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.

A garden can have many uses besides just providing beauty to a home. It can also provide a safe haven for birds to eat and have shelter, and provide one with hours of bird-watching entertainment.

Birds are naturally drawn to trees and shrubs because these plants provide a place to hide from their enemies, a place to nest and roost, a place to get a meal, and a place to rest. The key is having a mix of trees and shrubs that are either evergreen or bear fruit, nuts, berries or cones.

By providing a variety of different trees and shrubs, you will attract a greater variety of birds to your yard. Some can provide food; others will provide shelter. Birds have various individual tastes, so if you provide a variety of food sources, a greater number will decide your garden would be a nice place to visit or even live.

It helps to have a diverse variety of heights, foliage types and densities. Consider planting bushes in groups, making a special effort to be strategic in locations that will receive less human traffic. Birds need cover to hide from their enemies and to stay safe during cold or stormy weather. Dense evergreens can actually shelter birds and insulate them from winds. In summer these same trees and plants will provide protection from the sun and heat, as well as a place to nest. Spruce make a great place for quail to nest.

It helps to learn about which birds actually live or migrate annually to and from the area. Create a list of birds and then find out their favorite food and type of nesting place. We have many great plants to provide birds food and shelter. (Many plants produce food for birds in the fall season.) So come in and visit us soon. Our staff of nursery professionals will be happy to help you plan a garden that is not only beautiful, but will also keep the local bird population happy!

Product Spotlight: Dr. Earth Liquid Solution!

Dr. Earth Liquid Solution! 3-3-3 Concentrate is an all-purpose liquid organic fertilizer with chelated multi-minerals and growth enhancers for use on all plants including fruits and vegetables, trees, shrubs, vines, flowering ornamentals, container plants, hydroponics and turf. Liquid Solution! is designed to produce consistent and superior growth from every bottle. It quickly corrects any nutrient deficiencies, helping transplants and established plants to thrive. It is easy to mix and apply, and will produce fast results you can count on anytime of year.

1. Plant a basket of narcissus for holiday bloom.
2. Protect built-in sprinkler systems: drain the system, insulate the valve mechanisms.
3. Tie limbs of upright evergreens to prevent breakage by snow or ice.
4. Open up spaces in dense trees to allow wind to pass through.
5. Rake and destroy leaves from fruit trees that were diseased this year. Remove mummified fruit.
6. Cut back chrysanthemums after bloom; clean up the ground.
7. Plant window garden of lettuce, chives, parsley.
8. Plant shrubs and trees that supply winter food and shelter to birds.
9. Stake young trees loosely so they can develop strong trunks.
10. Wrap the trunks of young trees with an insulating material to protect them from cold.
11. Mulch, mulch, and mulch some more.

Autumn is a good time to prepare your lawn for the year ahead, and the best time to tackle any long-term improvements. Tasks such as raking out lawn debris, eradicating moss, feeding, and aerating will improve the quality of your lawn greatly if carried out on a yearly basis.

Under some conditions, grass clippings and debris can form a thick "thatch" on the surface of your lawn. This affects growth of the grass and should be removed with a lawn rake. Raking also removes moss.

If grass growth is poor, aerate the lawn. You can do this by pushing the prongs of a fork about 15 cm (6 in) into the ground. Brush a soil improver into the holes made by the fork. Use sand or a mixture of fine soil and sand if the ground is poorly drained. Alternatively, use peat, a peat-substitute or very fine, well-rotted compost if the ground is sandy. Reseed as necessary; fall is an excellent time for reseeding.

If your lawn is in poor condition and needs reviving, apply an autumn lawn feed. It is essential that you use one formulated for autumn use, as spring and summer feeds will contain too much nitrogen. If the grass contains a lot of moss, apply a moss killer. Use one recommended for autumn use; the mixture known as lawn sand, sometimes used to kill moss, contains too much nitrogen.

You can (and should) tidy an uneven edge whenever it's necessary, but doing a full job of it in autumn will relieve the pressure at busier times of the year. Hold a half-moon edger against a board held in position with your feet.

Why You Should Prune:

• Pruning dead, injured and diseased limbs from your plants helps keep them strong and healthy. Dead limbs can break in storms and damage other parts of the plant (or your house, if we are talking about trees).
• Pruning helps in producing larger, healthier flowers and fruit. Keeping a plant from overproducing also helps keep the plant healthy; overproduction can weaken plants.
• Pruning to shape trees and bushes makes for a nicer looking garden.
• Pruning for space keeps your plants from running wild and taking over the lawn or garden.
• Pruning can help restore vigor to older trees and shrubs, as well as improving appearance.

When You Should Prune:

• The best time to prune is during the plant's dormant season, generally in the winter.
• The exceptions are ornamental trees and shrubs grown especially for their spring flowers. Most of these should be pruned just after they bloom in the spring so the flowering buds are not removed.
• Evergreen plants can be pruned any time of year, but the best time is late winter or late summer, just before seasonal new growth begins.
• Evergreen plants susceptible to frost damage should be pruned after there is any danger of frost.
• Dead, injured, or diseased limbs should be pruned immediately.
  
  Tip: when you purchase a plant, ask us the best time to prune it.

Tools:

• Use hand shears for branches ¼ inch in diameter and smaller.
• Loppers are for larger jobs. The longer handles give you longer reach and better leverage. You can use these for branches up to about 2" on softwoods, less on hard woods (depending on the size and strength of the loppers — and you).
• Use pruning saws for larger branches.
• You might need a chain saw, or a professional tree cutter, for very large branches.

Technique:

Pruning techniques vary, depending on what you are pruning and why you are pruning. Here are some universals:

• The sharper the tool, the better. Using dull or rusty tools can harm the plant rather than help it.
• When pruning dormant plants, dormant spraying should be done immediately after pruning. If you feel lazy and decide to wait for a few days, you may find that new growth has begun to emerge. Your dormant spray will damage that tender new growth, setting your plant back and possibly resulting in deformed growth.
• When removing diseased limbs, get them away from the plant immediately and do not use the leaves for mulch, as that could spread the disease.

Warning: Regarding frost damaged plants: don't prune back the frost-damaged foilage until spring.