Vol. 13, No.6
November/December 2009
University of Illinois Extension, Pike County Horticulture Newsletter
Pike County
1301 E. Washington St.
Pittsfield, IL 62363
Phone: (217) 285-5543
Fax: (217) 285-5735
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate
in any program we offer, please contact University of
Illinois Extension, Pike County at 217-285-5543.
Articles in This Issue:
Please Send Email Addresses .............................. 1
Upcoming Events ................................................. 1
Private Pesticide Safety Education...................... 2
Backyard Super Foods ........................................ 2
Soil Testing: The Key to Great Gardens ............. 3
Winter Mulch Protects Strawberries .................. 4
Questions About Trees & Bushes........................ 4
Pumpkins: Not Just for Jack-O-Lanterns .......... 5
American Bittersweet ........................................... 5
Black Walnut ....................................................... 6
Tips for Happy Holidays with Your Pet .............. 8
Christmas Tree Traditions................................... 8
Avoid the Christmas Rush: Choose Tree Early .. 9
Favorite Recipes of Illinois 4-H Cookbook......... 10
Storing Firewood Outside Prevents Problems ... 10
Preventing Ice & Snow Damage ......................... 10
The Master Gardener’s Plot ................................ 11
Office Closing for Holidays ................................. 12
A Holiday From the Heart Workshop ................ 13
If You Would Like to Receive Newsletter
via Email –Please Send Email Addresses
We have been trying to cut down our mailing lists.
We hope you enjoy our horticulture newsletter and we
want to keep providing you with gardening and
horticulture information.
If you have an email address, we would be more than
happy to email the newsletter to you in lieu of a paper
copy. Please provide your email address to us. Please
email cwestfal@illinois.edu with your address.
And, if you are not interested in receiving
this newsletter, please let us know and
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We really appreciate your help!
Upcoming Events
Pike County 4-H/Extension Foundation Craft
Show & Bake Sale
Saturday, December 5, 2009
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Come and enjoy the day at
the Craft Show. It will be
held in the Pike County
Farm Bureau building.
You may pick up some Christmas presents while you
are there and there will be lots of goodies at the bake
sale, too. Tickets for the Longaberger basket raffle
will be available.
Horticulture Telenets Offered
The 2010 Horticulture Telenets Have Been
Scheduled! They all begin at 1:00 p.m. The
following topics and dates have been scheduled for
2010 horticulture telenets:
Winter 2010
Ferns in the Landscape – February 23
The Elusive Morel – Tips for Safe and Successful
Hunting – March 9
A Gardener’s Guide to Plant Propagation – March 23
Spring 2010
Vegetable Gardening in Small Yard Spaces – April 13
Don’t Fear the Shade Garden – April 27
The Bountiful Flower Garden – Cut Flowers Through
the Seasons – May 11
Summer 2010
Tree Fruit Diseases in the Home
Garden – June 29
Urban Soils – July 13
Native Prairie Wildflowers – July 27
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
Fall 2010 (tentative dates)
Save Money by Diversifying Your Landscape with
Trees – September 21
Small Fruit in the Home Garden – October 5
Spring and Summer Bulb Forcing – October 19
Registration Details: Each session is $5. Handout
materials will be in color. Advance registration is
needed one week before the program you attend. If
you would like a CD of the program, please add an
additional $2.
Watch the next newsletter for further details!
Private Pesticide Safety Education
Program in Pike County – December 18
Pike County will be holding a private pesticide safety
education program for anyone needing or wanting to
obtain an Illinois Pesticide Applicator’s License. For
those wishing to obtain a license, they must pass a
written examination with a 70% score and apply for a
license every three years. The license fee is $20
obtainable through the Department of Agriculture
upon passing the test.
A license is required for anyone using restricted-use
pesticides to produce an agricultural commodity on
property they own or control.
In addition, University of Illinois Extension will
provide training for a fee of $30. This money is to
pay for University of Illinois Extension personnel to
provide the training.
The Pike County date for the training and testing is
Friday, December 18, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:30
p.m. at 1301 E. Washington St. in Pittsfield. We are
located in the Pike County Farm Bureau building on
the East edge of Pittsfield.
Please contact our office at 217-285-5543 to reserve a
seat for the private pesticide safety education training
and testing by December 11, 2009.
2
Headlines herald – "Top Ten Brain Foods", "Top
Seven Heart Healthy Foods" or "Super Foods You
Should Be Eating". Exotic fruits such as acai berries
and goji berries often appear on these lists and are
commonly appearing on store shelves. But what are
these odd sounding fruits? Could we grow them here?
And are their some heart healthy foods in our own
backyard?
Acai berries (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) are the fruit of
a type of palm tree (Euterpe oleracea) native to the
Amazon rainforest of South America. The dark purple
fruits are smaller than a grape and grow in large
clusters high in the palms. In many respects acai
production is a sustainable story where local people
are paid a fair wage to harvest native fruits from the
rain forest without clear cutting trees. The palm tree's
tropical nature leaves us out of production. Acai
berries have been used for food and medicine for
centuries. The berries are high in antioxidants/
anthocyanins, and surprisingly for a fruit they have a
lot of healthy fatty acids and protein and not much
sugar.
