Selection and Care of your Christmas Tree

Well, like it or not, it’s that time of year when we will be getting and setting up a Christmas tree.  If you use a real tree, here are some tips to make it look good throughout the holiday season.

Getting the tree should be the last thing you do. First, you should get the space ready in your home. Get the stand out and ready to put the tree in, because once you get it home, you want to set it up in water just as soon as possible.

You want your Christmas tree to be as fresh as possible so that it will look better, last longer, and be less of a fire hazard.

To get the freshest tree, cut one at a local Christmas tree grower. If you go to a tree lot, take your time to select a tree that has not gotten too dried out. Grab it and thump the butt end on the ground a couple of times. If lots of needles fall off, put it back and keep looking. You can also bend the needles - a fresh tree’s needles will be somewhat flexible.  A dried out tree will have needles snapping like matchsticks.

 Once you get your tree home, cut ½ inch off the bottom of the trunk and immediately put it in water.  Check the water reservoir daily and keep it filled with water.

 Keep the tree away from hot drafts and open flames.  As soon as Christmas is over, remove and recycle your tree.

Late Season Angel's Trumpet

'Earth Angel' angel's trumpet

The frost has stopped my angel's trumpet that are growing in the ground from further bloom.  However, I have this one in a pot in a protected area.  The variety is 'Earh Angel.'  It has been a prolific bloomer since late summer.

If your plants have been nipped by the frost, then it is time to take cuttings to store for the winter unless you have a greenhouse.  There are several ways to do this.  Which ever method you try be sure to only save cutting that have the white bumps(lenticels) onthe stem.  If the stem is smooth it will not produce roots.

Some of my Master Gardeners cut long pieces and put them in a bucket of water in an area protected from freezing.  By spring the stems have formed roots and are ready for planting.

I sometimes make cutting about 12 inches long and stick them into a bucket of potting soil and let them form roots.  The problem is that I sometimes forget to water them since they are in the basement.  So I end up with dead plants.

The last couple of years I have been cutting the stems into 12 inch pieces and putting them into a plastic grocery bag and rolling them up and leave them in the basement.  Do not forget to put a name label in each bag.  By March they have started making roots. I remove the cuttings from the bags and put them in potting soil.  I have left some cuttings in the bag until July and they made plants.

For the angel's trumpet roots left in the ground, cover them with a 3 - 4 inch layer of much to protect them from the winter cold.