Live Christmas Trees

With the holiday season upon us fully now, comes the traffic, the crowds, and the stress. You may be preparing to put up your Christmas tree as well. Here are some interesting and fun facts about them:

• The first decorated tree dates back to Riga, Latvia in 1510.
• The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany 1531.
• Christmas tree lights were first mass-produced in 1890.
• The tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City is decorated with 30,000 LED lights and topped by a 550 pound crystal star.
• Ninety-eight per cent of Christmas trees are grown on farms.
• 46 million seedling Christmas trees were planted by U.S. growers.
• 25 to 30 million live trees are sold every year, compared with 11 million artificial trees.
• Sales of live trees in 2012 had a real market value of over 1 billion dollars.

One of the more interesting facts about real Christmas trees is that you can purchase a live tree and plant it outside. Your holiday memories can grow into a beautiful part of the home landscape. Select garden centers often have recently-dug or container grown trees to sell for this very purpose. Planning ahead, even with a short time before the actual holiday will ensure the healthiest tree and increase its chances of survival.

What to choose:  You should look for healthy high quality trees. This is often reflected in the price. Considering this will be a feature of your yard, this is not the time to shop for a bargain. Avoid “leftovers.” A tree with dry or hard soil is indication of lack of care. Branches should be pliable, with no brown or off-color needles and minimal needle drop. Douglas and balsam firs are very common but are not native to our region. White and Scotch pines, along with Blue and white spruce are the top choices. Remember, this will be a permanent part of your yard so consider its future growth habit. Tress grow up and out. Make sure you have adequate space.

When to buy: Trees are dug before the ground freezes so visit your garden center soon if you are getting a bagged and balled type. A good choice is a container grown tree. But be careful where you store it. Bringing it in too soon will cause it to dry out quickly and make it harder to survive being in the cold again after the holidays.

How to care for it: Water the tree as soon as you have it home. Keep the soil consistently moist until it is planted outside. Keep it in an area that is cool as possible. Put off bringing it into it’s display room until a few days before Christmas. Heat increases the chances the tree will not survive. Move just as quickly to its storage location prior to planting. A very cold porch or unheated garage are some of the options for intermediate storage. Pre-digging the hole for final planting makes the last step easier. It should be at least three times as big as the root ball. While this is probably the hardest part of the process, site preparation is the most important. If you feel you don’t have time do this, or the weather is too severe to work outside, consider a temporary cold storage location.

The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have the free factsheet “How to Choose a Live Christmas Tree” to give you more information on this topic. Please contact us at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request a copy.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Extension – Lackawanna County

Worm Composting

When the days become shorter and there is a chill in the air, we know the growing season is ending and the yard work is slowing down. There is not as much to do in the fall and winter as there is during the other seasons. It is a good time to add to the compost pile, to turn it and tend to it. However, even that chore is less of a burden. If you are a dedicated composter, there is an alternative you can do in the winter: vermicomposting.

Vermicomposting is also known as worm composting. It is a great way to use up your clean kitchen waste and food scraps. All year long, the worms are hard at work turning waste into high quality compost. Added benefits include less trash to put on the curb and nothing in the garbage disposal.
 
While there are many kinds of worms in the soil, the best kinds for vermicomposting are the red wigglers, Eisenia fetida. They are often chosen for worm composting, because it is easy to replicate their preferred environment in a worm bin. They are also ideal, because they have short life spans, reproduce quickly and tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions.

It is very simple to start worm composting. A simple container about fifteen inches deep and a tight-fitting lid is all you need to get started. Make sure there are ventilation holes in the sides or lid to help with air circulation. The worms need bedding, so a four to six layer of shredded newspaper is a good choice. It does need to be moist, with the consistency of a wrung-out sponge, and then fluffed to create air pockets. Place the bin where the temperatures are in the forty to eighty degree range. Avoid direct sunlight as the bin will dry out fast. Under the kitchen sink is the ideal place for the compost bin; it is usually the closest to the work space.