Another listed "super food" are goji berries
(pronounced go-gee) Lycium barbarum, of the tomato
family. Goji berries are native to the verdant valleys
of China, Mongolia and the Himalayas in Tibet. They
have been used in China, Korea, and Japan for
thousands of years as a traditional herbal medicine.
The bright red berries are high in antioxidants,
particularly carotenoids such as beta-carotene and
zeaxanthin.
Not much information exists on growing goji in a
home garden, but commercial production now
includes parts of Utah. Goji plants tolerate
temperatures up to 100 degrees F and down to minus
15degrees F. They are drought tolerant once
established. The shrub can grow up to 12 feet tall with
long vine-like branches in full sun areas. Since gojis
are native to mountainous regions, our soils may be
just too fertile for them to be happy. But hey, if you
are into gardening experimentation, you may want to
give growing your own gojis a try.
A better bet is to grow the "brain foods" we know we
can grow. Blueberries, black currants, elderberries,
and cherries to name a few - they don't have exotic
names but their fruits pack a healthy punch.
Backyard Super Foods
Blueberries can grow well here, however they need
extra attention to soil preparation. They require a
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
moist but well drained acidic soil with high organic
matter. Suggested blueberry cultivars include
'Collins,' 'Patriot,' 'Bluejay,' 'Bluecrop,' 'Herbert,'
'Nelson,' and 'Elliot.' It is best to plant more than one
variety.
Black currants and elderberries were once commonly
seen in gardens. Even though they are fairly easy to
grow, their popularity languishes. Both berries are
used in making jams, preserves and wine. Suggested
black currant varieties include 'Consort' and 'Crandall'.
'York' and 'Adams' are especially heavy-fruiting
cultivars of elderberries.
For us tart cherries are more successfully grown than
sweet cherries. Suggested tart cherry varieties include
'Montmorency,' 'Meteor,' 'Suda Hardy,' and 'North
Star.' All are self-fruitful, therefore cross-pollination
is not needed.
Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, needs a new
name if it is ever to become a super food. However
the fruit of this North American native is being
researched for its potent power of antioxidants that
may rival acai berries.
And let's not forget all the other super foods of
broccoli, spinach, and beans that we know we can
grow here. Plan now to add a few heart healthy, smart
brainy, super foods to your garden next year.
For more info on growing backyard "super foods",
check out the publications: Small Fruits in the Home
Garden and Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest
https://pubsplus.uiuc.edu/ 1-800-345-6087 or visit
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fruit/
Soil Testing: The Key to Great Gardens
Before you plant your flowers, trees, shrubs or
vegetable garden, you may need to take a soil test. A
soil test reveals the organic matter content as well as
the soil pH and nutrient levels. A soil test also serves
as an indicator for what amendments may be needed,
and it provides a baseline for comparison in future
years.
Follow these steps for an accurate soil
test.
3
• Gather small amounts of soil from seven or eight
well-scattered locations in your lawn or garden. Do
not mix lawn soil with garden soil—separate samples
are needed to test both of these areas. Do not take
samples where fertilizer has spilled or where manure
has been piled. Take out any leaves, sticks, stones or
other debris in the samples.
• Mix together the samples of soil—either lawn OR
garden.
• Dry the mixed sample at room temperature.
• Wrap the sample in a sturdy half-pint container.
• Make a label for the container:
- state what will be grown (lawn grass, vegetables,
azaleas)
- include your name, address, and phone number
- specify lawn and garden soil testing
• Take or mail the sample to a soil testing laboratory.
Find out what the testing fee is and include payment
with the sample.
Check out the list of testing labs at this website:
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/soiltest/
Helping Put Knowledge to
You can take a soil
sample without a soil
probe. Use a spade or
trowel to remove a
slice of soil 7 inches
deep.
tension.uiuc.edu
UNIVERSITYOFINOISEXTENSION
Place a 1-inch section of this
slice in a pail. Get similar
sections of soil
from other random locations
of your lawn or garden. Mix
the soil in the pail. Remove
about 1/2 pint of the soil. Dry
at room temperature and
place in a container.
Note: Just to let you know, the Pike County Farm
Bureau is closing its soil lab this month. The date it
will close is November 20. If you have any questions
about the soil lab closing, please call the Pike
County Farm Bureau at 217-285-2233.
Winter Mulch Protects
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
Strawberries
If you have a strawberry bed, you’ll want to take steps
to protect the plants this winter. Although applying a
layer of straw seems like a simple task, timing and the
amount of straw used are important.
Depending on variety,
strawberries have varying
tolerance to cold. Lack of
acclimation or “hardening” in
the fall, as well as wide
temperature swings, can decrease
cold tolerance and increase winter
injury to crowns. Mulching helps insulate plants from
low temperatures and quick changes. Temperatures in
the low teens can kill a high percentage of uncovered
or poorly hardened plants.
Mulching also protects plants from winter winds,
which dessicate or dry out the plants, especially when
soil moisture becomes low and/or less available in
frozen soils. In addition, strawberries are shallow and
somewhat brittle-rooted. Alternate freezing and
thawing (frost heaving) of the soil in winter and early
spring can damage roots. A layer of straw on the
surface helps moderate this soil movement.
