By The Yard. The Living Christmas Tree - Norfolk Island Pine HORTICULTURE NEWSLETTER. Quick Tip. Fayette County Extension December 2017

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1 Fayette County Extension December 2017 Cooperative Extension Service Fayette County Extension 1140 Harry Sykes Way Lexington, KY Phone (859) By The Yard HORTICULTURE NEWSLETTER Inside this issue: Things to Consider When Buying a Cut Christmas Tree Fayette County Tree Farms 3 New Year Resolutions for Gardeners December Quick Tips 4 Pest Patrol: Clothes Moths 5 Holiday Plant Word Search 7 Recipe: Baked Apples and Sweet Potatoes Quick Tip Did you know... That if you fertilize your lawn, you have already fed most plants in your yard The Living Christmas Tree - Norfolk Island Pine While out Christmas shopping you may notice what looks like a living Christmas tree that can often be found near the poinsettia display. These trees will often have ornaments and glitter, some being very small that can serve as a center piece on your table and others are three feet in height. Norfolk Island pine, Araucaria heterophylla, is a tropical evergreen tree. In its native habitat, Norfolk Island which lies off the coast of Australia, it can grow up to 200 feet tall. As a houseplant it can reach a height of 20 feet with good care and ideal conditions but more often it grows to six feet tall or less. The Norfolk Island pine is not a true pine and is not hardy in our Kentucky climate. The small trees are uniform in appearance and have branches that are parallel to the ground. They are often marketed as an alternative to typical a Christmas tree. Norfolk Island pines need at least two hours of bright, indirect sunlight daily to maintain their bright green foliage color. To ensure symmetrical, upright growth, rotate the plant weekly to keep it from permanently bending toward the light source. Temperatures of F during the day and slightly cooler at night are optimum. These houseplants require consistent moisture and high Continue on page 2

2 By The Yard Page 2 The Living Christmas Tree - Norfolk Island Pine, continued humidity. When the top inch of soil is dry to the touch, water thoroughly allowing excess water to drain out of the container. Discard the excess; to avoid root rot do not let the plant sit in water. The plant will require a bit less water in the winter months. Norfolk Island pines prefer an environment with about 50 percent humidity. Clustering plants, setting the growing container on a saucer filled with gravel and water or using a humidifier are a few options to increase the relative humidity around houseplants. Only feed or transplant Araucaria when they are actively growing (March through September). To supply nutrients any standard soluble fertilizer formulated for houseplants will do. Araucaria are slow growers and only need to be transplanted when they show signs of being root bound or have roots growing out the base of the container. Excessive browning of needles can be a sign of too little humidity, too little or too much water, or drafts from a furnace, air conditioner or an outside door. Source: Jessica Bessin, Mercer Co. Horticulture Agent and University of Colorado Extension Things to Consider When Buying a Cut Christmas Tree Think about your space. Before going to the tree lot, measure the space where you would like to place your tree and make sure to take your measuring tape with you. While at the lot, look for a tree that will fit properly without overcrowding. Measuring is important, because remember that looks can be deceiving and sometimes a tree that you think will fit great in your home, in fact, does not. Check for freshness. While at the lot, be sure to check needles for freshness. If the needles fall off of the branches easily, it is not very fresh, and you might need to keep shopping. Choose the right species. There are several varieties of Christmas trees grown in Kentucky, and the species you choose is all personal preference. Most Christmas trees grown in Kentucky consist of firs, spruce, and pine. A few of the common varieties: Fir: Balsam, Canaan, White, Douglas, Fraser Spruce: Norway, White Pine: Eastern White, Scots, Virginia At home care. After bringing the tree home, place it in a tree stand with water as soon as possible. Monitor the water level throughout the season. Make sure that the reservoir always has some water in it and that it never goes dry. Also, be sure to keep the tree away from heat sources such as a fire place, electric heater, or heat vent. Source: Jessica H. Sayre, Harrison County Horticulture Agent

