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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.
Question:
We just got a load of fresh bark delivered but cannot get it out for several weeks. I am concerned about it catching fire because smoke comes off of it every morning. What should we do?
Answer:
The smoke is actually steam. Your bark pile is beginning the composting process that involves billions of microbes. All of that energy gives off heat. Many people do get concerned about spontaneous combustion and the risk of fire. However, in order for this to happen the pile must be higher than 7 feet and reach internal temperatures over 200 degrees before it catches fire. The risk is very minimal for homeowners. Most piles of bark will not get over 150 degrees and they are no where near 7 feet tall or taller. When you do distribute the bark around your plants, be very careful around winter annuals such as pansies and snapdragons. Tender annual and perennial plants are often burned by the hot bark. I have never noticed any damage to trees and shrubs. Another word of caution involves not letting the hot bark fall on turf. It will burn the grass too.
Question:
I would like to purchase a live Christmas tree this year and plant it outside after the holidays. What trees do you recommend?
Answer:
If you want a tree that looks very similar to the popular Fraser fir, then choose a Norway Spruce. Because of our elevation and summer heat, firs do not last more than a few years if planted here. The texture of the Norway spruce is almost identical and there are 1000s growing here now to a ripe old age. You can shear this tree in early summer to keep it in a traditional pyramidal shape for several years. Other popular live trees include the white pine, Leyland cypress, and Eastern red cedar. All of these trees will need to be planted in a full sun site. If you do buy a live tree and bring it indoors be sure to put it in a large plastic or steel tub. Use sphagnum moss around the root ball to pack it in tight and to retain moisture. Water the root ball weekly but do not allow water to stand in the tub. As soon as Christmas is over, get this tree outside and in the ground. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Put the root ball in the ground and remove all the nylon twine. Unwrap the burlap from around the trunk and trim it off at the edge of the root ball. Leave all the burlap on the shoulders of the root ball and leave the wire cage alone. Pack the soil around the sides, not the top, and soak it with water. Cover with 3-4 inches of your favorite mulch.
Question:
How can I make fresh mistletoe last longer?
Answer:
Wow, yours must work! So here is what I would do. Purchase some glycerin at a drugstore and make a mixture of 1 part glycerin to 2 parts warm water. Next take a hammer and mash the stem ends of the mistletoe. Place the mistletoe in a solution that is about 5 inches deep and let it stay there for a week. Add more mixture as needed because it will soak it up. I hope you get the results you want throughout the holiday season.
Question:
My mother used to make pumpkin pie from our jack-o-lanterns. It seemed to be a lot of trouble. Is it true that there are other pumpkins better suited for pies?
Answer:
Some of the best pumpkins used for cooking are actually squash types. They are referred to as pie pumpkins. Even butternut squashes are often substituted for "pie" pumpkins. Some of the best "pie"../november/ pumpkins belong to the species Cucurbita moschata. One that is very popular is Dickinson. Libby's (part of Nestles) has made selections from this cultivar for most all of their processed pumpkins. Dickinson can weigh as much as 40 pounds and takes 100 days to mature. Plant them in late May. The skin is tan in color and the flesh is orange and very sweet. You can order the seed from www.Johnnyseed.com or www.rareseeds.com. Bring me a pie for a research trial. I will furnish the Cool Whip!
EXTENSION VIDEOS ON LINE
Evelyn Deloatch and I have entered the world of videos. You can check out our latest on 'Cooking Turkeys', 'Poinsettia Care', and 'Selecting a Live Christmas Tree' by typing in www.alamance-nc.com
North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commitment themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&;T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.