Christmas Tree Selection & Care

“Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree”….

I was out this weekend and the Salvation Army Bell was ringing, so I figured I better get the Christmas tree article ready for print. I wanted to get this article out early, so you could make plans to go to a local Christmas Tree Farm, find a local source for a cut tree or use a live tree that you could use in your landscape after the holidays if you were so inclined. Hopefully, I can help make this a fun event, instead of a dreaded football interrupting chore.

After Thanksgiving, many of you will be searching for a Christmas tree. If you are going to buy a cut tree, consider buying it from a local business that is here year-round like a garden center. If you buy it from a tent, or a temporary site, look for one that is run by the Exchange Club, Optimist Club, Rotary Club, a local church, a local school club, a local landscaper or another local organization. Many local organizations that sell trees give a portion of the profits to local charities such as Camp Happy Days.

There are some people from out of state that set up tents in grocery store parking lots. They take their profits out of state when they leave, instead of helping our local economy. This year especially the local economy needs all the help it can get. Support our local businesses and keep our money in our local economy!

Many of the local garden centers offer great Christmas gifts along with trees this time of year. They have purchased many seasonal items that would be a great present for anyone. Gift certificates are usually available for the hard to shop for gardener. Shopping at a garden center is a great way to avoid long lines. The parking is free and plentiful this time of year.

Have you ever considered a live tree? Different Hollies (right now you can tell the females with beautiful berries), Leyland Cypress, Eastern Red Cedar, Little Gem Magnolias, Osmanthus, Deodara Cedar and many more make great trees and after the holidays you can plant them in your yard instead of throwing them to the curb.

Local tree farms are also an option. Noel’s Christmas Tree Farm on Johns Island or Too Goo Doo Tree Farm on the way to Edisto are local tree farms. Picking out your own tree is fun for the whole family and a good way to spend some time in the outdoors while the weather is nice! You know you are getting a fresh tree when you cut it yourself.

If you go with a traditional cut tree, make sure it is in water at the place you buy it (unless it is coming fresh off of the truck), and make sure it stays in water until you take it to the curb. Once you bring it home cut an inch off of the bottom of the tree and place it in a 5 gallon bucket of water. Be sure this is a clean 5 gallon bucket that doesn’t have any bait ball residue left from shrimp season! While the tree is still outside, consider spraying the tree with Transfilm, Cloud Cover or Wilt Proof to keep the water loss through the leaves at a minimum. Let the tree dry before bringing it into the house.

Locate your tree within your house away from heating ducts and the fireplace. A stand that can hold a lot of water is a big plus because a fresh cut Christmas tree can drink 1-2 gallons of water per day. Have one responsible adult in charge of watering the Christmas tree daily to avoid ruining the carpet or floors. If you can, fill (2) one gallon milk jugs each day and let them sit for 24 hours, this will allow the chlorine to evaporate out of the water. Letting the chlorine evaporate from the water you water your plants, is a practice you should use when watering all house plants.

There are many secrets to keeping a tree fresh. Having a fresh cut and keeping water above this cut at all times is the most important thing you can do for the tree. The water conducting vessels quickly close up if the tree does not have constant water. Using a drop of Super Thrive in each gallon of water will help the tree stay fresh. Many people use 7-up and an aspirin in the water. I’d rather save my 7-Up for the punch and save my aspirin for someone who has had too much punch!

Thank you for all of your letters, questions and for reading The Horticulture Hotline.

Fall Happenings in the Landscape

I’m going to have to interrupt my planting / landscaping columns to cover a few timely issues that are dominating our phone lines at Possum’s. I will try not to go in too much depth, so I can cover more topics. If you want more details, we can help you with your questions at Possum’s.

Moles are doing their fall tunneling, and they are everywhere! The three step method of control still gets the best results. Kill the mole. Traps, mole patrol and talprid seem to work best. Manage the moles food source. Sevin, Aloft, and Grubz Out are very good at killing moles food supply. The third step is to apply a repellent to keep new moles out of the yard. Holy Moley and Mole and Vole repellent do a very good job. With the repellents, you can create a barrier around your property, so you use less repellent and save money.

