Walking into my local floral shop or garden center, I see holiday cheer all around. Plants play a big part in decorating for the holidays. From the wonderful scents of Christmas trees and cedar garland to the colorful sights of bright red poinsettias and flowering amaryllis and Christmas cacti. Pinecones and holly berries adorn wreaths and swags while branches of evergreens, white birch and red twig dogwood fill out planters. What a wonderful scene!

You will also notice another plant commonly found in stores at this time of year—the Norfolk Island Pine. This houseplant offers an answer for people who want a living Christmas tree but not the challenge of having to transplant or tend a container-grown Christmas tree that needs to head out-doors for the winter. The Norfolk Island Pine is not a true pine. It is a tropical plant that hails from a small island near New Zealand. In its natural habitat, it can grow to over 100 feet

high but indoors it rarely reaches more than 20 feet (though still pretty tall)! It can grow indoors for many years. My sister’s plant called “Norfie” grew up to the ceiling and was her living Christmas tree for many years. Here’s more information on the Norfolk Island Pine.

Whatever traditions you have for holiday decorating, I hope it includes lots of wonderful plants! ☺ Happy Holidays!

Planting and caring for trees

Keeping trees healthy requires diligence, both before and after they have been planted.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has revised the publication, "Community Tree Planting and Care Guide," that provides current recommendations for tree selection, planting and post-planting care.

The publication is available to view or download at the Extension Store.

EAB confirmed in Clarke County Here is the most recent map showing counties where EAB has been positively identified.

For more information, see the news release on this recent confirmation.

Recipe of the Month Enjoy on a cold winter’s morn with a rich cup of coffee…

Baked Oatmeal Muffins Ingredients 2 1/4 cups water

2 1/2 cups oats (quick cooking or old fashioned)

2 eggs

4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided

2 tablespoons oil (canola or vegetable)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 cup nonfat milk

1 medium apple, finely chopped

1/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries)

Instructions Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add oats and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and let stand five minutes.

In a mixing bowl, beat these together with a fork: eggs, 3 table-spoons brown sugar, oil, baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and milk.

Stir in oatmeal, apples, and dried fruit.

In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Lightly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray. Divide oatmeal mix-ture into 12 muffins. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the muffins.

Bake for 30 minutes until the center is set and the top is lightly

browned. Let muffins sit for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator

or freezer.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Newsletter on Yard, Garden and Local Food

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Click under-lined links for

more information on

a topic…

1

2 3

4 5

6 Remember to check and fill bird feeders

7 8 Poinsettia Care

9 10

11 12

Celebrate National Poinsettia Day at Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha

13

14

Harvest and hang some pinecones on the Christmas tree

15 16 Take advantage of garden supply sales & buy tools for stocking stuffers

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18

19 20 21

Winter Solstice (1st day of winter)

22 23 24

Hanukkah Begins at sundown

25

Merry Christmas!

26

Kwanzaa begins

27 28

29

Use a mixture of sand and salt to de-ice driveways and sidewalks

30 31

1

Happy New Year!

2 3 4 Brace yourself for a cascade of seed catalogs and have fun browsing & ordering seeds!

5

6 7

DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE GARDEN TO TABLE NEWSLETTER PAGE 2

2017 Food Security Project grant proposal January 6 is the deadline for submitting a 2017 Food Security Project grant proposal. Here is the link to the grant guidelines and application form.

Volunteer Service Opportunities

Help answer yard and garden questions either in the office or accompanying me on site visits

Help with administrative tasks & planning for the 2017 master gardener & local food programs—nice winter task

please share your volunteer projects for 2017

Continuing Education

Webinars All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series Watch live webinars or previous recordings about insects. These webinars from eXtension count towards Master Gardener continuing education credits.

Don't Let Tramp Ants Take Over Your Home, February 3 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. Protect Your Veggie Harvest From Hungry Insects! Friday, March 3 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm.

Upcoming Course 2017 Shade Tree Short Course in Ames. Learn about insect pests, plant health care, garden mainte-

nance, oak wilt and tree ordinances and more. Wednesday, February 22 starting at 8:00am and Thursday,

February 23 until 4:00pm.

Master Gardener Conference The 2017 International Master Gardener Conference will be July 10-14, 2017 in Portland Oregon. Please visit the conference website for more information. See “Save the Date” section for more educational opportunities.

Please log all of your volunteer service and continuing education hours

by December 31st at www.extension.iastate.edu/mastergardener/volunteers

Thank you!

DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE GARDEN TO TABLE NEWSLETTER PAGE 3

The Life of a Christmas Cactus

It all started from a gift given generations ago. A sister gives her brother a holiday plant. Under his care the plant, a Christmas cactus, thrives.

Jump forward in time. In 1989 the now grandparent passes away and the cactus is passed on to his granddaughter. Today, his Christmas cactus is estimated to be over 50 years old. Under the granddaughter’s care, the plant stretches its stems long and wide, obviously enjoying its new home (top photo). The granddaughter has children of her own, the eldest being none other than our own Lora Wibben, office assistant at the Lyon County Extension office.

About 12 years ago, Lora was given a cutting from her great grandfather’s plant. Lora’s cutting took off and has grown into a large plant that has needed repotting once already. Lora enjoys seeing it bloom year after year (second & third pictures down).

Lora then gave a cutting to her sister about five years ago. This new generation also grew into a robust plant and, if you look very carefully, you may see the beginnings of new blooms (photo second from the bottom). This will be its second time flowering.

The story is not over. Last year during our Master Gardener core training, Lora brought in several cuttings from her plant to share with the class while we were learning about plant propagation. I was fortunate enough to take home a cutting of this venerable plant (see bottom photo). I’m a long way off from seeing it flower but look forward to the day it does!

