[ad_1]
The scent of fresh Christmas trees is reminiscent of wonderful memories. Dad would find the perfect tree of the farm. It has been carefully maintained before entering the house. After Mom turned on the lights on the tree, I placed the ornaments and garlands on it. Fresh trees, whether they are balled or jute cut or freshly cut, add to the decor and memories of the season.
A tree in the shape of a ball or burlap can be planted in the yard after Christmas. Buy a healthy tree and a tree that you can handle because of the heavy ball of roots and soil. Be sure to protect it by covering the tree or placing it in a covered vehicle when you take it home to avoid drying the needles.
After buying your tree, keep it outdoors in a protected and cool place. Gradually move the tree into a ball and the burlap inside. First, bring it to a garage or unheated room for a day or two and then to the house. Place the tree in a large plastic bin before entering the house to keep floors or carpets clean and dry. Do not forget that seven to ten days is the limit for keeping trees in a ball and picked in the interior.
Keep the tree away from direct sunlight and heat sources such as stoves, radiators, vents and fireplaces. The heat can hurt the tree. Use miniature lights for decoration because big lights are heavier and much warmer.
Do not forget to water enough tree to prevent the clod from drying out and killing the tree. However, too much water combined with warm indoor temperatures can encourage new growth. The new growth could be damaged by cold temperatures during its movement to the outside.
After seven to ten days indoors, bring the tree back into the garage or into an unheated room to allow it to adapt to colder temperatures for several days. If the tree is moved immediately to the outside, it will be very sensitive to cold and can be hurt.
Dig a planting hole two and a half times wider than the soil ball and as deep as the depth of the soil ball. Plant the tree and water well. Straw the roots with 2 to 2.5 inches of shredded leaves, shredded bark or pine needles. Continue to check the soil moisture during the winter and water as needed.
When choosing a freshly cut tree, take a handful of needles and fold them carefully. Needles on a fresh tree should be flexible. If they break and break easily, select another tree. Keep in mind that any needle will break if it is bent too far.
The tree should be green or the typical color of this species, expect some older yellow needles, ready to fall from the inside of the tree. If the tree produces a shower of green needles after gently bouncing off the ground, the tree is too dry.
When transporting your freshly cut Christmas tree, protect it by covering it with jute or a large piece of unwanted fabric, or tie it with string and place it in a plastic mesh sleeve. Another alternative is to place it in a covered part of the vehicle. The wind dries the needles, which reduces the time during which it can stay safely inside your home.
When you arrive home, cut 1 to 2 inches from the bottom of the trunk. Then place it in a bucket of warm water to allow the water absorption. Keep the tree in a cool garage or away from the sun and wind until you are ready to decorate it.
Before bringing the tree in, cut another 1 to 2 inches from the bottom of the trunk to improve the water absorption. Place the chest in a sturdy, water-retaining, wide-legged stand.
Locate the tree in the house where it will not block the hall exits and the main lanes. Keep it away from heat sources to prevent drying out.
Fill the tree tank with the following solution recommended by Deborah B. Hill, a retired forestry extension specialist from the University of Kentucky: 1 cup corn syrup plus 3 spoons liquid bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Corn syrup provides the tree with a carbohydrate as food. Bleach tends to dilute or remove tacky sticky water supply channels from the tree and allows water to enter the tree.
Check the tree tank daily and continue adding the above solution to the tank as long as the tree remains in the house. A fresh tree can easily drink a gallon or more of water each day.
Remove the tree when it becomes dry or brittle or when needles begin to fall. A dry tree is a fire hazard. Prevention is better than cure.
For more information on maintaining your Christmas tree in balls, slatted or cut, contact the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service.
To locate a site to cut your own Christmas tree, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture has a website at www.kyagr.com. Visit the site and look for Christmas trees.
Winston Dunwell, a specialist nursery extension specialist from the University of Kentucky, will speak at the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office later this month. Join us for the "Trees, shrubs and perennials for the KY landscape" program at 6pm. November 29.
Source link