Large Patch / Brown Patch / Zoysia Patch have been in lawns this fall; however, the lack of rain was keeping it to a minimal. The recent rains made it explode in some yards with those all too familiar circles of disease. In our warm season grasses, these diseases can be in irregular patterns as well as the circles. Map the areas you see the disease, since the disease is in the soil it will tend to reappear in the same areas. Turn off the irrigation. Correct any thatch, compaction or drainage issues. Apply Cleary’s, Prophesy, Dual Action Fungicide, Serenade (organic) or Disarm. Add Neptune Harvest’s Crab Shell (organic) product to the area to add beneficial organisms to the soil to combat the bad organisms. We have also seen for ourselves and heard from customers that the use of Cotton Burr Compost really helps with this disease.

Yes, you can still winterize your turf – it is not too late. Look for a product with a 00 for the first number (nitrogen). A 00-00-25 with sulfate of potash and minors would be great. If you do not need the potash, consider SeaHume a wonderful combination of seaweed and humic acid. The seaweed has over 60 minor nutrients, amino acids, and bio stimulants. The humic acid is also full of bio stimulants that help make nutrients that are in the soil available to the plant, help with soil structure, grow roots, and feed the microorganisms in the soil. Both these products can be used together and will help your yard this winter and next spring.

If you have not lowered your mower height to help reduce winter kill, now is the time.The lower cutting height will remove the leaf blades that trap the cold air near the crown of the plant. Most of the winter kill occurs on Centipede grass that has a lot thatch and is tall (over 1.5 inches).

Now is the time to collect soil to get on a program for 2011. If it has been 30 days since you applied a fertilizer, why wait? Beat the spring rush of soil tests at the lab (and my desk if you use Possum’s). If you have any amending to do (lime, etc.), you do it over the winter and be ready for spring. Having a soil test and program is like having a landscape design; it gives you a roadmap to follow, so you are applying the right products at the right time for your soil.

Yes, you still have time to plant bulbs. A little 04-04-04 Bolster, Bio-Tone Starter Plus, M-Roots, and / or SeaHume should get them off to a good start.

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law.

Fall Is For Planting 2

Last week I began to write about planting in the fall and some of the situations to consider while planting. As usual I ran out of space. So here are a few more things to consider if you have fall planting on your mind.

Are there any particular plants you like? Do you like certain plants for their fragrance? Do you want plants that attract certain birds or butterflies? Do you live in an area that deer might think you are planting a Thanksgiving buffet for their family? Are you looking for spring color or year round color?

What are your planting site conditions? Is the location always damp and wet or is it sandy and dry? What kind of soil do you have? What kind of drainage does the area have? Is the area exposed to salt from the water via high tides or wind? Is the area windy and exposed like the beach or is shady, and protected like downtown Charleston in a corner behind a brick wall?

Do you like formal or informal gardens? Are there certain textures of plants you like? Some plants grow good in combination with other plants to highlight their different textures and foliage colors. Are there certain foliage colors you like?

Test the soil before you plant. Different plants like different pH levels. If you have a high pH soil, you could choose plants that like a high pH. If you pH is high and you want to grow low pH loving plants, you could amend your soil to accommodate them. Amending the soil is easier before the plants go in the ground; however, you can amend the soil after the plants are planted.

Do you like (and have time) to work in the yard? Some hybrid roses are great, but they do require spraying and regular maintenance. Some plants require more pruning than others. If your time is limited, look for newer varieties of plants and turf that are more insect and disease resistant.

If you are planting a plant or tree for privacy, what is that plant going to look like in the winter? Does it stay green all winter and provide the privacy you want? If you are trying to block a view of a swimming pool, does it matter if the leaves fall off in the winter? Are you going to get leaves in your pool or somewhere else you do not want them?

Remember “plant it high and it will not die, plant it low and it is sure to go!”

Fall Is For Planting 1

Man, what wonderful weather we are having! We need rain (I write these Monday mornings and it looks like we are getting a very small amount of rain), but the last few weeks have been most enjoyable.

Fall is for planting, so now is the time to get those plants in the ground. I have notice several people re-sodding areas as well. New annuals are adding fresh color to our Lowcountry landscape and rye grass is popping up on many lawns (and in some beds).

The many parks and public plantations the Lowcountry has to offer are a great place to get design ideas for your yard or just to spend some time alone or with families and friends.

