Articles in This Issue:

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.

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we can discontinue mailing it to you. 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 OfferedThe 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 2010Ferns in the Landscape – February 23The Elusive Morel – Tips for Safe and Successful Hunting – March 9A Gardener’s Guide to Plant Propagation – March 23

Spring 2010Vegetable Gardening in Small Yard Spaces – April 13Don’t Fear the Shade Garden – April 27The Bountiful Flower Garden – Cut Flowers Through the Seasons – May 11

Summer 2010Tree Fruit Diseases in the Home Garden – June 29Urban Soils – July 13Native Prairie Wildflowers – July 27

Vol. 13, No.6 November/December 2009

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.

Please Send Email Addresses...............................1Upcoming Events..................................................1Private Pesticide Safety Education.......................2Backyard Super Foods..........................................2Soil Testing: The Key to Great Gardens..............3Winter Mulch Protects Strawberries ...................4Questions About Trees & Bushes.........................4Pumpkins: Not Just for Jack-O-Lanterns...........5American Bittersweet............................................5Black Walnut.........................................................6Tips for Happy Holidays with Your Pet...............8Christmas Tree Traditions....................................8Avoid the Christmas Rush: Choose Tree Early...9Favorite Recipes of Illinois 4-H Cookbook..........10Storing Firewood Outside Prevents Problems ....10Preventing Ice & Snow Damage..........................10The Master Gardener’s Plot.................................11Office Closing for Holidays..................................12A Holiday From the Heart Workshop .................13

University of Illinois Extension, Pike County Horticulture Newsletter

Pike County1301 E. Washington St.Pittsfield, IL 62363Phone: (217) 285-5543Fax: (217) 285-5735

Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter

Fall 2010 (tentative dates)Save Money by Diversifying Your Landscape with Trees – September 21Small Fruit in the Home Garden – October 5Spring 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 18Pike 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.

Backyard Super FoodsHeadlines 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.

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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.

Blueberries can grow well here, however they need extra attention to soil preparation. They require a 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 GardensBefore 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.

• Gather small amounts of soil from seven or eightwell-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 tension.uiuc.eduU N I V E R S I T Y O F I N O I S E X T E N S I O N

Note: Just to let you know, the Pike County Farm Bureau is closing its soil lab this month. The date it

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You can take a soil sample without a soil probe. Use a spade or trowel to remove aslice of soil 7 inches deep.

Place a 1-inch section of this slice in a pail. Get similar sections of soilfrom 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 andplace in a container.

Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter

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 StrawberriesIf 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.

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.

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 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

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

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weather we have had this year? Almost all the Bradfords in our town still have full leaves. Thank you for your help.

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, makingthem extremely susceptible to breaking during wind and ice storms. For that reason, they are no longer one 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.

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. Growinglocation 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. Severalyears ago, a Thanksgiving ice storm did a number on the trees that still had leaves clinging to their branches.

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-wingedeuonymus. 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 usuallynot 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 mid-March. Prune limbs back to the crotches of other branches… just don’t top or shear the plants. Tryto 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 morelight. 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.

Pumpkins: Not Just for Jack-o’-Lanterns and PiePumpkins 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, dependingupon size. After baking, cut the pumpkin open and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Mash thepumpkin and use immediately in recipes, or can or freeze for later use.

Most pumpkins marketed in the U.S. are used as jack-o’-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 Dip1 cup pumpkin1 cup brown sugar1 cup peanut butter1 teaspoon vanillaMix all ingredients together.Serve with apple wedges, celery and carrot sticks, or crackers.

American BittersweetA 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.

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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.

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 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 yellow-orange 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

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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.

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, 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.

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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.

Tips for Happy Holidays with Your PetWith 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 life-threatening 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.

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 TraditionsThe 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

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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 (Germany in 1605). The tree was decorated with paper roses, apples and candies.

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.

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.

Avoid the Christmas Rush: Choose Your Tree EarlyAlong 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.

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,

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when you can take your time, will probably help you make a better choice.

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.

Storing Firewood Outside Helps Prevent Insect ProblemsA 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 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 DamageIf past years are any example, there is a good chance in December, January and/or February we will have a

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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 217-285-5543 for more information.

Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter

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.

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.

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

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Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter

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, 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!  

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.

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 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.

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:

Duane Lanchester Pike County Master GardenerMartha Smith Horticulture EducatorDavid Robson Horticulture EducatorSandra Mason Horticulture EducatorTony Bratsch Horticulture EducatorCarol Schlitt Nutrition & Wellness EducatorJennifer Schultz Nelson Macon Co. Horticulture Unit EducatorAnn Marie Falk U of I College of Vet Medicine

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

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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

Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter

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.

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 285-5543 to register ($5 material fee). 

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