3 By The Yard Page 3 Fayette County Tree Farms Barker's Christmas Tree Farm 1500 Deer Haven Lane Lexington, KY (859) barkerschristmastreefarm.com Christmas Memories Tree Farm 4890 Keene Rd. Lexington, KY (859) Nieman's Tree Farm 5100 Sulphur Lane Lexington, KY (859) To find other Kentucky Christmas tree farms near you, visit or the Kentucky Department of Agriculture s Division of Agritourism website New Year Resolution for Gardeners 1. If you are not a gardener, become one. It is scientifically proven that gardening wards off depression: it is difficult not to enjoy life when surrounded by flowers, vegetables and the resulting wildlife they attract. In addition to culinary and health benefits, a garden increases property value and saves money. 2. Test your soil. Whether you have an established garden or are starting a new one, this is a great way to begin the gardening year. Pick up soil test bags from the Extension Office and bring us back a soil sample. We will process it and make a fertilizer recommendation. The test cost $7.00 per sample. Contact the Fayette County Extension Office, (859) , for more information on the best way to collect a sample from your garden. 3. Remove diseased plant parts. Many diseases and some insects will hang out on infected plants all winter only to infect new plant growth in the spring. Good sanitation goes a long way in preventing plant problems 4. Reduce your lawn area. Lawns are high-maintenance and not always environmentally friendly depending on how they are maintained. Furthermore, the quest for the perfect lawn leads to high nitrates and other pesticides in our water supply. Replace some of your grass with shrubs, perennials and vegetables. 5. Think herbs and veggies. If you haven t done so before, plant herbs and use them in cooking. Try growing annual herbs such as basil or dill, or some perennial herbs like sage and oregano. Herbs add color and scent to the garden and they taste so much better than store bought. 6. Order seeds early. As the seed catalogs pile up on your coffee table, it s time to inventory the seed packets you already have. Then make a plan for your 2017 vegetable garden, rotating the crops to minimize the buildup of soil-borne diseases. Order seeds early and you won t have to accept substitutes on the order. You may not need all the seeds in a packet, so it s a good idea to split them with a neighbor or friend. 7. Encourage good bugs. Insect predators and parasites help you in the battle of the bad bugs, so Continued on page 4

4 By The Yard Page 4 New Year Resolution for Gardeners, continued plant flowers that will attract them. To entice lacewings, ladybugs, and hoverflies, for example, plant yarrow, dill, butterfly weed, and sweet alyssum. 8. Save your muscles and joints. Resolve to save your muscles and joints from the abuse of repetitive motions by taking regular breaks or switch movements every 15 minutes or so. Labor-saving techniques include limiting the number of shrubs that need pruning, using soaker hoses, weeding when the soil is moist, and choosing long-blooming prennials that don t need deadheading. 9. Don't let weeds go to seed. "One year's seeding equals seven year's weeding." 10. Enjoy! Finally, resolve to enjoy your garden more this year by taking regular walks around it, petting more bumble bees, and sniffing more flowers. Sources: Jessica Bessin, Mercer County Horticulture Agent and Penn State Extension and University of Illinois Extension Horticulture December Quick Tips Broadleaf evergreens will benefit from an application of anti-desiccant this month. Make sure evergreens are well watered. Outdoor pond inhabitants may encounter problems if the pond freezes over and gases cannot escape. A basketball floated on the surface will often keep a small spot from freezing. If you haven t already, empty and store flower pots for the season. Many pots, particularly clay and ceramic, will be damaged by moisture and freezing temperatures. Plan gardens and place seed orders. Many popular items and new offerings will sell out first. Use fallen leaves to mulch your vegetable garden. These can be tilled in next spring to add valuable organic matter. They will also protect the soil by preventing erosion, compaction, and to a degree, inhibit cool season weeds from germinating. Water is often as limited a resource for birds as food. If you enjoy feeding and watching birds try a bird bath de-icer or electric pet bowl. See if you don t attract more feathered friends than before. If you will be establishing a new lawn this spring, Do A Soil Test Now! New ground usually benefits from an application of nitrogen, and sometimes phosphorus, potassium or lime (only if ph is too low). Be careful where you throw de-icing salt, as well as the contaminated slush, snow and ice which you scoop of the walks. Most plants are easily damaged by these salts. Try using sand, sawdust, urea fertilizer or kitty litter for traction rather than the de-icing salts, or buy a brand which is labeled safe for plants. Avoid walking on frozen turf as much as possible. Whenever you hear the crunch of icy grass, you are actually damaging the crown (growing point) of the frozen grass plant. Your landscape can be a great source of materials for holiday decorating. Light pruning will generally not harm your plants in the winter and you may be surprised at the variety in your own yard. Don t just consider evergreens, use ornamental grasses, pine cones, fruits, berries, even mosses in your decorating. Watch for January, 2018, By The Yard newsletter for the class schedule: Gardener s Toolbox 2018!

