Are you tired of purchasing a cut Christmas tree every year--just to throw it away after the holidays are over? Consider buying a living Christmas tree instead. Living Christmas trees are becoming more popular every year because of their many advantages over cut Christmas trees, which include a lower fire hazard, repeat use, and an increase in value once planted in the landscape, where they can become a yearly source of cut greens for each holiday season.

After the holidays, you can leave your tree outdoors in its original container for year-round beauty and bring it back in again for a second Christmas. However, because most living trees used for Christmas trees are fast growing, they should not remain in a container for more than two years. There are a few other things to consider when planning to use a living Christmas tree indoors.

Living trees can stay in the house for only a brief period, no more than 7 to 10 days. Prolonged exposure to warm household temperatures would force new growth to develop on the tree and this growth would be apt to suffer damage when the tree is transplanted outdoors after Christmas. Longer periods in a home can lead to death of the tree.

Be sure to water the tree regularly while it is being used in the home. Line the tub or container in which you place a living tree with plastic or place a larger saucer underneath the container to keep excess water from dripping through onto your floor or carpeting. One good way to water is to dump two trays of ice cubes on the soil--this waters the tree slowly and evenly. It also helps keep the roots cooler.

Use only the newer low watt lights on your tree to avoid burning or discoloring the needles, and do not spray your tree with colored Christmas paint or snow, even if the product says it is washable.

After Christmas, if the weather should happen to be very cold, place the living tree in the basement or garage where it is cool, but not below freezing, for a few days only: Then, when the weather improves, take the tree out of the container and plant it.

Make sure that the tree will fit into your landscape. Most trees used as Christmas trees will eventually reach heights of 40 to 60 feet. The tree will be inside for a very short time compared to the time that you will have it in your landscape.

We stock living Christmas trees that grow well in our local area. With care and planning, your Christmas tree will serve as a living memory for many years.

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By E.W. Forsyth

We all look forward to the many traditions of the Christmas season, in particular the arrival of the tree! We bundle up the family, drive out to the country to the tree farm that we visit each year, where every member of the family has a different opinion as to which tree to cut down, and bone-rattling cold usually drives us to go back to the tree lot by our house, which is where we should have gone in the first place to purchase our tree!

Then we look at each and every tree, carefully shaking them (as we've been instructed) to ensure that no needles fall off, and once our choice is made, home we head, dragging our wet tree behind us, or freezing as we've secured the unwieldy growth to the top of our car and the windows are open for the ropes. Before the act of trying to get it to remain upright in the stand, we carefully cut the base, and religiously replenish the water in it daily.

After what seems an incredibly short time, the season is over, our tree is dropping its needles all over the carpeting daily, and now it has become a fire hazard, due to the warmth of the home. So we drag it out to the curb or wrap it in an old sheet and take it to the nearest dump.

Say goodbye to the limit of Nature's designs.

Remove the hassle from this part of your holiday decorating; why not try an artificial tree? They have come a long way from the aluminum whimsies of our youth, with their rotating color wheels. Whether you live in an 8,000 square-foot mansion, or a 900 square-foot apartment, there's a perfectly sized artificial Christmas tree awaiting you. Gone are the hassles that twelve months made us forget. Also gone, for those with allergy and asthma sensitivities, are the sneezing and watery eyes.

Today's artificial trees are so realistic it's unlikely that your guests will even know the difference! And they come in such a vast array of choices; traditionalists can experience the extraordinary beauty of a decorated tree in their choice of 'species.'

Some contemporary LED trees come pre-lit, the tree stand housing the electric wires. They are not only fire-retardant, but because the LEDs produce more light per watt than traditional bulbs and can last up to 30 times as long, they are a welcome energy-saving choice. This writer's office is home to a 36" high fiber optic tree that employs the concept of the color wheels of the 1950s--softly shimmering multi-colored lights that please and inspire.

Which is not to say that you can't enjoy both! Place your new artificial tree by the fireplace or in front of the heating vent, where it dry out like a live tree, and coordinate the tree's decorations with those on your mantel! And add a cut tree to the family room, or place a table top cut or artificial tree in the dining room where all can enjoy the salubrious spirit of the season without being locked into remaining in one room. While the initial price may give you momentary pause, remember that today's artificial trees have a lifespan of a decade; compare that to the cost of purchasing a cut tree year after year.

With artificial trees that come pre-lit or ready for your own personal touch, slim and corner trees for homes with limited space, and flocked, gold, and even tuxedo black trees available, your only hassle remaining will be in deciding which ones to buy!

We wish you the happiest, and safest, of holidays!

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If you're being awakened in the middle of the night to the sound of turned over garbage cans accompanied by high-pitched chirping sounds, chances are you've been paid a visit by those little bandits called raccoons.

Raccoons are generally active at night, when they are most likely to raid your garbage area, looking for discarded fruit, vegetables, and anything else that might make a tasty snack. Their contact with humans is normally motivated by two basic things: food and/or shelter. Getting rid of raccoons starts with securing the sources of these temptations, and if that doesn't deter them, there are a few other alternatives.

The key to keeping raccoons away is to make your home a less inviting place to visit. Keep your garbage cans sealed with bungee cords if stored outside, or store them in the garage or storage shed. Make sure all of your foundation and basement vents are in good shape and have no holes in them; otherwise, raccoons might nest under your home. If you have a dog or cat door into the garage make sure not to store food or feed pets in there.

If you have taken care of the basics, and the pesky critters still want to hang out, you might want to consider a few other options. There are number of humane traps that will help you trap them live and allow you to transport them to a wooded area away from your home. Be careful, though, and wear thick gloves when handling traps, because raccoons will try to bite if agitated.

Motion-sensing lights and sound devices will also help keep raccoons away. Nocturnal by nature, they don't like bright lights. You can also apply a raccoon repellent to garbage cans and around the yard to deter them. Many wildlife specialists use this method because the repellent uses the scent of a predator such as a coyote, wolf, or mountain lion to mark your garden as a predator's territory.

So don't be kept up at night because raccoons are having a party at your house. Take action today and keep those raccoons away!

Important Note: Two illnesses common to raccoons are distemper and rabies. If you see raccoons, keep your pets inside. Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, so if you see one in a populated area during the day, especially if it is acting strangely, be sure to avoid it and report it to a wildlife specialist.

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• Purchase poinsettias early in the month.
• Protect new landscape plants from wind damage.
• Prune hardy dormant deciduous trees, shrubs, and vines, if you haven't already done so.
• Prune fall and winter-blooming shrubs and vines after bloom. Do not prune spring-blooming plants.
• Water living Christmas trees.
• Monitor houseplants for adequate water, fertilizer and humidity. Water and fertilizer requirements generally are less in winter; do not feed dormant houseplants at all.
• Make sure outside plants have adequate soil moisture. Plants need moisture in winter, too.
• Check stored bulbs for rot or fungus. Discard any that have problems.
• Make holiday decorations from outdoor shrubs and trees.
• Don't forget to turn your compost pile.
• Tie up limbs of evergreens to prevent snow or ice breakage.
• Start planning your spring garden!

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Do I really need two fruit tree varieties to produce fruit?

Answer:
Yes and no. Citrus trees like lemons, limes, and oranges are self-fertile and require no pollinator. Most apricots, figs, nectarines, peaches and persimmons are self-fertile; only a few varieties need a second tree to help them produce fruit.

Our staff of garden experts knows which trees make the best "mates" for others, and will be happy to help you with any questions.

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