We finally got a little taste of winter this past week. You know there is an "Old Wives Tale" that says whatever the date is for our first tracking snow is the number of snows that we can expect for this winter. So, since it was on the 30^th we have 29 more to go. We will just have to wait and see if that is true.

I am busy getting my "fake" trees decorated. Christmas will be here and gone before we know it. It seems things have really been hectic this year. I am on another committee for the Master Gardeners. We have been trying to come up with some ideas for a "Special Event" just for you, the residents of Coles County. Well, we finally have done just that! We are all so very excited about it. So mark you calendars for Saturday February 28, 2009 for "Spring into Gardening". We will have some very special presenters sharing their expertise with us. We also will have a silent auction, door prizes, along with refreshments. Until we get the final details worked out this is the information I can share at this time. It will be a fun, learning experience for all who attend.

GARDEN QUESTIONS FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Q).Prior to placing the Christmas tree in a water holding stand, how much of the trunk base should be removed to increase water intake? A) Removing a thin disk (1/4 inch) off the trunk prior to placing the tree in a water holding stand is all that is necessary. Some people have the misconception that 1 or 2 inches of trunk should be removed. The reduction of water uptake is at the point of the old cut so the thickness of the disk removed is not important.

Q) Will cutting the trunk of the Christmas tree at an angle increase water uptake? A) No. A cut perpendicular to the axis of the trunk is just as effective as any other type cut. It is more difficult to keep an angle trunk cut covered with water. Q Will adding commercial additives, such as carbonated soft drinks, bleach or sugar to the water in the tree stand help the tree last longer? A) Research has shown that these additives have little or no benefit in helping the Christmas tree last longer. The best needle retention occurs when the tree stand contains only clean water. Q) Will evaporation-control chemical reduce water evaporation from the stand so that water doesn't have to be added to the stand as often? A) No. Water lost from a cut Christmas tree is taken up through the trunk and evaporates from the foliage. Little if any water is lost from the tree stand. A cut tree must be watered regularly. Q) Will spraying the foliage of a cut Christmas tree with an anti-transparent keep it from drying out? A) No. Research has never shown the use of an anti-transparent on a cut tree to be beneficial.

Q) Do all species of trees keep equally well after being cut? A) Certain species of trees last longer and remain fresh longer than others. Some of the trees that remain fresh for a long period of time are balsam fir, Scotch pine, Douglas fir and Fraser fir. The Eastern red cedar and Virginia pine dry out extremely fast when not in water. Remember an excessively dry tree will not take up water when it is placed in a tree stand, even with a fresh cut base.

Q) How much water will a fresh cut tree absorb? A) It is not uncommon for a tree to use as much as two quarts of water during the first 24 hours it is inside the home. Add water to the tree stand each morning and evening unless you use a tree stand with a large water holding capacity. The tree should continue to take up a quart or more of water during the first week in the home. The amount of water taken up by a tree depends on the size of the tree and how cool the home is kept.

Q) What is the best way to fire proof my cut Christmas tree? A) The best way to fire proof a cut Christmas tree is to keep the tree taking fresh water. A well watered Christmas tree does not burn.

Q) If I wait until the week before Christmas to purchase my tree, will this ensure that I have a fresh tree? A) Not necessarily. The key to a fresh tree is being sure that it is fresh cut.

Q) Drilling the base of the tree to fit on the center peg type of water stand is all that is needed to allow water to be taken up by the tree, right? A) No. The wood near the center of the trunk is not very effective in taking up water. Most of the water taken up by a cut tree is through the area under the bark. This is the area containing the cambium layer in the living tree. This area has the xylem and phloem which are the vessels that conduct water up and down the tree. They will continue to function until they become plugged. Regardless of the type of tree stand used, it is important to re-cut the base of the trunk before placing the tree in the stand.

Q) Why do some English holly trees have no berries? I also have some that produce a good berry crop, but when the berry is half formed, they all drop. A) The male or pollen-bearing trees never have berries. Only the trees with the female or pistillate flowers will fruit. The problem of the berries dropping off sounds like the female flowers have not been properly fertilized with pollen. A male tree should be near by to make certain pollination occurs. There are incidents where a male tree has been present and the Holly tree stops producing berries. Such incidents are difficult to explain. Some trees are alternate in their bearing habit, having a large crop of fruit one year and very few fruits the next. Sometimes a cold, rainy season, just when the pollen is ripe, prevents its distribution by wind and insects.

To learn more details about Christmas trees, traditions and tree forms, check out Today's features on the Coles County Extension home page http://extension.uiuc.edu/coles/.

If you have any horticulture questions, call the local U of I Extension office Monday through Friday at 345-7034. Volunteer Master Gardeners are not in the office this time of year but they will return your call.

This column is based on information and materials at the University of Illinois Extension office, located at 707 Windsor Road, Suite A., Charleston, 61920; phone 345-7034; or web site: www.extension.uiuc.edu/coles/