Merry Christmas

Christmas Trees and Their Multiple Uses

I love Christmas.  I love the decorations, the music, the feelings, the crazy hustle bustle of the season.  I don't even really mind most of the fake evergreen smells that come out in candles, air fresheners, little scent sticks to hang in your artificial tree to help you pretend it's real, and a variety of other means.  But there is nothing I love more than the smell of fresh, real Christmas trees. 

When artificial trees first came on the market, they were marketed as a more environmentally friendly way to celebrate the season, rather than cutting down all those real trees.  What we didn't talk about was the fact that those artificial trees don't look good forever.  After a few years, they become tattered and ratty looking and we decide to shop for a new tree.  Those tattered trees end up in the landfill, where they take many, many decades to decompose.  They use up beneficial nutrients from the soil as they are decomposing, however, they don't add anything back to the soil in the process.   That's a lose-lose.

Real trees are a renewable resource.  Across the country, for every real evergreen harvested, at least three new seedlings are planted.  Now, being a gardener, I know that not every one of those seedlings lives and grows to become someone's Christmas tree a few years down the road.  But, those that do survive serve multiple purposes.  As they are growing, they are helping to clean and oxygenate the air around them; they are providing shelter for wildlife and birds; they are beautifying the fields in which they are grown; they end up beautifying our homes after they are cut; and finally, they can help us out with some of our winter chores in the gardens.  That's a win-win.

Once it's time to remove the tree, we bundle it up in a huge plastic bag and carry it out to the garage.  There, I unwrap it and start the work of cutting off all the branches.  The bare trunk gets thrown out into the wood pile.  The branches then become mulch for the roses, perennials, young trees, or whatever else needs a good sturdy layer of mulch that isn't likely to be blown around by the North Dakota "breezes".  The branches catch the snow and make a nice insulating layer over the vulnerable plants, but they don't become packed down like other mulches can.  This allows more oxygen to get to the plants and creates a better overall environment for them.  In very harsh winters, if we have any birds that decide to stay in the north country over the winter months, I will place suet packs or pans of sunflower seeds or safflower seeds in amongst the piles of branches and the birds can safely enjoy their own winter buffet.

Another benefit of using the evergreen branches for mulch is cat control.  My kitties are pretty good about not using the garden areas for their beds or litter boxes in the summer, but in the winter, they just look for whatever snow is easy to dig in.  They are not inclined to dig around in the prickly, stickery evergreen branches, though, so I can keep them out of vulnerable garden areas.

When spring arrives, I give the clump of evergreen branches a good whack or two to knock loose needles down to the ground, where they will become rich compost over the course of the summer.   The branches and any clinging needles get tossed into the compost pile.  The trunk of the tree, minus the branches, gets cut into firepit size pieces so the enjoyment of that Christmas tree can last well into the summer.  The trunk can also be chipped and used for mulch in the gardens.

I am not anti- artificial tree, (I love Christmas enough that I decorate several Christmas trees each year and some of them are artificial trees) but all in all, that real Christmas tree is a great investment.  And you just can't replace that true evergreen scent.

Poinsettias and Animals

Twerp (he's not really a grumpy cat - just looks that way)

It's commonly thought that poinsettias are poisonous and will kills animals, especially cats, if they ingest them.  A member of the euphorbia or spurge family, poinsettias will exude a white, milky sap when the leaf or stem is injured in any way.  That sap is very irritating, causing burning of the mouth with excess drooling, and may cause some vomiting, but it does not commonly kill animals. 

Many animals know intuitively what will harm them and they will stay away from things that are not good for them.  Once in awhile, one will decide to "test".  We had a cat who tried to have our poinsettia for a snack.  Taffy was a cat with above average intelligence - about everything but plants.  She never met a plant she didn't think she needed to taste.  So, when I brought the poinsettia home, she watched it carefully until I left the room.  Then she quietly stalked it for awhile, sneaking ever closer and closer.  When she determined that the time was right, she pounced and got a big bite of a nice, big, red leaf.  Soon, she was drooling, shaking her head, and meowing pitifully.  The symptoms went away in a surprisingly short period of time, but in all of Taffy's 21 years, she never forgot that first taste of poinsettia.  Every year, when those red plants came into the house, she gave them a wide berth and would slink into another room  and sulk until she was sure it wasn't going to attack her.

Llilies are commonly seen in holiday bouquets and can be very toxic to animals.  Even small amounts of a lily can cause kidney failure in cats.  Virtually all plants in the lilium family are toxic to animals.  A common one seen at Christmas time is the amaryllis and with their strappy, floppy leaves, animals sometimes have difficulty resisting them.  Daffodils and all other members of the narcissus family are also highly toxic to animals and should be kept away from them.