Strawberries grow and develop late into the fall
months, and should not be covered too early. They
respond to low temperatures and moderate frost by
gradually becoming more hardy and tolerant of cold.
Signs of this acclimation include a “flattened”
appearance, lack of any new leaves, and red
coloration of older leaves.
Apply mulch after plants have had time to acclimate
and develop hardiness. Based on various studies, data
indicates that straw should be applied when soil
temperatures at a 4-inch depth have reached and stay
at 40 degrees F. Soil temperatures can be checked
with a simple thermometer.
4
raised beds with greater exposure, apply several more
inches. As the winter progresses, snow helps add even
greater insulation—so don’t shovel it off the plants.
Plants resume growth early in the spring and should
be uncovered in a timely manner. Typically, straw is
removed when plants show signs of growth and new
leaves begin to emerge under the mulch.
Timing of mulch removal can help delay or advance
early spring growth and flowering. Earlier removal
will allow the soil to warm more quickly, advancing
growth and bloom; but, early removal increases the
risk of spring frost injury to new blossoms. A delay in
removal will keep soils cooler and delay growth and
flowering, which can be an advantage in sites where
spring frosts are a concern. Just don’t leave the straw
on for an extended period of time.
A leaf rake works well to remove straw. Rake the
straw into walkways, along the row edge, and
between rows to help keep weeds down and provide a
clean surface for berries to rest on. Some straw should
be left on top of plants to filter down and provide a
cushion for berries forming in the row middle.
More information on growing and caring for
strawberries can be found in the Small Fruit in the
Home Garden publication, C-1343. A copy can be
ordered through the University of Illinois Extension
office.
Questions and Answers About Bradford
Trees and “Fire” Bushes
Another rule of thumb is to apply straw after several
20-degree freezes have occurred. For most of Illinois,
this usually happens between mid-November and
mid-December, depending on location.
Q. We have two Bradford trees. One is a regular
Bradford, the other is a Cleveland. The Cleveland is
still green with all its leaves. The regular turned red
many months ago and now all the leaves are gone.
This is the first time the leaves have been red. Both of
these trees are about four years old. Is this normal for
the red tree or has it been damaged by the unusual
weather we have had this year? Almost all the
Bradfords in our town still have full leaves. Thank
you for your help.
About any type of loose organic material can be
applied as a mulch, but straw is the most readily
accessible, and it has good insulation ability. Avoid
materials such as hay that will likely contain weed
seeds; also avoid sawdust or chips that are too heavy
and dense. Apply a 2- to 3-inch straw layer, and for
A. Bradford and Cleveland are two different cultivars
of ornamental pears; the latter is not a form of the
Bradford. As a group, Bradford pears tend to have
more of an upright, tight growth habit, making
them extremely susceptible to breaking during wind
and ice storms. For that reason, they are no longer one
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
5
of the highly recommended trees. Cleveland pears
tend to be more rounded with a greater angle
between branches, which helps with wind and
ice/snow loads.
light. However, that might not be realistic. If you want
consistent fall color, consider Itea or Sweetspire, a
great semi-evergreen shrub, though it does sucker.
Ornamental pears as a group are hard to figure out and
are seldom consistent with bloom and fall coloration
from year to year, unlike many of our trees. Growing
location and weather environments can have a big
impact on coloration, as well as the plant’s genetics.
Rain, temperature, and light all have an effect on fall
coloration as well as leaf retention. Personally, I
would want leaves to turn color and drop. Several
years ago, a Thanksgiving ice storm did a number on
the trees that still had leaves clinging to their
branches.
Pumpkins: Not Just for Jack-o’Lanterns and Pie
Be thankful that the tree has lost its leaves and don’t
worry about it.
Q. I have three fire bushes that have the beautiful red
leaves in the fall. However, my bushes only get a few
leaves at the top that turn red and most of them just
fall. My question is: Am I trimming them at the wrong
time of year or trimming them too much so they don’t
turn? I usually trim them during the summer months. I
would appreciate your input.
A. The name “fire bush” is a bit of a problem. We’re
assuming that it is a burning bush or a corky-winged
euonymus. The other option is a firethorn, which is a
Pyracantha, a member of the rose family that produces
orange berries and seldom a good fall foliage color.
Fall color with burning bushes (Euonymus) is
dependent on weather, soil conditions, light, and new
growth. Plants need full sun and less stress to produce
good fall color. Pruning in the summer is usually
not a recommended practice for most ornamentals
because it puts undue stress on the plant, and it
produces new growth that might not mature before
winter, causing dieback.
The best time to prune Euonymus is when it is
dormant, somewhere between December and midMarch. Prune limbs back to the crotches of other
branches… just don’t top or shear the plants. Try
to maintain a natural shape as much as possible.
If the plant is shaded, that might account for some
lack of color; you’ll have to decide if you can provide
more light by thinning nearby plants to let in more
Pumpkins are an excellent source of vitamin A and
are naturally low in both calories and sodium.
For cooking, choose pumpkins between 5 to 8 pounds.
