Page 15— The Brownsville States-Graphic, Thursday, January 6, 2011

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by Jason Reeves

January is often one of the gloomiest months of the year but the winter garden can be brightened by the addition of holly. There are hundreds of species and cultivars of holly and many of them come into their glory with their berries during the winter months. Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) is at the top of the list. Unlike most hollies winterberry holly, along with possumhaw holly (Ilex decidua) loses all foliage in the fall fully exposing the colorful berries. Winterberry holly is native to swampy areas of the eastern half of North America, from Nova Scotia

to Florida. In the landscape it will grow in a wide range of soil types and conditions but performs best in full sun and average to moist soil. Winterberry holly is seldom affected by insect or disease and is excellent for mass planting, and in shrub borders, and for water side plantings. The size varies according to cultivar, of which there are many. The following are some of the better selections: Berry Heavy® – abundant bright red fruit produced on 6’ to 8’ tall plants

Berry Nice® – excellent bright red berries, pollinated by ‘Southern Gentleman’‘Red Sprite’ – compact cultivar maturing to 3’ to 5’ high with abundant, large, bright red berries and lustrous dark green leaves. ‘Jim Dandy’ –male pollinator for Berry Heavy®, Berry Nice® ‘Red Sprite’‘Southern Gentleman’ – male pollinator for ‘Sparkleberry’, ‘Winter Gold’ and Winter Red® ‘Winter Gold’ – matures to 7’ by 7’ with fruits a lovely salmon colorWinter Red® – matures

to 8’ by 8’ in 30 years, lustrous dark green leaves and produces a profusion of intense bright red berries that last throughout the winter. Michael Dirr says, “I have yet to witness any that rival Winter Red®.”Hybrids between Ilex verticillata and I. serrata:‘Apollo’ – male pollinator for ‘Red Sprite’, ‘Bonfire’ and ‘Sparkleberry’ ‘Bonfire’ – masses of small red berries produced at a young age. Grows to 8’ by 8’.‘Sparkleberry’ – an upright form that

produces brilliant red fruit that persist though the winter. Matures to 12’ tall. Jason Reeves is an Ornamental Horticulture Research Associate with the UT West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson. He creates the various seasonal horticultural displays, conducts research on herbaceous and woody ornamentals, and supports various educational programs. Hi is also a contributor to Fine Gardening magazine. The UT

Gardens in Jackson and Knoxville are a program of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. See h t t p : / / u t g a r d e n s .tennessee.edu and http://westtennessee.t e n n e s s e e . e d u /ornamentals/ for more information.

UT Gardens January Plant of the Month: Winterberry Holly

DYERSBURG,–The annual Tennessee Grain and Soybean Producers Conference is set to take place on February 3, 2011, at the Dyer County Fairgrounds in Dyersburg, Tennessee. The program, which is sponsored by University of Tennessee Extension, will begin at 8:00 a.m. with a trade show. Breakout sessions will begin at 9:00 and will be delivered by experts from the University of Tennessee, University of Kentucky and

University of Missouri. The 2011 Grain Conference will also feature two special presentations. In the morning, visitors can hear marketing insights from DTN Analyst John Sanow. DTN/The Progressive Farmer is known as a leading source for breaking agricultural news, markets and weather forecasts. Immediately following lunch, Kip Cullers, known as “The Soybean King,” will give the keynote speech. Cullers currently

holds the soybean yield record at 160 bushels per acre. The national average is 44 bushels per acre. He farms more than 12,000 acres near Purdy, Missouri. The annual conference is a free event. For more information, including directions to the site, go to http://utextension.tennessee.edu/dyer or call the Dyer County Extension offi ce at 731-286-7821. Commercial Applicator Points and CCA Points will be available.

UT Extension Schedules Annual Grain Conference

By Walter Battle

As we head into the heart of winter, many New Year’s parties will be in homes that feature fi replaces. In the December edition of the University of Tennessee’s “Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries” newsletter, Forestry Professor, Wayne Clatterbuck stated that wood is a renewable resource that has been used by man since prehistoric times and is still the major heating source for many countries. He went on to further report that in the United States, wood was the major energy

source well into the 20th century and since the cost of other energy has risen rapidly, it (wood) has gained favor, at least as a supplementary heat source.

To ensure that you get the right amount of wood when purchasing be mindful that there is considerable weight variation among different species of wood. As a side note, be aware that weight also affects a wood type’s heat value. Wood varies in its weight from about 2 tons per cord for the heavier, denser hardwoods to as little as 1 ton per cord for less dense woods. Most

people sell wood by the cord which is a stack of wood that measures 4 feet high x 8 feet wide with sticks of wood 4 feet in length totaling 128 cubic feet. Because stacked cords contain both wood and air, the amount of solid wood content in a cord usually averages 80 cubic feet.

Clatterbuck reminds us that not all species of wood burn the same. Dense woods from species such as beech, white oak, hickory, black locust, dogwood, osage orange and hophornbeam produce the greatest heat (> 22 million BTUs per cord), while ash, birch,

sugar maple, walnut, cherry and red oak have from 19 million to 22 million BTUs per cord and elm, soft maple, sycamore, sweetgum and yellow-poplar have less than 18 million BTUs per cord. Pines, spruce, fi rs, hemlock, aspen, and basswood have roughly half the BTUs of the hotter burning hardwoods. A cord of less dense poplar or pine will yield far less warmth than a cord of hickory or oak.

He also said that dry wood is a much better heat source than green or partially seasoned wood. It takes heat to evaporate moisture from wood. A cord of green wood can contain more than 300 gallons of water. When burned, more than 8,000

BTUs are needed to evaporate a gallon of water. Thus, more than 4.5 million BTUs are required to remove all moisture before burning. It is not practical to remove all moisture before burning, but a reduction to 20 percent moisture content is considered air dried. Air dry wood will release 15 to 30 percent more heat than green wood.

Wood pieces should be stacked perpendicular to each other so air can pass through freely. Stack wood at least 10 feet from the exterior of your home. The closer the fi rewood is to the house, the greater chance that insects will invade your home. The wood stack should be raised a few

inches above the ground and covered with a plastic sheet or tarp to shield the wood from weather.

For best burning effi ciency, Clatterbuck suggest that you purchase wood that has dried for 4 to 6 months in areas with good air circulation. Cut the wood as short as can be conveniently used in fi replaces or wood stoves. Split all sticks 5 inches in diameter. Split wood will lose moisture through the split surfaces and the ends, while round wood does not lose moisture as fast through the protective bark. Use woods of higher densities for fuel to obtain the greatest heat content.

Chuck Matthews, of Brownsville, was surprised by a camera fl ash when he walked into the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center Saturday, January 1. His New Year’s Day visit earned him the honor of being the fi rst visitor of the year. Along with the recognition, he also received a University of Tennessee birdhouse. Pictured with Matthews are staff members Mary Hines (left) and Peggy Jones.

Delta Heritage Center welcomes fi rst visitor of 2011

Wood as a Supplemental Heating SourceWalter Battle County DirectorTracey Sullivan Agriculture AgentWalter Dirl 4-H AgentTiffany Thomas 4-H AgentTravis Wade 4_H Program AssistantTennille Short Family Consumer Science (FCS) AgentSharon Sparks FCS Program AssistantPeggy Jackson Family Resource Center Programs