Holly berries, mistletoe, and rosemary can also be toxic to dogs and cats. When Christmas  holly is ingested, it can result in severe gastrointestinal upset.  If ingested, most dogs and cats smack their lips, drool, and shake their heads excessively.   American mistletoe is less toxic than the European varieties, but is still harmful to pets   It causes mild gastrointestinal irritation if ingested in small amounts.  In large amounts, low blood pressure, ataxia (walking drunk), seizures and death have been reported.

Another hazard to pets this time of year is the Christmas tree.  Christmas trees are mildly toxic. The tree oils can  be irritating to the mouth and stomach, causing excessive drooling or vomiting. The tree needles are not easily digested either; possibly causing GI irritation, vomiting, gastrointestinal obstruction or puncture of the gut itself. The degree of reaction depends on how much is consumed. Many times, pets don't consume mass quantities of tree material before they figure out it isn's setting well with them. 

With a little bit of planning ahead and some extra watchfulness, it is possible to enjoy both the plants of the holidays and pets.  Keeping toxic plants or flower arrangements in a separate room where kitty or puppy is allowed to be unsupervised is the best way.  For puppies, setting it on a table or stand that he can't reach will work also.   A few minutes of precautionary measures can save you a lot of heartache, especially with the more toxic plants like lilies, mistletoe, and holly.

Poinsettia Care

It's that time of year when the gorgeous blooms of the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plant are everywhere.  As a thank you gift for the preparation work I do for our company Christmas party, my employer provides me with a beautiful huge poinsettia to brighten my home.  My challenge is to keep it as beautiful throughout the season as it was when it arrived.

The first challenge is simply getting it home.  Since Christmas happens in December and December happens in the depths of winter in North Dakota, poinsettias don't much appreciate being transported in any manner that involves going outdoors.  Any exposure to temperatures below 60 degrees is likely to cause leaf drop.  Since the bright colors of poinsettias actually come from the leaves and not the flowers, leaf drop is a big deal!  Exposure to temperatures below freezing, even for a very short time, will cause the leaf edges to blacken and curl, and may kill the plant. 

Poinsettias should be securely wrapped, preferably in a layer of paper, then a layer of plastic.  The packaging should completely enclose the poinsettia so no drafts reach any of the plant.  The vehicle in which the plant will be transported should be warm and parked as close to the door as possible to avoid having the plant exposed to cold temperatures for any longer than absolutely necessary.

Once home, the plant needs to be placed in a sunny location that is free from drafts, either hot or cold.  A south or west window is ideal, but a poinsettia may do well in an east window.  North windows generally will not provide sufficient light to keep a poinsettia looking its best.  The plant should be close enough to the window for good sun exposure, but not so close that the leaves touch the window pane or any cold air coming off or through the window reaches the plant.

Ideal room temperature for poinsettias is 65 to 70 degrees during the day and slightly cooler at night, however, not below 60 degrees.  Too cool a location encourages root rot and leaf drop, neither of which are conducive to a long-lived beautiful poinsettia.

Correct watering is also critical to a poinsettia's health.  If allowed to get too dry, a poinsettia will drop its leaves prematurely, leaving you with homely, blah green stalks.  Too much watering leads to root rot disease, which will cause collapse of the entire plant.  It is best to check the soil in the poinsettia pot daily, especially in homes that must be heated for the winter.  Winter air is more arid anyway, and the process of heating it from frigid cold to a temperature comfortable for humans and plants draws even more of the moisture from the air.  When the top half inch or so is dry to the touch, the plant should be watered until water drains freely from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. 

And here, it's wise to say a word about those beautiful foil wrappers that cover the not so beautiful green or black plastic pots.  A horticulturalist will tell you those wrappers should be removed and thrown away.  A home decorator will say "no, no, no.  You can't spoil the beauty of the poinsettia with that ugly green (or black) pot!"  Since there is a little bit of the characteristics of both a horticulturalist and a decorator in me, I've learned to compromise.  I remove the foil wrapper briefly, use a knife or scissors to poke a few drainage holes in the foil, replace the foil around the ugly pot, then set the whole thing in a decorative saucer. 

The recommended water amounts vary based on the size of the pot.  The following table can be used as a guide:

Pot Diameter (inches)    Fluid Ounces of 
                                         Water per Watering .     

4                                               6
5                                               9
6                                             12
7                                             16
8                                             20

Keeping the right amount of moisture, giving the poinsettia enough sun, and keeping it free from drafts will provide you with those beautiful red, or pink, or even white leaves well into the spring.                 

