Author Archives: GCSDev

Kale, the Super Food

Did you know kale is a super food? Kale belongs to the same family as cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. It is a rich source of vitamins C, A, & B6, and is loaded with manganese, calcium, copper and potassium, with no fat or cholesterol. Add it to your garden for a healthy harvest!

Planting

In the fall, set out transplants or sow kale seeds about 6-8 weeks before first frost in deep rich soil. Kale will need at least 6 hours of sun per day. Enrich your planting soil with plenty of compost. Planting kale in nutritious soil will promote faster plant growth and thus provide a tender, richer crop. Soil pH should be between 6.5 and 6.8. Sow seeds roughly one-half inch deep and thin seedlings to 8-12 inches apart to provide adequate air circulation. When thinning kale shoots, however, bear in mind that larger spacing will produce larger plants, larger plants produce larger leaves and larger leaves are generally tougher. Keep soil moist and mulch to control weeds. Water when planting and during dry spells.

Harvesting

Don’t worry about frost harming your harvest, a light frost will only enhance the sweetness of kale. Harvest the outer leaves of kale as they are needed for salads and recipes. Young tender leaves will grow from the center of the plant. Use the young leaves for salads and keep older leaves for cooking, which will help tenderize those larger leaves. Kale will continue to produce throughout fall in the warmer sections of our area. In low lying areas or where it is colder, use floating row covers or low tunnels to extend the life of your kale. Kale will bolt (elongate) and flower in the spring. This signifies the end, and it is time to pull it up and compost the remaining plant.

Cooking

Kale may be used fresh or frozen. It may be steamed or stir-fried, or used in soups, stews, omelets and casseroles. It is a tasty base for salads or can be added to sandwiches. It may be used in recipes as a replacement for spinach and collard greens. It even makes fantastic chips!

Kale Chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Clean Kale and spin dry. Remove all the tough stems.
Drizzle about 8 cups of leaves with one tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat.
Place Kale leaves in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until leaves are crisp but not scorched.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with generous amount of flaky sea salt.
Devour!

With so many tasty options for kale and so many nutritional benefits from this super food, there’s no excuse not to add this easy-to-grow dietary wonder to your garden!

Fairy Garden Magic

Do you think your tiny balcony terrace means you can’t have a grand garden? Are you looking for a clever and imaginative way to introduce a child to the world of plants? Have you ever dreamed of your own “McGregor’s Garden?” One of the newest gardening trends can do all these and a whole lot more!

Start planning…and playing…in your fairy garden!

About Fairy Gardens

One of the newest gardening trends, fairy gardening is the new-and-improved miniature gardening of yesteryear with all sorts of new products, idea books and plants. Despite their small size, the themes, designs and creativity of these tiny garden spaces is boundless. Any container, nearly any type of plant and any type of design can add a bit of garden magic even to a tiny space. Go small and have fun.

Designing a Fairy Garden

You can create your fairy garden just about anywhere. For portability, consider a pot, basin or terrarium. Or, for a more rustic appeal, plant an old lunchbox, garden bucket or child’s wagon. Old shoes, a stack of broken pots, a rusty wheelbarrow or a concrete bird bath are other great planting options.

Fairy gardens can be positioned anywhere. A smaller design can be a fun centerpiece to patio furniture, or it can be part of an entryway display. To heighten the intrigue, find a secret place in your own garden to lure the garden fairies. Between tree roots, beside a water feature or in a grove under flowering shrubs… The possibilities are endless.

Design the overall look of your fairy garden just as you would a larger garden. What is its theme? Is it a fantasyland for unicorns? A gnome family farm? A replica of your own big house? It can be anything you imagine. Consider tiers, layers and depth as well to create a truly impactful scene in your miniature fairy world.

If you’re having trouble coming up with an idea, visit your garden center to check out all the products. If you need some inspiration, our Enchanted Garden products by Grassland Road will get you started. Whimsical and charming, they’ll help you create your own mini-fantasy scene. From arbors and benches to umbrellas and miniature tools, the possibilities are amazing. If you’re not sure your resident garden fairies will understand your invitation, you can always buy a mannequin fairy to entice them to share the fun.

This visit also sets the mind whirling with ideas for plant materials. Consider the mixture of colors, textures, shapes, and scents… in miniature. Tiny groundcovers such as moss or creeping thyme create beautiful “lawns.” Pebbles become paths. Sand creates shores. Twigs make houses, fences and other structures. What can you do with a small pinecone or acorn? How can you recreate a Disney-type pumpkin carriage?