5 By The Yard Page 5 Pest Patrol: Clothes Moth Clothes Moth Adult Clothes moths are well-known as pests of stored woolens, but they will eat a wide range of other fibers including hair, fur, silk, felt and feathers. Serious infestations of clothes moths can develop undetected in a home, causing significant damage to clothing, bedding, floor coverings and other articles. Identification and Habits Clothes moths are small (about 1/2 inch), buff-colored moths. Two different species are common in Kentucky, the webbing clothes moth and the casemaking clothes moth. The webbing clothes moth is uniformly buff-colored, whereas the casemaking clothes moth is similar in appearance but has indistinct dark specks on the wings. Clothes moths are seldom seen because they avoid light. They prefer dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, basements and attics, and tend to live in corners or in folds of fabric. If you do see tiny moths flying about in the kitchen and other open areas, they are probably grain moths originating from some infested cereal, flour or stored food item. Clothes moth adults do not feed so they cause no injury to fabrics. However, the adults produce eggs which hatch into the fabric-eating larvae. The larval stage of clothes moths are creamy-white caterpillars up to 1/2-inch long. Webbing clothes moth larvae spin silken feeding tunnels or patches of webbing as they move about on the surface of fabrics. The casemaking clothes moth encloses itself in a portable case that it drags about wherever it goes. Damage to articles may consist of irregular surface feeding or holes eaten completely through the fabric. Oftentimes, the larvae leave the material they developed on and can be seen crawling slowly over walls or ceilings. The casemaking clothes moth, in particular, may travel considerable distances from the infested article to spin its cocoon in a protected crack, or along the juncture of a wall and ceiling. As mentioned earlier, clothes moths feed on a variety of animal-based materials, including wool, fur, silk, feathers and leather. Items commonly infested include wool sweaters, coats, blankets, carpets, decorative items, down pillows and comforters, toys and animal trophies. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester and rayon are rarely attacked unless blended with wool, or if they are heavily soiled with food stains or body oils. The larvae prefer to feed in dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, attics, and within boxes where woolens and furs are stored for long periods. Clothing and blankets in constant use are seldom damaged by clothes moths, nor are rugs that get a normal amount of traffic or are routinely vacuumed. Edges of carpeting next to walls or underneath furniture are often attacked. Clothes moths may also be found infesting upholstered furniture (both inside and out), and in air ducts where the larvae may be feeding on lint, shed pet hair and other bits of debris. Infestations may also originate from bird or animal nests, or an animal carcass present in an attic, chimney or wall void. Control The best way to avoid problems with clothes moths is through prevention. Woolens and other susceptible fabrics should be dry cleaned or laundered before being stored for long periods. Cleaning kills any eggs or larvae that may be present and also removes perspiration odors that are attractive to the pests. Articles to be stored should then be packed in tight-fitting containers with moth balls or flakes containing paradichlorobenzene (PDB) or napthalene. Neither PDB or napthalene will repel clothes moths or prevent them from laying eggs -- the vapors from these materials are Continued on page 6

