UPCOMING EVENTS
Great Plains Growers Conference
January 9, 10 & 11, 2020
Missouri Wester University, St. Joseph, MO https://www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org/
Kansas Arborist Association Shade Tree Conference January 15-17, 2020 Downtown Ramada, Topeka, KS https://www.kansasarborist.com/shade-tree-conference.html
Final Newsletter of the Season
This will be the last issue of Horticulture 2019. The first issue of Horticulture 2020 will be sent on January 7.
We would love to have feedback on the newsletter and would appreciate it if you could spend a couple of minutes filling out a very short survey at https://tinyurl.com/u8bft7z. This will help us fine-tune our articles to better meet the needs of our subscribers.
Your current subscription for the newsletter will continue as is, so nothing will be necessary on your part to continue receiving it. If there are suggestions for improvement or subjects you would like to see covered, include those suggestions in the survey mentioned above. Please tell anyone you know who might be interested in subscribing that they are encouraged and welcome to do so by sending an e-mail to Ward Upham at [email protected] requesting a subscription.
On behalf of all of us at K-State we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. (Ward Upham)
ORNAMENTALS
What to Do With the Christmas Tree After Christmas
After the holidays, many municipalities allow old Christmas trees
to be placed curbside. Trees are then collected and ground up for mulch
or burned. If you miss the designated date, or your trash collector
doesn’t accept trees, there are several options to prolong the useful
life of the tree.
An old Christmas tree can be used to benefit birds, fish, and the
landscape by placing it in a corner of your deck, and spreading some
birdseed nearby, or tying it to a deciduous tree or post near a bird
feeder. The birds benefit from having escape cover nearby when hawks or
cats threaten, and the dense boughs reduce the wind chill on a cold night.
Sinking your Christmas tree in a pond is an easy way to improve
fish habitat and fishing. The tree serves as little coral reef, in that
the branches provide substrate for water plants to grow, and cover for
minnows and other forms of small aquatic life. Larger fish are drawn by
the shade and the presence of prey.
How do you sink a tree? Tie the base to a cinder block with a
short, stout rope, and toss it in. Just be sure to get permission from
the pond owner first! Using the little tree around the landscape
requires clipping off all of the branches. Use the boughs to add extra
insulation around semi-hardy perennials or to trees and shrubs that were
recently planted. The leftover trunk may be used as a garden stake next
spring.
Or cut and let it dry for a few weeks, and you will have some easy
lighting firewood. Just beware that most conifer species tend to spark
and pop more than hardwoods, as resin pockets in the wood make tiny
explosions. This can delight the youngsters, but for safety’s sake, keep
an eye on the fire when burning Christmas tree logs! (Charlie Barden)
FRUIT
Care of Gift Fruit Baskets
A holiday tradition is to give gifts of fruits and nuts (along with
other products). Usually these are placed in an attractive basket,
wrapped with cellophane covering, and brought (or shipped) to your
house. It is important that the fruit contained inside is kept in cool
conditions to maintain its quality for as long as possible. Thus, it is
wise to disassemble the fruit basket as soon as you receive it and place
the fruit in refrigerated storage. If all the products in the basket are
tree fruits (such as apples, pears, oranges or grapefruit), you can
place the entire basket in a cool place- around 40 degrees F for best
results. If the basket contains any bananas or other tropical fruits
(with the exception of citrus), remove those fruits and store them
separately. About 3-4 weeks is about as long as you can expect to store
these fruits without some shriveling and loss of crispness. (Ward Upham)
MISCELLANEOUS
Storing Pecans and Other Nuts
During the holiday season, pecans and other nuts are commonly given
as gifts or purchased for holiday cooking. Nuts can quickly lose quality
if not stored properly. Excessive water loss can lead to shriveled
nutmeats, and the fats and oils in nuts can quickly spoil – developing
an off-flavor or rancid taste. Store shelled (or unshelled nuts) in the
refrigerator, or preferably the freezer. Nuts quickly absorb flavors
from other stored products, so store them in a tightly sealed container
so they won’t lose water or absorb flavors from other fruits or
vegetables. A solid plastic container with a tightly fitting lid is
preferred. You can use a heavy grade resealable plastic bag as well. If
nutmeats are tightly sealed, they can be stored in a freezer for up to
one year, but using them within six months is preferred. (Ward Upham)
Contriubtors: Charlie Barden, Extension Forester; Ward Upham, Extension
Associate
Division of Horticulture
1712 Claflin, 2021 Throckmorton
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-6173
For questions or further information, contact: [email protected] OR
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