Small pumpkins can be baked whole in the oven at
350º F. until soft, about 1 to 1½ hours, depending
upon size. After baking, cut the pumpkin open and
scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Mash the
pumpkin and use immediately in recipes, or can or
freeze for later use.
Most pumpkins marketed in the U.S. are used as jacko’-lanterns, but the small, sugar variety pumpkins are
excellent to eat. Pumpkins belong to the winter
squash family and can be used in any recipe calling
for winter squashes including hubbard, butternut,
acorn, or turban. Try the tasty dip recipe below—
it’s a great way to encourage your family to eat fruits
and veggies. For more recipes, visit
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/
Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dip
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix all ingredients together.
Serve with apple wedges, celery and carrot sticks,
or crackers.
American Bittersweet
A plant to consider for a colorful fall display is
American Bittersweet. But like a lot of plants, there
are pluses and minuses to its use in the landscape.
American Bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, is native
to North America. It is a vigorously growing woody
vine that may reach a height and width of twenty feet
or more. All parts of this plant are considered
poisonous, but it is worth noting that Native
Americans utilized American Bittersweet for
medicinal purposes. It was used to treat cough,
intestinal disorders, and venereal diseases. Some birds
and squirrels will also eat the fruits of this plant
without causing harm.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
Today American Bittersweet's is prized for its
ornamental value. The vine produces nondescript
green flowers in the spring, followed by yellowish
orange capsules that split in the fall to reveal bright
red fruits which persist through the winter.
These sprays of berries are highly prized for fall
flower arrangements and crafts. In some areas
American Bittersweet is more and more difficult to
find in the natural landscape because of people cutting
the vines to use the berry sprays for fall decorations.
The fact that American Bittersweet is a
vigorously growing vine may be
viewed as a positive or negative
aspect of this plant depending on
what you want to achieve in your
garden.
On a positive note, American Bittersweet provides
color during a time when most everything else is
fading fast in the garden. Late season color is a
definite plus.
But on the other hand, anything described as
"vigorously growing" may be just a little too energetic
for your garden. This plant needs room to grow, as it
will get up to twenty feet tall, and twenty feet wide.
This is not a plant to tuck in a corner to fill in a small
hole in your landscape. That would just be asking for
trouble and a lot of cursing as you try desperately to
keep it in check.
Another word of caution on this plant—although
American Bittersweet may be found in nature
climbing up trees and shrubs, it is not a good idea to
encourage this behavior on young trees and shrubs
you wish to keep alive. Mature trees may be able to
tolerate a bittersweet vine. As bittersweet vines grow,
they will tend to strangle whatever they are climbing
on. So a sturdy trellis or other non-living structure is
generally the best support for a bittersweet vine .
A common question is from people who have planted
American Bittersweet for its fruit, but their vine
refuses to produce fruit. The most common reason for
this problem is that like some other plants, such as
holly, there are male and female bittersweet plants.
You must have both male and female plants to
successfully produce fruit. The male flowers on the
male plant are hardly noticeable. Pollen from the male
flowers pollinate the flowers on the female plant. The
female flowers are also not much to look at, but later
6
produce the showy and much desired yellow-orange
capsules containing red fruits.
If the quantity of fruits produced is disappointing,
consider a heavy pruning in the early spring.
American bittersweet flowers on new growth. Without
regular pruning, all the flowers will end up at the ends
of the vine.
A relative of American Bittersweet that you should
avoid at all costs is Oriental or Chinese Bittersweet ,
Celastrus orbiculatus. This bittersweet was
introduced to the U.S. from Asia in the mid-1800's as
an ornamental plant. It has the same desirable yelloworange capsules filled with red fruits in the fall, but it
is extremely aggressive, often growing sixty feet or
more in a single season. It spreads rapidly from any
bit of root or stem severed from the plant so removal
by pulling is nearly impossible. Usually repeated
applications of non-selective herbicides such as
glyphosate (Roundup®) are necessary to control this
invasive plant.
The easiest way to distinguish Oriental from
American Bittersweet is the location of the flowers
and fruits. American Bittersweet produces its flowers
and fruit in clusters at the ends of branches, while
Oriental Bittersweet produces flowers and fruit at the
base of each leaf.
The better-behaved American Bittersweet will grow
in just about any soil as long as it is not overly wet.
Most vines establish better in full sun locations.
Adequate sun is important for fruit production.
Suggested cultivars for home landscapes are: 'Indian
Brave'—which produces only male flowers, and
'Indian Princess'—produces only female flowers.
Remember these must be planted together if you
would like the female plant to produce the gorgeous
yellow-orange and red fruits!
Black Walnut
Plants have evolved some pretty
interesting ways of insuring their
own existence in the world. One
tactic that fascinates me is
allelopathy, which means that one
plant harms another with chemicals it produces. A
common example, and one that plagues homeowners
is the black walnut, Juglans nigra, a tree native to
eastern North America, including Illinois.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
All parts of black walnut trees produce a molecule
called juglone. This chemical inhibits the growth of a
wide variety of 'non-walnut' plants. Researchers think
the chemical does this by inhibiting other plant's
metabolic activity. Other trees in the same family such
as English walnut, pecan, and hickory also produce
juglone, but in such small quantities it's rarely enough
to affect other plants nearby.