Planting can take several forms. A random new plant, a small renovation, landscaping an area that was not planted in the past, and planting a whole new yard all require some basic skills and knowledge. Some people will do it themselves and others will hire a professional.

When planting new plants there are a few things you might want to consider. How tall and wide is the plant going to be a full maturity? If it gets too big, you might be transplanting it (last week’s article) in a few years. Is it going to grow into my house and ruin my paint? Are the roots going to tear up my sidewalk or foundation? Do I have overhead wires that the plant is going to grow into leading to a safety issue? Is the plant an evergreen or is it going to lose its leaves in the fall? If you have a bed of sun-loving shrubs, do you want to plant a live oak that will shade them out in a few years, and then you have to replace the shrubs? Is it going to shade my house in the summer, yet let light in during the winter saving electricity?

A landscape designer can help you through some of these questions. Choose a designer whose work you have seen and like. Some designers include lighting, irrigation, bricks, sidewalks, fountains, statues, walls and drainage in their designs and other designers stick more with the basics. If you like the more elaborate features but cash is a little tight, most designers can break the project into phases. Working in phases is nice because you are working toward a goal, and when you are finished, you have the landscape of your dreams.

When you choose your plant material, it is best to go to a local nursery / garden center. They have the varieties of plants that do well here in the Lowcountry. The local nursery / garden center is going to have an employee that works daily with local plants, knows the plant’s advantages and disadvantages, knows if the plant is susceptible to any insects or disease and might even know where you can drive by to see the particular plant growing.

If there are new varieties of a certain plant that are available and resistant to disease or insects, those are the ones you want to plant, and your local nurseryman (or woman) will be able to direct you to them.

So much to cover, so little space; however, I will be back next week (I hope). Will you?

Transplanting Plus A Few

There is a lot to do in the yard, while the air is cool, in the fall. Much of what you do now will affect your success in the yard come spring time.

Before I go another week without mentioning it, I have to say the Sweet Tea Olives smell extra good this year. My office window is flanked by 2 fifteen foot Tea Olives, and they smell great! The Tea Olive always symbolizes fall (football, hunting, fishing, NASCAR chase, volleyball, softball and shrimping) to me and the cooler weather. I do not know if the Tea Olives smell better or after all that hot weather this summer, the cooler weather is just extra nice.

If you plan to move any trees or shrubs this winter, root pruning now will help you increase your chances of a successful transplant. The rule of thumb for trees is for every inch in diameter at breast height you want to dig a root ball that is twelve inches. Since you are moving a tree, sometimes you just have to dig a ball as large as you can without damaging other plants in the area or hardscape features, and you also have to consider physically how big of a ball can you move.

Once you determine where the ball is going to be, it is time to root prune. Since most of our plants are shallow rooted, all you need to do is go around the tree with a shovel and push the shovel straight into the ground. Do not pry or try to dig the tree out of the ground, just sever the roots. A drench with Superthrive and Root Accelerator will encourage new roots to grow in this new ‘ball’ area. Spray the leaves and trunk with Transfilm or Wilt Proof to slow down transpiration. An application of SeaHume will also encourage root growth. Be sure to water since you just severed the roots.

After 30 days the tree will be ready to move. If you have more time, you can continue to root prune and encourage the roots to grow in that new ‘ball’ area. When you are ready to move the plant, dig away from the area that you root pruned, leaving the tree in a moat. Always move the plant by lifting the roots, not the trunk of the tree. Slide the tree onto a tarp or piece of burlap, and move it to its new home. Be sure to plant the transplant at the same level that it was growing before or a little higher. Do not pile soil on top of the root ball.

Drench with Superthrive and Root Accelerator, apply some SeaHume, mulch with flower bed amendment, spray some Transfilm or Wilt Proof, water the leaves and ground, and stake if necessary. Remember to water throughout the winter. The winds and low humidity during the winter can dry out a newly transplanted tree quickly. Good Luck!

Well, I guess I did what I was trying to avoid doing, and I got too in depth about one topic. Judging from the calls on the radio show this past weekend, many of you are thinking about moving plants this fall. Maybe this article will save a plant or two.

Mosquitoes are terrible right now because of the recent rain and the extra high tides. Try treating an area (like your back yard) with Mosquito Beater or Mosquito Repelling Granules. They both work great and you do not have to spray yourself.