The worms are basically vegetarians so feed them fruits and vegetables. Avoid dairy and meat products as they will spoil and create a nuisance.  Add food scraps to the new worm bin gradually at first, introducing about a half-pound of food scraps per pound of worms in the bin until they become accustomed to their new home. Burying the food under the bedding helps reduce fruit fly and odor problems. Rotating the spots where food scraps are buried will help the worms distribute throughout the bin.

You will know when it is time to start harvesting; the contents are brown and earthy looking. Plus you won’t be able to identify the original bedding material.  This process can take about two months. The compost will resemble fresh potting soil. You can then use it to amend your indoor houseplants, or to top dress your gardens when spring arrives again.

For more information on vermicompsting, please contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu for the free factsheet “Composting with Worms”.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator

Harvesting Apples

Did you know apples are grown in all fifty states?  Did you know the pilgrims planted the first apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the crabapple is the only apple native to North America?  Did you know apples were exported from America as early as 1768?  Did you know Pennsylvania produces only four per cent of those grown, Washington State is tops, with fifty-eight per cent?  Did you know the yearly, per capita apple consumption is twenty one pounds, compared with Europeans at forty-six?  Did you know apple picking season is under way?  Whether you are a backyard orchardist or will make a fun journey to pick your own, here is some information to help you pick quality apples.

In our region, some varieties, like the Yellow Transparent, ripen early, usually mid-July.  For the most part, the best selection starts around Labor Day through October.  It is important to know when a particular apple is generally ready to pick.  Most nursery catalogs and Extension guides can give you an idea, but yearly variations in weather, temperature, and sunlight make dates an estimate.  Mature fruit is different than ripe fruit.  Maturity means that the apple is finished developing.  Ripe means it is at its peak for flavor and texture.  We have all mistakenly bitten into a beautiful looking apple only to find it is green, hard, and sour.  For those who want to hold apples in storage, mature, but not fully ripe fruit is goal.  They will maintain their taste and texture better.  For eating, cooking, and baking, ripe fruit is best.  It is far from an exact science, but here are some tips to help guide your harvest:

Know the kind of apple.  Macintosh are ready earlier than a Red Delicious.  So be aware of the general harvest times.  Each variety of apple has specific characteristics, size, skin color, texture and taste.

Look at the skin color.  Immature apples are green.  If a specific apple by nature is mostly red, and still green, you know they aren’t ready.  Look at the ground color, which is the indented area by the stem.  The lighter yellow-green color, the chances are the apple is mature.  This does not work on all red apples.  Generally, and more so on later varieties, the seed coat will change to a dark brown.  Firm, but not hard flesh is another indicator of readiness.  There is a subjective test of taste.  When an apple is ready, there will be a pronounced fullness in flavor and sweetness.

Once an apple is ready, it still has to be picked and stored.  Most of all though, it has to be enjoyed.  For more information on picking and storing, the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have the publication packet “Harvesting Apples.”  Please contact us at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request a free copy.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Extension - Lackawanna County

Skunks!

There is no other creature like it. It strikes fear and terror in your mind. Rarely, but memorably, may have crossed paths with one. There are two easy ways to know if the dreaded Mephitis mephitis, is in your neighborhood one, its plain but distinct black body and white stripes.  The odor permeates everything, and its powerful enough to wake you up.

The striped skunk can occupy your yard, and you may not even know it until it is too late. They live in dens that may be found in vacant buildings, under house porches, culverts, brush piles, tree stumps, or woodchuck burrows. Generally, they are nocturnal so they are not often seen during the day. The exception is during mating season. The males tend to move slowly, and stubborn to flee do to their strong defensive scent. If you come across a skunk, the animal will usually stick his tail straight, up and stomp his front feet as a warning before spraying.  They can spray ten to twenty feet so back away slowly and quietly.