It’s not uncommon to hear about how holiday cacti are kept going through generations and become family heirlooms. Part of the reason is that they don’t present a lot of difficulty with their care though some, such as the Christmas cactus, need short day lengths and cool temperatures to set flower buds.

Holiday cacti originate from the forest of South America. The stems consist of flat, cushiony sections called “areoles” which identifies them as a true cacti. Unlike many of their familiar cousins, these cacti prefer their soil be kept moderately moist. Holiday cacti grow and flower best when the roots are a little cramped. Repotting is only necessary when the soil becomes compacted or the plants have completely outgrown their containers. The best time to repot is spring or early summer when the plants are no longer blooming.

Holiday cacti are easy to share with family and friends as they grow readily from stem cuttings. For more information on the Christmas cacti, view or download Growing Holiday Cacti by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE GARDEN TO TABLE NEWSLETTER PAGE 4

Selecting and Caring for Christmas Trees

By Richard Jauron and Greg Wallace Excerpt from ISU Extension and Outreach Yard and Garden article, published 11/16/2016

Having a fresh-cut Christmas tree is a popular tradition, but it can come with some issues regarding proper selection and care. Matching the right tree to the right home environment is crucial.

What decisions should be made before purchasing a

Christmas tree for the holidays?

A few decisions should be made before going out to purchase a Christmas tree. Decide where you are going to place the tree in the home. Be sure to choose a location away from heat sources, such as a fireplace or radiator.

Also, decide on the size (height and width) of the tree that you want. Finally, decide where you are going to purchase the tree.

Christmas trees may be purchased from cut-your-own tree farms or as cut trees in commercial lots. A list of tree farms in your area can be found at the Iowa Christmas Tree Growers Association website.

What types of trees are available?

Tree species commonly available at tree farms and commercial lots in Iowa include Scotch pine, white pine, red pine, Fraser fir, balsam fir, Canaan fir, Douglas fir, white spruce and Colorado spruce.

How can I determine the freshness of a cut Christmas tree?

Freshness can be determined with a few simple tests. Gently run your hand over a branch. The needles on a fresh tree will be pliable. Those on a dry tree will be brittle. Another test is to lift the tree by the trunk and lightly bounce the butt on the ground. Heavy needle drop indicates a dry tree. A fresh tree will drop only a few needles.

What is the best way to store a cut Christmas tree?

If you don’t intend to set up the Christmas tree immediately, place the tree in a cool, sheltered location. An unheated garage or shed is often a suitable storage site. (The sun and wind dries out trees stored outdoors.) Put the butt of the tree in a bucket of water. Remove an inch or more from the bottom of the trunk before bringing the tree in the house. A fresh cut facilitates water uptake.

Should I add any material to the water to prolong the freshness of my Christmas tree?

Do not add molasses, sugar, soft drinks, aspirin or commercial products to the water. Additives provide no real benefit. The keys to keeping a Christmas tree fresh are to place the tree away from any heat source (fireplace, heater, radiator, etc.) and keep the tree reservoir full of water. Check the tree reservoir at least once or twice a day. Fresh trees absorb large quantities of water (especially in the first few days). If the water level drops below the

bottom of the trunk, water uptake will be drastically reduced when the reservoir is refilled. As a consequence, the tree will dry out more quickly because of poor water uptake.

How long can a cut Christmas tree remain in the house?

The length of time a cut Christmas tree can remain in the home is determined by the tree species, the freshness of the tree at purchase, and its placement and care in the home. In general, a fresh, well-cared-for Christmas tree should be able to remain in the home for three to four weeks. Remove the tree from the house when its needles become dry and brittle.

DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE GARDEN TO TABLE NEWSLETTER PAGE 5

Save the Date December 2-3 Local Foods Festival &Tradeshow, Rochester, MN Festival website

December 12 Celebrate National Poinsettia Day at the Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, NE. View approximately 2,000 poinsettias and learn about this festive holiday plant. If you can’t make it on the 12th, the indoor show will be available to view through January 1st.

January 12-14 Great Plains Growers Conference, St. Joseph, MO Conference website

January 21-22 Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference, Ames, IA Conference website

January 26-27 Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference, Ankeny, IA Conference website

January 27-28 Women in Denim Buena Vista University Campus; Storm Lake, IA Conference website

February 23-25 MOSES Organic Farming Conference, La Crosse, WI Conference website

February 23– March 30 Osceola County will be hosting Annie’s Project: Farm Business Management next spring. The focus is on five areas of risk management: financial, human resources, legal, marketing and production. Course includes six, three-hour classes. Time: 6pm-9pm—Includes supper served at 5:30pm Location: Osceola Community Hospital Education Room Contact Sandy Lamfers at 712-754-3648 or slamfers@iastate.edu.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach programs are available to all without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex,

marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.

For questions, comments or to contribute an article or photo Contact: Margaret Murphy, Horticulture Educator & Regional Food Coordinator

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - Lyon, O’Brien, Sioux and Osceola Counties (712) 472-2576 / mmurphy@iastate.edu

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Winter Tips for Birders

Provide different types of feeders To attract the greatest variety of species, provide table-like feeders for ground feeding birds, hopper or tube feeders for shrub and treetop feeders, and suet feeders for woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees.

Provide suet during cool weather only Suet (beef fat) attracts insect-eating birds such as woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches. Place the suet in a suet feeder—they come in many styles— and hang it at least five feet from the ground to keep it out of the reach of dogs. Do not put out suet during hot weather as it can turn rancid. Offer a water source Water is a critical ingredient of a winter feeding program. Provide a birdbath with a heating element. Several excellent birdbaths with heating elements are available from bird-feeding supply stores (one of these would make a good holiday present for the bird enthusiast in the family). Don't worry about birds freezing if they bathe on a cold winter day since the water is primarily for drinking.