Creativity knows no limits, and the fairies will love you for it!

Healthy Soil: Winter Cover Crops

It’s fall and our annual and vegetable gardens are winding down for the season. Now is the time to invest a little extra time and effort to prepare your soil for next year. Whether your garden is large or small, all annual planting beds will benefit from the addition of a winter cover crop.

Benefits of Cover Crops

A cover crop is a fast-growing, low-maintenance crop that can be used to protect your garden and landscaping beds in fall and winter. Depending on the crop you choose, it can provide many benefits to your garden, including…

Stabilizing soil and preventing erosion
Adding organic matter back into the soil to nurture later crops
Adding nutrients to the soil that have been used by previous crops
Suppressing disease that can wither new crops even before they start
Repressing weeds that will take over a garden
Improving soil structure with aeration and better drainage
Encouraging beneficial insects that will help later crops

Recommended Cover Crops

Different cover crops work best in different areas, and the climate, soil type and growing season will help determine which cover crops will work best for your gardening needs. The most popular recommended cover crops for our area are oats, rye and wheat.

Oats
Sow 6-8 weeks before the first hard frost. Planted early, oats will provide a quick covering with the added benefit of providing an early planting time for next spring’s crops. Oats are not winter hardy, but they will grow in the fall and die in the winter, leaving behind nutritious mulch that will easily decompose when incorporated into the soil in the spring. This is a great cover crop choice for low- or no-till gardens. Sow at 2 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. for the best coverage.
Winter Rye
Sow 2-4 weeks before the first hard frost. This is a good choice for gardeners who have late season crops and don’t want to cut off that last harvest. If hardened off before frost arrives, winter rye will continue to grow over the winter. Rye is a vigorous grower and can be difficult to turn in the spring, so bear that in mind depending on what crops you will be planting in spring. Sow at 3-4 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. for appropriate coverage.
Winter Wheat
Sow 2-4 weeks before the first hard frost. Wheat will cover quickly but is not as aggressive as winter rye. Winter wheat is also leafier, making it easier than winter rye to turn into the soil in the spring. Sow at 3 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. to provide good coverage.

Cornell University provides a tool to assist you in choosing the correct cover crop for your situation. (http://covercrops.cals.cornell.edu/decision-tool.php)

Planting Cover Crops

Before planting a cover crop, clean out garden beds, removing all roots and plant material. Compost all plant matter that is not diseased. Broadcast seed evenly and cover with soil. Water thoroughly when planting and when necessary during dry periods. In the spring, till or fork oats into the planting bed and you are ready to plant. For winter rye and wheat, mow or chop tops 4 weeks before planting leaving cut cover crop on top to dry. Till or fork dried wheat and rye into the bed before planting.

With the appropriate cover crop, you can protect your garden’s most valuable asset – the soil – and be sure it is ready for spring planting.

The Great Squirrel Battle for the Bulbs

Autumn is the catalog time of year, when gardeners devour and drool over the spring-blooming bulb catalogs, eagerly fantasizing about next year’s flowerbeds. We picture drifts of crocus and gaily swaying tulips, lush daffodils and glorious hyacinths. Snowdrops, irises, daylilies… Ah, the garden will be great this next spring.

Then we remember last spring – hours of labor and dozens of bulbs meticulously planted, but only one or two emerged to flaunt their blooms. What happened?

Squirrels and Bulbs

Squirrels like flower bulbs just as much as gardeners, but unfortunately not for their beauty. From the looks of the remains – chewed remnants, dug up holes, battered foliage – those bulbs became expensive squirrel food. Fortunately, if you want to plant daffodils, alliums, scilla, hyacinths, squills or fritillaria, your bulbs should be safe. Generally, squirrels don’t eat these. But how can you protect the bulbs that make the tastiest squirrel treats?

Keeping Squirrels Out of the Flowerbeds

Go ahead and order your bulbs. While you’re waiting for delivery, decide which of the three basic methods you will use to prevent the squirrel attacks. A small investment of time and materials will protect your bulbs.

Mesh Barriers
Wire mesh is the best protection to keep squirrels away from bulbs. Dig the hole for several bulbs, make a “cage” using mesh around the bulbs and fill in the soil. If the squirrels dig, the mesh will prevent them from eating the bulbs. You may also plant the bulbs as usual and place a layer of mesh on the soil. You’ll have to secure it to keep it in place then cover with mulch. Be sure the mesh layer is wide enough so squirrels cannot easily dig around the sides to reach the bulbs.