Juglone is released in small amounts from roots below
ground, and from decaying nuts and leaves on the soil
surface. Any plants that are sensitive to juglone and
are planted or attempt to grow naturally in areas
containing juglone will grow poorly and develop what
some call 'Walnut Wilt'–yellowing, wilting, and
eventually death.
If you're a walnut tree, this is a pretty convenient way
to carve out some space to grow in a crowded forest.
However, many homeowners that have a black walnut
tree tear their hair out in frustration. To many it seems
like each year more of their landscape dies as their
black walnut tree grows larger! Short of cutting down
their beautiful tree, they are desperate for a solution.
But even the drastic measure of cutting down the tree
will not solve this problem. Unfortunately, the roots
of black walnut continue to release juglone for years
after the tree has been cut down or dies. Juglone is not
very soluble in water, so it does not move through the
soil very readily. However, juglone is a very reactive
chemical, and it is quickly deactivated when it reacts
with soil components, so there is no worry that levels
will 'build up' in the soil and persist forever after the
tree dies or is removed.
Juglone sensitive plants that encounter old black
walnut roots will still be affected if the roots are
actively releasing juglone. Predicting how long old
roots will release juglone in the soil depends on soil
conditions and micro-organisms present. Most experts
recommend waiting at least two years to plant juglone
sensitive plants after a black walnut tree is removed
from an area.
Fortunately for homeowners, not every plant is
sensitive to juglone, and those that are may be only
mildly sensitive. The lists of plants that can tolerate
being planted near black walnut is extensive, and
readily found on the internet or through our office.
Researchers are not entirely clear on what determines
the quantity of juglone produced by a black walnut,
7
but observations correlate good drainage with
decreased juglone toxicity in a given area. It may be
that juglone is produced more when the tree is under
stress from poor drainage.
If you have ever tried to shell a black walnut, you
know there is a thick husk covering the nut's shell that
is very difficult to remove. This husk also tends to
exude a thick juice that leaves a dark brown stain on
everything it touches, sometimes permanently.
Juglone is what causes the stains. But what seems like
a nuisance to someone trying to eat walnuts is actually
a great natural coloring agent for foods and cosmetics
such as hair dye. Juglone is also used as a natural dye
for fabrics, particularly wool.
If you get past the staining hulls, the black walnut is
edible. Its shell is very tough to crack, and grows so
tightly around the nutmeats inside that it can be very
hard to extract them without breaking them into many
pieces. Highly-prized oil can also be pressed from the
nutmeats that is used in cooking.
Processing black walnuts takes a lot more work than
other types of walnuts, so they typically end up
costing much more in stores. Some people gladly pay
the increased price, as they find the flavor of black
walnuts to be superior to other walnuts.
The shell does make black walnut processing more
difficult, but again, people have found a way to use
the tough shells to their advantage. The ground shells
are tough enough to polish metals, but do not scratch
soft metals and plastics in the process. They are also
used as an additive in paints with textured surfaces
and paints used to fill cracks. Many cosmetic products
use finely ground walnut shells to add grit and
scrubbing power.
Black walnut is also highly valued for its dark wood.
It is very strong, yet easy to work with, making it a
favorite of woodworkers. The price of the wood can
make it cost-prohibitive to build furniture out of solid
walnut, so often veneers are used instead.
Though the black walnut can cause some headaches
for homeowners, it clearly has several redeeming
qualities. Besides that it's a great example of chemical
warfare in the plant kingdom.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
Tips for Happy Holidays with Your Pet
With Thanksgiving over, many people are hauling out
seasonal decorations. Pet owners should be aware that
some of these can cause problems for Felix or Fido.
Dogs and cats are like young
children: on the move but not
completely aware of the dangers
surrounding them. It's best if
possible to keep pets away from the
Christmas tree, unless they are
supervised.
If your dog is the type to chew up your favorite
slippers and the side of your couch, then he may
decide to chew on the electrical cord connected to
your Christmas tree or yard light display. Biting an
electrical cord can cause burns on the face and tongue.
Receiving a shock can also cause pulmonary edema
(fluid collecting in the lungs), a potentially lifethreatening problem. This type of respiratory problem
is an emergency requiring immediate attention!
Cats like to play with feathery,
shiny things. Does that sound like
many of your ornaments? Cats
also love string, so tinsel, popcorn
on a string, and beaded string are
all potential hazards. Cats that eat these things may
develop symptoms that require surgical correction.
Hang ornaments less likely to cause problems on
lower branches. Placing your tree on a pedestal is one
way to try to prevent your cat from playing with
ornaments. Cats are known to be very acrobatic and
will try to jump on trees. Pets have tipped over
Christmas trees, resulting in a potential fire hazard.
Don't leave lights plugged in or candles lit unless
someone is nearby.
Dogs, cats, and children have a much lower line of
sight than do adults. To them, the Christmas trees
stand looks like a water bowl or a fun toy to play with.
If you have pets or small children, avoid using
Christmas tree preservatives and chemicals, most of
which have some toxicity.
A good rule of thumb is if you think something would
be a problem for your child, then it will be a problem
for your pets.