One of the guys I work with, Matt (General Manager Possum’s West), has a horse farm in Huger where the mosquitoes are the size of hummingbirds. He treats the area around his grill, his daughter’s swing set / play area, his picnic area, his patio, his front porch, and the area where he mixes his horse feed. Matt says he prefers the Mosquito Repelling Granules because the product is easy to spread and is lasting over three weeks (last month at three weeks we got several inches of rain and he had to reapply). Matt says there is a big difference in the mosquito population where he scatters this organic product and where he does not treat.

October around the house

This week I will continue my list of things to do in the fall along with a brief description of why, and I will mention a product or two that will help solve the issue.

Last week I wrote about large patch, sod webworms, rats, mice, amending flower beds and vegetable gardens, feeding the birds, and winterizing your grass with 00-00-25, Possum Minors, or SeaHume instead of the heavily advertized national name brand fertilizers that are designed for Fescue grass.

Bulbs are a great addition to the landscape. Look for big bulbs when purchasing bulbs. If you have two of the same variety of daffodil bulbs and one bulb is larger, the larger bulb will usually produce the larger flower when the bulb blooms. Be sure to fertilize your bulbs at planting (a tablespoon of 04-04-04 Sustane, 04-00-10, or 03-03-03) and after they bloom. After a daffodil blooms, spray the foliage with Messenger and let the foliage completely die to the ground. Messenger will help the leaves collect more sunlight and produce a bigger bulb for the next spring. As with most purchases, it is better to spend a little more up front and get what you want than save a little money and be unhappy with the results.

As the weather cools, mole damage is more visible. The grass grows slower, so any mole damage does not get repaired as fast as when the grass is actively growing. The mole’s food source is also deeper in the ground, meaning that a mole must displace more soil for a meal. Remember a mole eats 85 to 125 percent of its body weight everyday to stay alive, so he or she will be tunneling. Mole Patrol, Talprid, Mole Repellent, and Revenge Smoke Bombs should help keep this nasty pest out of your yard and in your neighbor’s yard.

The grass has slowed down and is transitioning to dormancy. Some herbicide labels recommend that you not use their product while the grass is in transition. The end user should always read the product’s label. The label supersedes any recommendation from anyone else.

Dormant oils and Neem oils are great to apply to kill overwintering insects and mites. The Neem oil will also control certain fungus diseases. Watch the weather to be sure it is not too hot or too cold to apply these products.

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law.

Fall time is a busy time in the yard and around the house. I’m going to start with a list with a brief description and expand on the individual topics in other columns. There might be other products that will work; however, in the interest of space, I’m going to just list a few products.

Large Patch Fungus (aka Brown Patch) flared up big time with the recent rains and sudden drop in temperature. BioRush, Crab Shell, Nature’s Blend, and Serenade are a few organic controls. Cleary’s 3336, Prophesy, Dual Action Fungicide, and PCNB are all good control products. Try to get fungicides out preventively when conditions are right for the disease instead of curatively after the disease has damaged the lawn.

Sod webworms are hatching and munching on leaf blades. Bt and Spinosad are two good organic controls. Tirade and Sevin are two good control products. Again, if you can treat for these insects before they eat half your yard, you will be better off. With the cooler weather any recovery will be very slow, allowing weeds to move into the weakened areas.

The cooler temperatures will bring rats and mice into your house. Snap traps and lures for rodents have come a long way in recent years. Glue boards and baits also do a good job.
Using bait boxes outside your house might save your duct work and wiring.

Amending beds for fall vegetable garden or annual color will pay big dividends. A great one two punch is SeaHume granular and Flower Bed Amendment. For a sandy soil, use three inches of Flower Bed Amendment and till three inches down. For clay soils use two inches of Flower Bed Amendment and till four inches deep. Then top dress the area with the SeaHume. People across the Lowcountry have had great success with this simple recipe.

A simple bird feeder, a bag of high quality bird food, and a bottle of squirrel stopper can provide you a lot of entertainment for the whole family at a very low price. We are lucky to have many different types of birds that can add a new dimension to your landscape.

Stay away from the nationally advertised winterizer fertilizer. Most of the national name brand products are designed for Fescue or other cool season grasses. Try 00-00-25 with 10% iron, Possum Minors, or SeaHume, your grass will thank you in the spring.

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law.