Repellants
Garden centers sell many different squirrel repellants, and deer repellants also repel squirrels. Some gardeners swear to the effective use of red pepper flakes mixed in the soil around, and over, the bulbs. Many squirrels don’t like spicy tastes, but pepper flakes may need to be replaced after heavy spring rains to be the most effective.

Sharp Gravel
Adding sharp gravel to the soil around and over the bulbs also deters squirrels from digging. Not only do they not like the feel of the gravel on their sensitive paws, but the gravel – which is heavier than dirt or mulch – is more difficult to move, so the bulbs stay safer.

There is another option to keep squirrels away from bulbs without completely discouraging their visits. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em – because squirrels look for the easiest food sources, a squirrel feeding station stocked with corn and peanuts may be just the thing to keep the squirrels from looking for your buried treasures!

Glorifying Garden Gloves

Many gardeners believe garden gloves are easy to do without. Those of us who love gardening enjoy the feel of soil running through our fingers, and we don’t mind the line of dirt under our fingernails. We prefer to not have anything impede the dexterity needed to sow small seeds or pinch a plant, and we like the textures of the plants we cultivate. We would rather spend our budgeted gardening dollars on the latest herbaceous sensation rather than unnecessary gloves, and, frankly, nobody likes sweaty hands.

Why Gloves Matter

Despite the prejudice against covering our hands, gloves are the single most important piece of garden clothing that a person should own. In addition to the fact that they come in every color and pattern under the sun, making them an attractive and matching accessory to your garden wardrobe, garden gloves provide many benefits, such as…

Improving your grip on tools, minimizing accidental drops that can damage expensive tools.
Keeping hands warm in cold weather so we can garden in comfort even in early spring or late fall.
Keeping hands dry in wet weather to prevent skin irritation and problems that could limit our gardening.
Preventing contact with animal waste that may carry bacteria, mites or other pests that could harbor diseases.
Helping avert calluses and blisters that can make even simple gardening tasks painful and unpleasant.
Protecting hands from cuts, splinters and thorn pricks from aggressive plants so we aren’t limited in our gardening choices.
Preventing contact with poisonous plant oils that cause rashes and allergic dermatitis.
Keeping nails clean and help prevent nail breakage so our hands can be as beautiful as our garden.
Protecting from soil borne fungal and bacterial infections that could be spread around the garden easily.

With so many great reasons to use garden gloves, which ones should you choose?

Selecting Gloves

Gardening gloves come in an almost limitless array of colors, styles and patterns. Features may include…

Different types of fabric or weave densities that affect air circulation to keep hands cool and comfortable
Anti-slip grips or rubber palms and fingers for excellent traction in all types of gardening conditions
Broad, wide cuffs for an easy fit or snug, form-fitting cuffs for a secure fit that won’t let in any dirt or debris
Different sizes and proportions to suit men, women and children

With so many gloves on the market there’s a style available for every garden chore, season, weather condition, hand size and preference. Check out our selection today. We are happy to help you choose a pair or two that work best for you and your gardening needs.

Holey Moley, Shrew or Vole!

Mole, vole or shrew: ever wonder what the difference is between these pests, or why you should care? All three of these mouse-like creatures may be seen in or around your garden. Identification is important in determining if and how you should control these critters.

Moles

Identification: A mature mole will grow 5-7 inches from snout to tail. Moles have soft, thick, velvety-gray fur, a long, blunt snout and an approximately 1-inch long tail. Their eyes and ears are inconspicuous, hidden under their fur. Their paddle-like front paws are two to three times wider then their rear paws.
Damage: Moles, in search of grubs, beetles and earthworms, burrow in the ground and create tunneling in the lawn and garden. They surface occasionally leaving small hills of loose soil. Moles are solitary, subterranean creatures.
Control: Reduce food supply by controlling grubs in the lawn. Use repellents containing castor oil, or toxic baits placed in the tunnel but out of reach of pets. There are several different styles of mole traps available on the market.