8
Around the holidays people like to give gifts to their
pets. Be careful what you choose for your animal.
Toys that can be chewed into little pieces are choking
and obstructive hazards. Hard rubber toys are your
best bet. Even things like rawhides and biscuits can
become lodged in the intestinal tract.
Treats should be given in moderation. Obesity is a
huge problem in pets. Especially during the holidays
when activity shifts indoors, pets are less active and
people tend to give them more treats. Pets do not need
to gain a few extra holiday pounds. Many pets would
prefer more attention from you as a gift instead of
food and toys.
Christmas Tree Traditions
The decorated Christmas tree can be traced back to
the ancient Romans who during their winter festival
decorated trees with small pieces of metal during
Saturnalia, a winter festival in honor of Saturnus, the
god of agriculture.
An evergreen, the Paradise tree, was decorated
with apples as a symbol of the feast of Adam and
Eve held on December 24th during the middle
ages.
Christmas trees were sold in Alsace in 1531.
Alsace was at that time a part of Germany. Today
it is part of France. The trees were sold at local
markets and set up in homes undecorated.
In the Ammerschweier in Alsace there was an
ordinance that stated no person "shall have for
Christmas more than one bush of more than eight
shoe lengths."
Sixteenth century folklore credited Martin
Luther as being the first to decorate an
indoor tree. After a walk through a
forest of evergreens with shining stars
overhead, Luther tried to describe
the experience to his family and
showed them by bringing a tree into
their home and decorating it with candles. Some
historians state that the first evidence of a lighted
tree appeared more than a century after Martin
Luther's death in 1546.
The oldest record of a decorated Christmas tree
came from a 1605 diary found in Strasburg, France
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
9
(Germany in 1605). The tree was decorated with
paper roses, apples and candies.
Avoid the Christmas Rush: Choose
Your Tree Early
In Austria & Germany during the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries, the tops of evergreens were
cut and hung upside down in a living room corner.
They were decorated with apples, nuts and strips
of red paper.
Along with the usual holiday admonitions to shop
early and mail early, it is a good idea to buy your
Christmas tree early as well. Most fresh Christmas
trees are harvested weeks before they appear locally.
The earlier you buy your tree, the fresher it is likely to
be. You can maintain the freshness by keeping it in
water—something retailers cannot do.
The first record of Christmas trees in America was
for children in the German Moravian Church's
settlement in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Christmas
1747. Actual trees were not decorated, but wooden
pyramids covered with evergreen branches were
decorated with candles.
The custom of the Christmas tree was introduced
in the United States during the War of
Independence by Hessian troops. An early account
tells of a Christmas tree set up by American
soldiers at Fort Dearborn, Illinois, the site of
Chicago, in 1804. Most other early accounts in the
United States were among the German settlers in
eastern Pennsylvania.
In 1834, Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert,
was credited with bringing the first Christmas tree
to Windsor Castle for the Royal Family. Some
historians state that in actuality Queen Charlotte,
Victoria's grandmother, recalled that a Christmas
tree was in the Queen's lodge at Windsor on
Christmas Day in 1800.
Charles Minnegrode introduced the custom of
decorating trees in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1842.
By 1850, the Christmas tree had become
fashionable in the eastern states. Until this time, it
had been considered a quaint foreign custom.
Mark Carr brought trees from the Catskills to the
streets of New York in 1851, and opened the first
retail Christmas tree lot in the United States.
Franklin Pierce was the first president to introduce
the Christmas tree to the White House in 1856 for
a group of Washington Sunday School children.
The first national Christmas Tree was lighted in
the year 1923 on the White House lawn by
President Calvin Coolidge.
Choosing the right tree involves more than finding the
prettiest one on the lot. Before you go shopping for a
tree, decide where you are going to display it. Do you
have space for a stately white pine, or for a shorter,
fuller tree such as a Scotch pine?
According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the
Scotch pine and Fraser fir are the most popular
Christmas trees, probably because they hold their
needles longer than most others. Because spruces are
notoriously poor needle-holders, few are cut early
enough for the wholesale trade.
Most varieties of Scotch pine have bushy branches
and long needles that grow in clusters of two. It is
native to northern Illinois and is produced by many
local growers. As with other pines, it has excellent
needle retention.
Firs tend to like cooler growing conditions than
Illinois, but the shape, smell and silvery color of the
needles, as well as the density of branches and branch
strength, makes them a popular choice. Among the
imports to the Illinois market are the Douglas fir,
Noble fir and Balsam fir. Douglas firs technically are
not a true fir.
Once you have decided what kind of tree you want,
start looking over the selection. Buy the tree in an
open space with good lighting. Choosing your tree
from a dark, crowded lot on the coldest night of the
year is not a very good idea. Shopping during the day,
when you can take your time, will probably help you
make a better choice.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
There is no sure way to determine freshness, although
very dry trees are not too hard to recognize. A
common mistake is to confuse frozen needles with
those that are truly dry.
Some people enjoy cutting their own at one of many
"choose-and-cut" tree farms around the state. In this
event, there is no question of freshness.
You will probably want at least three of the sides to be
symmetrical, unless the tree is to stand in a corner.