Frequently skunks dig up the lawn or garden looking for grubs. The signs for skunk damage around the home are small cone shaped holes about three to four inches in diameter. While other animals such as dogs or squirrels dig too, they do not make circular holes. Treat your lawn with a grub control product if this is evident and excessive.

Fencing areas is the first step in keeping skunks out of areas prone to a den such as under decks or sheds. As these creatures are prone to digging, burying the first foot of wire mesh fence with about six inches bent away from the structure is a hindrance. Cover basement windows with mesh or plastic domes.

Food sources will attract skunks too. Keep trash cans sealed and secure. If you suspect a skunk is visiting your house, discontinue feeding your pets outside. Plus skunks are attracted to rodents. Garages, barns, and sheds are common places for them to live, as a result a rodent control program might be necessary.

Finding a skunk living around your home is not a welcome sight. They are nocturnal animals so they may have been there for years without anyone noticing. And while they cause problems for the nose and nosey pets, they can be beneficial. If a skunk is problematic, consider a professional wildlife removal expert.  For more help with skunks, contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at 570-963-6842  or email LackawannMG@psu.edu and request a free publication “Striped Skunks.”

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension - Lackawanna County

Bedbugs!

Reservations are made, the suitcases are packed, and so is the car. Anticipation fills the mind with thoughts of rest, relaxation, and soon-to-be made memories. Whether you are travelling far or only a tankful of gas away, you will finally enjoy the summer vacation. It seems it is over too fast. You will bring back a beach full of sand in your bathing suits, sunburns, souvenir t- shirts, and some photographs.

With the increase of travel comes the potential of another unwanted souvenir: bedbugs. They are successful hitchhikers, finding their way around in clothing, bedding, luggage, and boxes. You or your visitors can bring them into your home without knowing it.

First, if you suspect bedbugs, make certain that is what you have. There are other biting insects, and many pantry pests are confused with bedbugs. The Penn State master gardeners can help identify a possible bedbug, or there are many helpful tools on the internet. Proper identification of the pest problem is the first and only way to a solution.

If you travel this holiday season here are a few tips:
* Use luggage racks to unpack and pack, instead of placing your luggage directly on the floor.
* Check the headboard and mattresses before sleeping.
* When you are home, unpack directly into the washing machine and inspect your luggage.

If you suspect infestation in your home:
* Wash and heat-dry all bedding and clothes lying on the floor. It is better to use a plastic bag, and only once, for this laundry to prevent bedbugs from moving through the home.
* A cluttered home provides more places for bed bugs to hide and makes locating and treating them harder. If bed bugs are in your mattress, using special bed bug covers (encasements) on your mattress and box springs makes it harder for bed bugs to get to you while you sleep. Leave the encasements on for a year. Be sure to buy a product that has been tested for bed bugs and is strong enough to last for the full year without tearing.
* Don’t pass them along to others. If you throw out a mattress or furniture that has bed bugs in it, you should slash or in some way destroy it so that no one else takes it and gets bed bugs.
* Thorough vacuuming can get rid of some of your bed bugs. Carefully vacuum rugs, floors, upholstered furniture, bed frames, under beds, around bed legs, and all cracks and crevices around the room. Change the bag after each use so the bed bugs can’t escape. Place the used bag in a tightly sealed plastic bag and in an outside garbage bin.

The EPA has a helpful website with information on homeowner pest-management tools. Included on this site, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/bedbugs/index.html,  are certain pesticides you can apply yourself. These have been tested by the agency and shown to be effective, when used according to the labeled directions. If you decide to call a professional, make sure they are licensed to apply pesticides for bedbugs. The applicator should do a thorough inspection of your home and give you a comprehensive plan to control bedbugs.  Be certain to ask for the active ingredient in the products in case of adverse reactions, especially on children, and if it is registered for use on bedbugs.  Also, inquire about precautions for pets too.

For more information on bedbugs, the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have an information packet on them. Contact us at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request a free copy.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Extension 
Lackawanna County