Voles

Identification: Voles, often called meadow mice, are a little larger than moles reaching 5-8 inches long at maturity. Their heads are rounded, their eyes are larger than shrews, their fur is brown, short and smooth, their front paws are about the same width as their rear paws and their tails are about 1 ¾ inches long.
Damage: Voles are herbivores that feed on bulbs, tubers and tender young plants. During the winter, often under the cover of snow, voles will eat surface roots and chew bark from the base of trees and shrubs often causing the plant to girdle and die. Voles, unlike moles and shrews, are social and where you find one, you will find many. Voles will often tunnel in mulch or ground cover above ground leaving surface trails. They sometimes run through old mole tunnels eating plant roots.
Control: Use Thiram-based repellents. Set up mouse traps baited with peanut butter or apple slices. Keep mulch away from tree trunks. Remove snow from the base of trees and shrubs in the winter. Protect young trees by wrapping the lower trunk in wire mesh. Apply predator urine to the area and reapply frequently. Do not use poisons.

Shrews

Identification: A mature shrew will reach 4-5 inches long. Shrews have a thin tail about 7/8 of an inch long, soft, grey, short fur, small beady eyes, small ears and a pointed snout.

Damage: Shrews, like moles, are insectivores. They eat earthworms, grubs and other insects. Shrews, however, are often seen above ground although they tend to use old mole and vole tunnels to get around. Shrews cause no real damage to plants and eat a variety of insects making them beneficial in the landscape and garden.
Control: None necessary.

Not sure what to do about these pesky garden visitors? Stop by to see our complete line of safe, effective pest control products and to ask for expert consultation about which visitors should be welcome in your garden and which ones you should gently encourage to leave.

The Edible Garden

Who said fruits and vegetables can’t be show-offs in the ornamental beds? Mix fruits and veggies into your flower and shrub borders to add drama, texture, color and, most importantly, food!

Blueberries

Displaying white flowers tinged in pink in little tassels during late spring, blueberries will grow only in moist, peaty soil with a pH lower than 5.5. The best way to grow them is in an informal border or along a woodland setting with other acid-loving plants like rhododendrons. To ensure good pollination, two different cultivars should be planted together. Plants should be protected from birds with netting when the fruit begins to ripen. Apply cottonseed meal to the soil in spring, water regularly during dry summers and prune the plants in winter by cutting out dead or damaged branches. You can also lightly trim plants in spring to keep them compact. Blueberries are rarely attacked by insects or diseases, but will look pale and chlorotic if the soil is not acid enough.

Raspberries and Blackberries

Although not particularly ornamental, bramble berry bushes, when trained on wires, offer a nice summer screen, or they can be grown against a fence or wall. Both raspberries and blackberries require slightly acidic soil, adequate moisture and will need support. Plants will succeed in light shade, but prefer a sunny location. Mulch in early spring with manure or compost, then cut old canes down to the ground after fruiting in early to mid-summer. No more than 5-6 strong stems should grow from each plant. Protect fruit from birds and squirrels to ensure enough left to harvest.

Strawberries

In the past few years strawberry plants have become increasingly popular for their ornamental qualities. Beautiful white flowers with yellow centers become delicious, glowing red strawberries. When choosing cultivars, be sure to try both June-bearing and ever-bearing selections to extend your harvest. Alpine varieties are perfect for edging a path. Strawberries require deep, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil for the best results. Plant in early spring and replace plants every three years for the best-tasting berries and most productivity. Fertilize in spring and cut off runners as they form to keep plants fruiting well, unless you are starting new transplants. Spread salt hay around plants as fruit starts to develop to keep the berries free from soil and well ventilated. Protect from birds and watch for slugs and botrytis (moldy, grey fungus) during wet springs.

Grapes

Trained over an arbor or combined with clematis on a pergola, grapes add an elegant touch to any landscape. Plant grapes in well-drained, fertile soil where there is full sun. When growing on a trellis, limit your grapevine to a single stem or trunk. Train the leading shoot vertically and the lateral shoots horizontally. There are also various other ways to train and prune grapes, but do not let this task scare you. Grapevines are very forgiving. Birds will love the rich, aromatic fruit so you may want to protect several areas to ensure a good harvest.

Rhubarb

Offering beautifully colored stalks of pink, white or red, rhubarb can be grown in any kind of soil in a sunny spot. You can pick from this trouble-free plant from spring until early summer. Only the stems of rhubarb are edible; the leaves should be discarded. Add plenty of manure to the soil, keep damp during dry summers and remove tall stems before they produce flowers. Although decorative, larger stems tend to reduce plant vigor. Divide every five years or as needed to control plant size. Watch for tunneling insects on the leaves and treat with rotenone as needed.