You will need a strong leader—the upright branch at
the top of the tree—if you plan to use a star or angel
on top.
Stand the tree in water the entire time it is in the
house, and cut an inch or two off the butt end just
before you put it into its indoor stand. Never allow the
water level to drop below the freshly cut butt.
Favorite Recipes of Illinois 4-H
Through the Years
The Pike County 4-H Extension Foundation has received a supply of 4-H
Cookbooks, featuring delicious recipes from past project books. Cookbooks are
available for $15.00 each.
Contact a Foundation member or the Pike County Extension Office at 217-2855543 for more information.
The 4-H cookbook would make a great Christmas gift!
Storing Firewood Outside Helps
Prevent Insect Problems
A variety of insects live in the dead and dying trees
that we use for firewood. Storing firewood outside
helps avoid problems with these insects in the house.
Dying trees attract a variety of insects,
primarily woodborers that lay their eggs
on the tree. The resulting borer larvae
burrow throughout the wood, allowing
other organisms to enter the tree and
eventually break it down into nutrients
that living plants use.
Since firewood is dead wood, these same borers are
common in it. Their eating of the wood does not
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appreciably reduce the amount of burnable wood over
the few months that we store it. When we bring the
firewood indoors, the adult borers in the wood warm
up and become active, leaving the firewood and flying
around the house.
Probably the most common borer associated with
firewood is the redheaded ash borer. The adult beetle
is about 5/8 inch long, reddish-brown, long-legged
and has four yellowish bands across the back. Since it
feeds on wood with fairly high moisture content, it
will not attack the dried wood used in house
construction.
Worker carpenter ants are large (at least 1/4 inch
long), black and wingless. Carpenter ants do not eat
wood, but hollow it out for their nests. Pieces of
firewood containing nests that are stored indoors
provide a base of operations from which the workers
forage for crumbs of food all over the house.
Wood roaches have long legs and antennae, are dark
brown and are about 1 inch long when fully grown.
Although these cockroaches are common in wooded
areas, they seldom enter the house. If brought in on
firewood, they will eventually die but can be a
nuisance around drains and basements in their search
for water.
To guard against these and other less common insects
being a household problem, do not store your
firewood in the basement or any other part of the
house. When using your fireplace, do not bring
firewood into the house that you will not be putting on
the fire within half an hour.
If you wish to leave a stack of firewood next to the
fireplace as part of the décor, heat each piece of wood
in the oven at 150 degrees F for 20 minutes to kill any
insects present. Firewood should not be sprayed with
an insecticide since dangerous fumes may be emitted
when the wood is burned.
Preventing Ice and Snow Damage
If past years are any example, there is a good chance
in December, January and/or February we will have a
couple of bad ice and snow storms. A heavy snowfall
or ice storm may bend branches to the point where
homeowners think something should be done. Of
course, there may be points where the branches snap,
and the homeowner will have to do something.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
Sometimes, the best thing may be to do nothing if the
branch starts bending, Branches have a natural
tendency to bend under the weight of ice and snow.
Anyone who has swung on a limb or pulled it down to
pick an apple realizes the elasticity of limbs.
However, there is a limit. Bend a branch back too far
and it breaks.
Weak wooded trees such as poplar,
Siberian Elm, willows and silver
maple suffer the most breakage
during heavy snows or ice.
Similarly, trees with rot, decay,
weak crotch angles or V-shaped
crotches easily split in severe
weather.
Most heavy, wet snows do not accumulate to a
sufficient degree to cause damage to single-trunk
deciduous trees and shrubs. The problem usually
occurs with multi-stemmed plants and evergreens
such as arborvitae.
Multi-stemmed plants or those with weak crotch
angles are prone to weight damage. The union
between the branches generally is not strong and
damage can occur.
Old stems are more prone to injury than younger ones,
much like people and bones. The thicker the bark, the
less likely the limb will bend.
Evergreens also suffer under ice and heavy snowfall
due to the increased surface area of the plant. Needles
capture every flake or ice crystal. Branches may bend
or break on an evergreen under the same snow amount
when no damage occurs on a leafless shade tree.
Running out with a broom or stick to brush snow
away may cause more pressure on a limb and cause it
to break as you are hitting the snow or ice away.
Additionally, there is a chance the limb may suddenly
fly up and hit you.
The best recourse is to wait until the snow or ice
melts. Most branches will return to their original
position a couple of days after the snow or ice melts.
If branches have been bent out of shape, they can be
propped up or tied to higher branches in the spring
before new growth appears. Within a month or two,
the limb should have been set and anchors or props
removed.
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Limbs broken or damaged by ice or snow should be
inspected carefully before pruning or removal. Ask
yourself if the landscape would be better off with the
tree or shrub removed if the damage is severe. This
might seem drastic, but it would allow for better
quality trees and shrubs to grow.
Additionally, decide if the work can be done from the
ground with pruners, saws and loppers that you have
available. If not, consider calling in a professional.
Prune trees and shrubs regularly to promote a strong
branching pattern. Shrubs such as forsythia, redtwig
dogwood and lilac should be pruned to encourage new
growth and remove old wood.
