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by Rett Davis | |
Gardening Q&A by Rett Davis appears in
Alamance County's daily newspaper, The Times-News,
every Sunday in the Accent section. Each week's installment is
posted to this
website, beginning with January of this year. Scroll to the bottom of
this page to navigate to other Gardening Q&As. Please contact
Rett via e-mail with questions
or
comments in regard to this column.
Answer:
Christmas tree harvest begins the first week of November. This
fact alone makes it hard to keep these trees fresh through Christmas.
However you can shop around for trees that are much fresher. Try to
find a Christmas tree lot or dealer that is bringing fresh cut trees in
every week. We have many retail lots here in Alamance that are
replenished weekly. Some of the lots are operated by the growers
themselves. You can do the simple tests of grabbing a limb and pulling
it through your hand to see if many needles come off. You can also
raise the tree a foot or so and drop it to see how many needles fall
off. If you are satisfied with the freshness on the lot then you are halfway
there. Now the important part begins. Have an employee at the lot trim
several inches off of the trunk. This fresh cut will absorb water
better. When you take it home do not put it up immediately. Place the
tree in a 5 gallon bucket full of fresh water. Place the tree out of
the sun and preferably on the north side of the house for a few days.
Keep the 5 gallon bucket full of water. The tree will absorb a lot of
water in that period. You can also spray a fire retardent or anti
transparent material on the tree if you desire. Once you move the tree
indoors keep the tree stand full of water. I typically add one quart a
day. Do not let the tree go for several days without water. There is
no need to add Sprite or aspirin to the water. Research has shown that
nothing works as well as fresh water. Other little suggestions include
closing the heat duct near the tree and close the blinds on the tree
during the day.
Question:
It is time to feed the birds again. However every spring my
husband complains about all the weeds that come up under the bird
feeder. Is it true you can microwave the bird seed to kill all the weed
seed that is in the bird seed? Several people have recommended this to
us.
Answer:
There really is very little if any weed seed in bird feed.
However the seeds that make up bird feed develop into weedy like
plants. Millet and milo will germinate into grass like plants.
Sunflowers and niger seed (thistle) develop into broadleaf plants. So
you can actually call them weeds if the bird feeder is in a garden or
natural area. Yes microwaving can kill the germination of the seed.
But how impractical this recommendation is. If you go through the bird
feed like I do, I would have to spend hours microwaving bird seed.
Unless you have a microwave that can handle 25 to 50 pound bags at a
time forget this idea. I got in trouble soon after I got married by
sterilizing soil in the oven. The smell of roasting earthworms, fungi,
and soil bacteria remains in the house for hours. Although microwaving
seed will have no odor it I just can't see the practicality in this.
This past year when all the uneaten seeds germinated below the feeder I
weeded it out and spared the sunflowers. They made a great addition to
the garden as did the gold finches that appeared in mid-July.
Question:
I am in the commercial lawn care business. I have always
followed your recommendations on fertilizing fescue the first week of
December. However I have been told that it really makes no difference
whether to use a quick releases nitrogen fertilizer or a slow release.
Is there a difference?
I have both products I could use.
Answer:
The slow release component of turf fertilizer will range from
6% to 50% of the total fertilizer in the bag. The various materials
used to make the nitrogen component slow release will vary. Some
coverings will weather away while others require microbial action from
microbes in the soil. When soil temperatures begin to drop below 40
degrees the soil microbes become inactive. Therefore it has been a
general recommendation to use turf fertilizers that contain the faster
acting nitrogen fertilizers in early winter. These fertilizers will
contain most of their nitrogen in the ammonium or urea form. Homeowners
can find this in 10-10-10, 17-17-17, and 12-12-12. I would use a turf
fertilizer that has a majority of its nitrogen in the fast release form
for this time of the year.
Question:
I have an area that is in light shade. I need some screening
trees to block some unpleasant views my neighbor has created. What kind
of tree can I use that is evergreen and will grow in light shade?
Answer:
There are very few to choose from. My choices would be Norway
spruce, Eastern hemlock, Japanese cryptomeria, and Deodara cedar. They
will all grow in light shade. Avoid using pines, leyland cypress, red
cedar, and magnolias. These trees will live but will remain stunted and
perform poorly. If you can find Laurel oak anywhere it is worth a try.
This oak is semi evergreen and will grow here. Darlington would be the
preferred cultivar of Laurel oak.
TREE SEEDLINGS
If you need only a few tree seedlings of either white pines or loblolly
pines then you are in luck. The Alamance Soil and Water Conservation
District is selling them in bundles of 25 for $5. Place your order by
calling them at 228-1753 ext. 3. These seedlings can be used for
borders, screens, beautification, and erosion control.
Gardening Q&A Navigation Options
If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis