disease.

• Pointers for permanently planting poinsettias

  Pointers for permanently planting poinsettias

  Q: My Christmas poinsettias usually look good well into the New Year. Will they bloom next year if I plant them in the garden? — Jan Hendrickson, Pismo Beach

  A: Old-fashioned California gardens often featured poinsettias, flowers that exemplified frost-free winters here. However, as people wanted more potted poinsettias for holidays, varieties were developed with large blooms and unusual colors. You may not have the perfect place to grow one outdoors, but they can bloom next year if left in their pots indoors, if you have the necessary time and space.

  During the holiday season place your plants in a bright light but out of direct sunlight and away from drafts. Do not subject them to extremes of temperature. They are happiest in daytime temperatures of around 70 degrees and nights not much lower than 60 degrees. Water them when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch and then water enough so excess water runs out the bottom of the pot.