Pruning should start the minute you plant the tree or
shrub and continue throughout the years to develop
strong branches. However, that is little consolation in
the dead of winter when ice and snow build up.
“’mea culpa’ ... Latin. through my fault; my fault.”
The Random House Dictionary of the English Language
The Master Gardener’s Plot
by Duane Lanchester
I remember when chemicals used
to be simple. Oxygen was what
we breathed; helium went into
balloons; uranium made atomic
bombs. But now there are all these
new chemical-sounding things. Omega-3 is good and
you can get a day’s supply of its cancer-fighting
quality in one brazil nut. And I know dioxin is bad
because it causes cancer. I didn’t know nearly a third
of the dioxin released into our air comes from burn
barrels. That’s more than three times the amount
produced by all our coal plants and municipal
incinerators together.
“Mea culpa.” When we moved to our mini-farm, I
reveled in the macho convenience of our burn barrel.
I tried to avoid burning petroleum based products like
plastic and styrofoam which account for most of the
burn-barrel created dioxin, but I still created my share
which lingers-on in the milk, eggs, and meat of local
animals.
I’m not sure how much dioxin is produced by burning
leaves, but I know the burning of leaves is unhealthy,
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
sometimes dangerous, and often illegal. Still -”mea
culpa” - I love that autumnal smell.
Burning leaves is also a waste of natural resources. A
pile of leaves left to decompose will produce
wonderful, rich dirt - gardener’s gold. And the pile if damp and mixed with some green stuff like grass
trimmings - will heat up to about 140 degrees. That’s
hot enough to kill weed seeds. And when it starts to
cool, all you have to do is mix it up and it will go back
to work. It’s a lazy gardener who doesn’t have a
beautiful compost pile. Well, “mea culpa.” I operate
my compost pile on the motto “If you stack it, it will
rot.” And it does. When I dig that new dirt out from
under the pile, it may still have undecomposed sticks.
It may be full of weed seeds that can’t wait to sprout
forth from that new rich soil. But it is still gardener’s
gold - and I got it without wasting time turning the
pile when I could be sitting on the sofa working the
New York Times Crossword.
I would like to say that my column did not appear in
the last issue of “Down to Earth” because I was busy
raking leaves, turning my compost pile, or writing
The Great American Novel. But now you know
better. On the publishing deadline, I was actually
visiting Bloomington - both Illinois and Indiana. Of
course I could have started my column earlier. “Mea
culpa.”
Since I had nothing to do with that September/
October issue I was able to read it objectively. It was
good!
12
to read Kathryn Stockett‘s book, “The Help.” There
are always gardening things to do, but enjoy the
break. It will soon be time to scatter lettuce seed.
Our office will be closed for the
Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays on
the following dates:
November 26 & 27 – Thanksgiving Holiday
December 24, 2009 – January 2, 2010 –
Christmas Holiday
Our office will close December 23 at 4:30 p.m. and
reopen January 4, 2010 at 8:00 a.m.
Our office will also be closed:
January 18, 2010 – Observance of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Birthday
The articles in this newsletter have been
provided for you by University of Illinois
Extension, Pike County office.
The following have contributed articles to this
newsletter:
The article on osage oranges reminded me I don’t
have a hedge apple in our basement this fall. I know
there is no scientific evidence that this round, green,
inedible fruit - under which ever name - has any
ability to repeal mice, but - “mea culpa” - I’m
superstitious enough to think it might.
Duane Lanchester
Martha Smith
David Robson
Sandra Mason
Tony Bratsch
Carol Schlitt
Pike County Master Gardener
Horticulture Educator
Horticulture Educator
Horticulture Educator
Horticulture Educator
Nutrition & Wellness Educator
Jennifer Schultz Nelson
Ann Marie Falk
Macon Co. Horticulture Unit Educator
U of I College of Vet Medicine
The article on lady bugs reminded me these insects
are misnamed. A portion of them are gentlemen. And
technically none of them are bugs. They have hard
wing covers which make them beetles. Occasionally I
hear them called “lady bird beetles” which reflects
their original English name: Our Lady’s bird. I don’t
know, “mea culpa,” why these VW bug shaped
insects were associated with the Virgin Mary.
If you are bored with no weeds to pull, you might
research why the lady bug was called a bird and
attributed to the Virgin. A better suggestion might be
Compiled and Designed by Cheryl Westfall, Secretary
If you have any questions or comments regarding the issue of
“Down To Earth”, please contact University of Illinois Extension,
Pike County, at (217) 285-5543.
Jennifer Mowen, County Extension Director
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of
Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
United States Department of Agriculture • Local Extension
Councils Cooperating University of Illinois Extension provides
equal opportunities in programs and employment.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
13
A Holiday from the Heart Workshop
December 3, 5:30 p.m.
Pike County Farm Bureau Building, Pittsfield
Why not make this year extra special with gifts from the heart? U of I Extension is offering a
family friendly workshop full of ideas and inspirations for homemade holiday gifts. Add a personal
touch that will also help control your holiday budget, join us to get started. Make several creative
gifts to take home, along with a collection of ideas to help you fill the rest of your gift list. Call 2855543 to register ($5 material fee).