Figs

Adding an air of distinction where space is limited, a fig tree can be grown in a large pot. Forgiving figs do well in poor soil, but need a sunny, protected area, which may mean a south-facing wall. These ancient trees tend to produce more fruit when their root systems are restricted. Therefore, when planting in the ground, it is a good idea to dig a hole about 3 feet wide and line with bricks. Mix plenty of bone meal in with the soil, too. Mulch fig trees in late spring with compost and water in dry weather while the fruit is growing. You can also encourage these trees to produce more fruit by pinching new shoots in spring.

With careful planning, it’s easy to mix beautiful edibles in with your landscaping beds, allowing you to do double duty with your gardening and landscaping combined and dramatically increase what you can harvest and enjoy.

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Seed Starting

Starting seeds indoors is a rewarding gardening experience and can help extend your growing season to include more plant varieties than your outdoor season may permit. Furthermore, a larger selection of seed varieties doesn’t limit your opportunities to growing only those transplants that are available at planting time. The key to success in growing seedlings is in creating the proper environment.

What Seeds Need

Seeds are generally hardy, but to start them properly they do need gentle nurturing so they can produce healthy, vibrant plants. In general, seeds should be started 4-6 weeks before the recommended planting time so the seedlings will be large and strong enough to withstand the stresses of transplanting. Use a sterile growing mix which is light enough to encourage rich root growth. Sow the seeds thinly and cover lightly with sphagnum peat moss. Water using a fine spray but do not soak the seeds – they also need oxygen to germinate, and if they are overwatered they will drown. Cover the container with clear plastic to hold the moisture and increase humidity. Place the containers in a warm (70-80 degrees) spot and watch daily for germination. The top of the refrigerator is often an ideal location. When the first seeds germinate, place the seedlings in bright light or under artificial lights (tube lights should be 2-3” from seedling tops) for several hours each day, since late winter sunlight will not usually be sufficient to prevent weak, leggy seedlings. Daytime temperatures should range from 70-75 degrees. Night time temperatures should range from 60-65 degrees.

As Seeds Grow

When the seedlings develop their first true sets of leaves, add half-strength water soluble fertilizer to their water – organic fish emulsion or seaweed fertilizers are great to use. Repeat every second week to provide good nourishment. Thin the seedlings or transplant them to larger containers as they grow. Before planting outdoors, harden-off the plants at least one week before the planting date. Take the transplants outdoors in the daytime and bring them in at night if frost is likely. Gradually expose them to lower temperatures and more sunlight. The use of hotcaps and frost blankets to cover early plantings will also aid in the hardening off process so the seedlings can adjust well to their new outdoor environment.

Transplanting Seeds

Transplant seedlings into the garden after the safe planting date on a calm, overcast day. Pack the soil around the transplant with as little root disturbance as possible. Sprinkle the plants with water, keeping the soil moist until the plants become established.

Popular Indoor Seed Start Dates

The exact dates you want to start seeds will vary depending on your local growing season, the varieties of plants you choose and what their needs are. In general, dates for the most popular produce include…

Vegetable Seed Starting Dates

February – Asparagus, celery, onion
March 1 – Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, lettuce
March 15 – Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes
April 1 – Summer squash
April 15 – Cantaloupes, cucumbers, winter squash

Flower Seed Starting Dates

January/February – Begonia, carnation, geranium, impatiens, nicotiana, pansy, rudbeckia, salvia, snapdragon, verbena, vinca
March 1 – Ageratum, dahlia, dianthus, petunia
April 15 – Aster, calendula, celosia, marigold, zinnia

Use seed starting dates as a general guide to ensure your seeds have plenty of time to reach their full harvest potential before the weather turns in autumn. At the same time, consider staggering seed starting every few days to lengthen your harvest and keep your favorite vegetables and flowers coming even longer during the growing season. As you gain more experience with starting seeds, you’ll be able to carefully plan your seed calendar to ensure a lush, rich, long harvest season.

Old wooden seed tray with plant seedlings of various kinds (Zinnia and Pea).

Preserving the Harvest

Was it a bumper crop this year? Do you have tasty fruits, vegetables and herbs overflowing your storage? Now that the harvest is in, the decision needs to be made as to what to do with the abundance.