6 By The Yard Page 6 Pest Patrol: Clothes Moth, continued lethal to clothes moths, but only when maintained at sufficient concentrations. In order to achieve these levels, the vapors must be tightly confined with the items you wish to protect. Effective concentrations can best be achieved by first sealing susceptible items (with the manufacturers' recommended dosage of moth crystals) in large plastic bags, and then storing the bagged articles in tight-fitting trunks, boxes or chests. Contrary to popular belief, cedar closets or chests are seldom effective by themselves, because the seal is insufficient to maintain a lethal or repellent concentration of the volatile oil of cedar. Standard household insecticides should not be used to treat clothing; however, mothproofing solutions may be applied to susceptible clothing by professional dry cleaners. Valuable garments such as furs can also be protected from clothes moths by storing them in cold vaults (a service offered by some furriers and department stores). Controlling existing infestations of clothes moths requires patience and a thorough inspection to locate all potential sources of infestation. The source may be an old woolen scarf in the back of a closet, a fur hat in a box, or a remnant of wool carpeting up in the attic. Even piano or organ felts may be the source. Infested items should be thrown out, laundered or dry cleaned. Vacuuming effectively removes larvae which are already present as well as hair and lint which could support future infestations. Be sure to vacuum the edges of carpets, along baseboards, underneath furniture, inside closets and other "quiet" areas where clothes moths prefer to feed. Insecticide applications directed into infested areas are often useful as a supplement to good housekeeping. Products containing active ingredients such as pyrethrum, allethrin, chlorpyrifos and permethrin are effective. Sprays may be applied to carpets (especially along and beneath the edge adjacent to the baseboard), underneath furniture and other likely areas of infestation where prolonged contact with humans is unlikely. Clothing and bedding should not be sprayed with household insecticides and should be removed before treatment. Elimination of widespread, serious infestations of clothes moths may require the services of a professional pest control operator. Revised: 10/01 CAUTION! Pesticide recommendations in this publication are registered for use in Kentucky, USA ONLY! The use of some products may not be legal in your state or country. Please check with your local county agent or regulatory official before using any pesticide mentioned in this publication. Of course, ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS FOR SAFE USE OF ANY PESTICIDE! Source: Mike Potter, Extension Entomologist University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Fayette County Cooperative Extension Office will be closed December 25th to January 1st Happy Holidays!

7 Holiday Plants Work Search! C P P U D Z W B F O X C E P T N H T F H X O Z V X R A O A Z E B R Y P X X N B A I S T P Y N A G I W I M I N G T Q E E N R V T O S G N B H U Y E L R S O M O I K T E E N S C P T W M C D C K V R M T C U Q I S H A P N Q E R R S A R O U N I I G O Y V I D E O P S E N E M T N P A E S H A S B I C P E F E O N S A C O H R C R Z A I S S L A M A R Y L L I S A R C N Z I H O L L Y S S E R P Y C T U A Q T F S L J J O B I D M B U J A I T T E S N I O P H U G T S AMARYLLIS ARBORVITAE BOXWOOD CEDAR CHESTNUTS CHRISTMAS CACTUS CRANBERRIES CYPRESS FIR HOLLY IVY JUNIPER MAGNOLIA MISTLETOE PAPERWHITES PINE PINECONES POINSETTIA POPCORN

8 NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Fayette County Cooperative Extension 1140 Harry Sykes Way Lexington, KY Lexington, KY PERMIT 112 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Newsletter Enclosed Fayette County By the Yard Jamie Dockery County Extension Agent for Horticulture Cooperative Extension Service Fayette County Extension Service 1140 Harry Sykes Way Lexington, KY (859) UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES, COOPERATING Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, contact Tim West, UK College of Agriculture, ; Terry Allen or Patty Bender, UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity, ; or the USDA, Director Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg., 14th & Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC ( ).