Getting to the root of Christmas tree problems
Q Last Christmas we had problems with the balsam fir that we bought for Christmas not taking in any water. After we brought it home my husband cut off an inch and put it in a bucket of water in the garage.
When he went out to get it a few days later to bring indoors he noticed that the bucket of water it was in was frozen solid. He managed to chip it out of the ice and we put it in the stand and decorated it.
We filled the stand reservoir with water but the tree would not take up any water at all. We noticed after a few days that the needles had changed colour and it wasn't long after that the needles began to drop!
What did we do wrong and how to we keep from making the same mistake this year? We seem to remember you talking about this problem in the past but we never kept the column.
A What probably happened is that the sap of the tree sealed over the wound from the original cut you made. It is best to make that cut just before you bring the tree indoors. As you noted, the water in the bucket froze over and the wound sealed itself.
Cut trees will take up 65 per cent of the water over the holidays during their first week indoors so you can see how important it is to make that cut at the right time. The lesson to be learned here is you can make a cut when you first bring the tree home and place it in water but make a second cut just before you bring the tree indoors.
I still like to put it in water after I get it home even if I know the water will freeze. The tree will get some water in before it freezes over. Also, the frozen
water will help keep the cut end of the tree from drying out.
What I also like to do is to bring the tree indoors still in the frozen bucket of water. Let it thaw and then make the cut on the trunk.
Thawing it allows the branches to open fully so the risk of breaking a branch during decorating is greatly reduced.
ANOTHER GREAT GIFT
The Prairie Garden 2021 arrived on my desk too late to be included in last week's gifts for gardeners column but this gardening annual certainly bears
mentioning and would make a terrific gift for any gardener.
It is Western Canada's only gardening annual and it is literally chock full of great gardening articles and tips.
You will find more than 60 articles ranging from growing hydrangeas on the prairies to growing edible fruits to growing gourmet mushrooms. I was especially interested in the piece by Dr. Ieuan Evans whose article entitled Bushels of Fruit from Bushes.
What better source of information on growing bush fruits than from the originator of the Evans
Cherry? There are even several articles on insects both beneficial and pests.
Another favourite topic for me was an article on four-season interest for a landscape in zone 3. One thing I enjoy in my garden is the look of the garden in the winter.
The opening sentence of the book from guest editor Dr. Philip Ronald caught my attention as well. He says, “In a year with so much uncertainty aren't you thankful for plants?” Truer words were never spoken.
I cannot recall a year where so many people have had so many gardening questions. It is encouraging to see so many people finding or returning to gardening roots.
The Prairie Garden is a non-profit publication dedicated to the advancement of horticulture on the Prairies.
I encourage you to go to The Prairie Garden website where you can order the 2021 copy or other gardening annuals.
You can order the book online or find it locally at Greenland Garden Centre in Sherwood Park or Hanna's Seeds in Lacombe.