Winter Blossoms

The temperature is minus 9 degrees, the snow is falling and the wind is blowing.  Brrr.  I thought it might be a good time to share some winter color with others who are living in the deep freeze right now.  There are a number of houseplants that give us beauty and bright colors for the dreary days of winter.   Here are just a few to brighten your day.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do.

Chlorosis in African Violets

A couple months ago, I noticed yellowing of the older, outer leaves of my African violet.  The leaves were plump, flexible, and had no signs of insect infestation.  That was a good sign.  The fact that the leaves were yellow instead of green was not - yellow leaves are not normal on an African violet.  I thought I knew what the problem might be, but I did some research to make sure I wasn't missing something.

African violet with chlorotic leaves

Yellowing of African violet leaves can be caused by a number of things.  A common cause of lower leaf yellowing is root rot.  In addition to the yellowing, root rot causes the leaves to droop and generally look unhealthy.  Eventually those leaves become mushy and brown.  Other than being the wrong color, my violet's leaves looked pretty healthy, so I was pretty sure I could rule out root rot.

Yellowing leaves can also result from too much light.  This usually causes the leaves to be smaller, look "crinkly" and feel leathery.  That wasn't the case with my violets.  This violet was furthest from the light source and violets closer to the window were not affected, so I didn't think it was too much light.

Yellow leaves can also be a result of too little light, however, this generally involves rangy, lanky growth of the whole plant.  My plant is low-growing and compact, so it is probably getting sufficient light.

There is a condition in African Violets which are cultivated under grow lights.called leaf bleaching. Lighter areas with a slight pinkish tone develop on the leaves directly exposed to the light. The only way to treat this condition is to stop using grow lights and begin using sunlight.  My violets grow in natural light in an east window, so leaf bleachng is ruled out.

That left me a nutrient problem to consider.  African violets need a good, well-balanced feeding regime to do their best.  They also need frequent re-potting, about twice a year.  I admit it - I didn't feed my indoor plants very faithfully over the summer months, so it's likely my violet is suffering from chlorosis.

Chlorosis presents itself as a pale discoloration of foliage. The leaf veins often retain their color while the rest of the foliage loses the green.  This usually results from a lack of nitrogen, potassium, sulfur and/or iron available to the plant. It can also result from a calcium deficiency, however, that is usually first noticeable in new growth, or the leaves in the crown of the plant.  Nutrient deficiency occurs because the plant isn't getting enough fertilizer, or enough light to conduct photosynthesis to use the available nutrients.   I'd already established that the lighting was ok, so the likely culprit seemed to be malnutrition - I was starving my African violet! 

My violet was probably hungry simply because I wasn't feeding it sufficiently, however, another common cause of chlorosis in African violets is "pH lock-up." This happens, when the pH of the soil is either too high or too low, and the plant isn't able to utilize the nutrients.   So, even though the mechanism is different, the plant is still starving.   Abnormalities of pH come from poor quality potting soil which starts off with too much or too little of one ingredient or another.  Another common cause is watering with softened water, which increases the fertilizer salts that collect in the soil.  I don't use softened water so that can be ruled out as a cause.  I am guilty of using a cheaper potting mix that I knew right from the start was not very good quality, so that, combined with my failure to feed, could be the culprits.

The only way to diagnose pH lock-up with any certainty is to pH test the soil and the water run-off  after fertilizing.  I didn't want to take time to do that and since I was pretty sure it had something to do with nutrients, it didn't really matter if it was from lack of fertilizing or if it was from pH lock-up.  The treatment was going to be the same.  I haven't re-potted my violets for about nine months, so it was clearly time to do that.

I carefully removed the violet from the pot and knocked as much of the old soil off the roots as I could without causing root damage.  Then I re-potted in fresh, quality potting mix specially formulated for African violets. 

I didn't divide the violet, as it hadn't grown much and I didn't want to stress it anymore than it already was., so it didn't need a different sized pot.  After allowing the roots to settle in for about a week, I began a fertilizer regime with a special formula for African violets that is urea free and balanced with equal amounts of N-P-K.   With weekly fertilizing, it is important to use ONLY the concentration of fertilizer recommended for weekly dosing.  It is tempting to use higher concentrations of fertilizers to make up for my previous neglect; this will put the plant into shock and potentially burn the foliage, possibly even killing the plant.

Once treatment for chlorosis caused by nutrient deficiency is started, the plant will be begin a fairly dramatic recovery.  Within just two weeks of replanting and one week of starting a good, healthy fertilizer regime, my plant is already beginning to "green-up".  While there is still a yellow tint to the oldest leaves, they are beginning to show more color and the center leaves are becoming a darker green.  And, I promise that next summer I will try very hard to be a better African violet owner...