Years ago, homes had root cellars to store winter squash and root vegetables such as onions, potatoes and carrots to keep them cool and dry for several weeks. As more homes refinish basements into living spaces and more urban gardeners expand their harvest, however, it may be difficult for gardeners to store their harvest this way. So, what can they do?

Here’s a quick little table to help:

Vegetable	Store	Freeze/Blanching Time	Can	Dry	Pickle
Beets	X	(2 min)	X	X	X
Broccoli		(3 min)	X	X	X
Brussels sprouts		(3 min)	X	X	X
Cabbage		(90 sec for wedges)	Pickle first	X	X
Carrots	X	(5 min)	X	X	X
Cauliflower		(3 min)	X	X	X
Celery		(3 min)		X	X
Fennel		(1/2 min)	Pickle first		X
Horseradish	X	(shred)	Prepare as sauce	X	X
Kohlrabi		(3 min)	Pickle first	X	X
Onions	X	(raw)	Pickle first	X	X
Parsnips	X	(2 min)	X	X	X
Potatoes	X	(cooked)	X	X	X
Rutabagas	X	(2 min)	X	X	X
Sweet Potatoes/Yams	X	(cooked)	X	X	X
Turnip	X	(2 min)	X	X	X
Winter Squash	X	(cooked)	X	X	X

Storing: Only store mature and perfect vegetables. If there are soft spots or bruises, eat immediately or preserve. Leave several inches of stems on winter squash. It’s important to maintain temperatures between 32-40⁰ Fahrenheit with good air circulation and ventilation. To reduce spoilage, the humidity should be between 85-95 percent.

Freezing: Freezing maintains nutrients, flavor and texture. Most vegetables require blanching (cutting into pieces, a boiling water bath [see times above], followed by immersion into very cold water) prior to putting into freezer bags or containers in the freezer. Maintain a temperature of 0⁰ Most vegetables will store well in the freezer for up to 12 weeks.

Canning: Best method for vegetables with high water content such as fruits and tomatoes. Hot water baths or pressure cookers seal the contents in sterilized jars. Most vegetables are low acid foods and require using a pressure cooker. Use cleaned, fresh and tender vegetables. Follow all pressure cooker instructions carefully.

Drying: No special equipment required. Most people use ovens or dehydrators. It’s important to have good air circulation and all vegetables are cleaned and not bruised. Blanching in a hot water bath increases quality and cleanliness. Adding 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid to each quart of water will reduce darkening and discoloration.

Pickling: Used around the world to preserve foods, pickling also includes relishes and fermentation. Examples include Kim-chi, pickles, sauerkraut and chutneys. Follow all recipes carefully. Most use vinegar to stabilize acidity and prevent bacteria. Some recipes will suggest canning to preserve the product, others will recommend refrigerator or crock storage.

Have specific questions? The National Center for Home Food Preservation has many online publications to assist you.

Fresh Cut Trees

There’s nothing quite like a fresh, vibrant Christmas tree with its bold branches, crisp scent and natural charm. But which tree is right for your holiday décor? There are several popular tree species that can be ideal decorations.

Douglas Fir
This tree holds its dark green needles for a good while, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer to decorate their tree early or like to enjoy their tree into the new year. The soft branches and needles emit a faint lemon scent when rubbed. Douglas Firs have an airy open shape, great for lots of ornaments, garlands and lights.
Fraser Fir
This pine is an aristocrat among Christmas trees with its short grey-green needles and majestic shape. Typically, this tree stays fresh the longest with long needle retention, ideal for longer periods indoors. The branches have a more open shape, great for displaying stunning ornaments. Fraser firs have a delicate evergreen fragrance.
When Your Fresh Cut Tree Isn’t So Fresh
When Christmas is over and your tree starts to droop, you have many options to keep it useful. First, you can easily recycle your tree; many parks and towns sponsor tree recycling programs in January. If you live near a beach, there may be a program to install cut trees on sand dunes to help control erosion. If you prefer to use your tree at home, the boughs make perfect mulch for perennials and the trunk can also be chipped for mulch. Chunks of the trunk can even be made into simple bird feeders or similar garden crafts, or you can use the whole tree as an impromptu brush pile to provide protection and shelter for winter wildlife. You might even consider decorating your tree again using cranberry and popcorn strings, small birdseed ornaments and chunks of fruit to create a bird feeding station.Fresh cut trees are amazing holiday traditions for many families, and there is a perfect tree type to suit your decorating preferences to make amazing holiday memories.

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