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Horticulture 2023 Newsletter No. 50

By
Guest Columnist
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https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html

Blog Post: http://www.ksuhortnewsletter.org

Video of the Week: Low Light Indoors, No Problem

https://kansashealthyyards.org/all-videos/video/low-light-indoors-no-problem

Thank you, Ward Upham!

Ward has served the department of Horticulture and Natural Resources at Kansas State University since 1996. Ward began the Horticulture Rapid Response Center and has provided thousands of gardeners and extension agents prompt gardening advice over the years. Ward has also been the primary contributor for the weekly K-State Horticulture Newsletter. He has been a valuable resource to our department serving on multiple other projects and has provided a wealth of knowledge to the state as a whole. Congratulations, Ward! We appreciate all your years of service.

Final Newsletter of the Season

This will be the last issue of the Horticulture Newsletter 2023. The first issue of the Horticulture Newsletter 2024 will be distributedthe week of January 8. Your current subscription for the newsletter will continue.

It has been a privilege to join the faculty at K-State and take on the role of writing the weekly Horticulture Newsletter. I appreciate the feedback I’ve received from our readers and encourage you to continue to share story ideas, questions and comments. Your encouraging words and welcome messages are much appreciated, and I look forward to serving you in the new year. Be on the lookout for a survey in an upcoming newsletter to share your experience using the K-State Horticulture Newsletter.

On behalf of all of us at K-State we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. (Cynthia Domenghini)

ORNAMENTALS

What to Do With the Christmas Tree After Christmas

After the holidays, many municipalities allow old Christmas trees to be placed curbside. Trees are then collected and ground up for mulch or burned. If you miss the designated date, or your trash collector doesn’t accept trees, there are several options to prolong the useful life of the tree.

An old Christmas tree can be used to benefit birds, fish, and the landscape by placing it in a corner of your deck, and spreading some birdseed nearby, or tying it to a deciduous tree or post near a bird feeder. The birds benefit from having escape cover nearby when hawks or cats threaten, and the dense boughs reduce the wind chill on a cold night.

Sinking your Christmas tree in a pond is an easy way to improve fish habitat and fishing. The tree serves as a coral reef, in that the branches provide substrate for water plants to grow, and cover for minnows and other forms of small aquatic life. Larger fish are drawn by the shade and the presence of prey.

How do you sink a tree? Tie the base to a cinder block with a short, stout rope, and toss it in. Just be sure to get permission from the pond owner first! Using the little tree around the landscape requires clipping off all of the branches. Use the boughs to add extra insulation around semi-hardy perennials or to trees and shrubs that were recently planted. The leftover trunk may be used as a garden stake next spring.
You may also cut and let the tree dry for a few weeks providing some easy lighting firewood. Just beware that most conifer species tend to spark and pop more than hardwoods, as resin pockets in the wood make tiny explosions. This can delight the youngsters, but for safety’s sake, keep an eye on the fire when burning Christmas tree logs! (Charlie Barden)

MISCELLANEOUS

Storing Fruit and Nut Gifts

Fruits and nuts are traditional gifts during the holiday season. Their shelf life can be extended with a few simple steps.

Nuts should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to avoid water loss. Fats and oils in nuts can spoil and negatively change the flavor. However, even when stored in the refrigerator, the taste of nuts can be altered by strong flavors of other stored products. It is best to store nuts in a tightly sealed plastic container or quality grade resealable plastic bag.

Fruit baskets are often wrapped in cellophane. After gifting or receiving a fruit basket, remove the wrapping to prevent the trapped ethylene gas from speeding up ripening. Tree fruits such as apples, pears, oranges and grapefruit can be stored in the refrigerator or another cool location, ideally around 40 degrees F. Bananas and other tropical fruits (aside from citrus) should be stored separately. (Cynthia Domenghini)

Contributors:

Cynthia Domenghini, Instructor & Horticulture Extension Specialist

Charlie Barden, Extension Forester

Ward Upham, Extension Associate

Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources

1712 Claflin, 2021 Throckmorton

Manhattan, KS 66506

(785) 532-6173

For questions or further information, contact: [email protected] OR [email protected]

This newsletter is also available on the World Wide Web at:

http://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html

The web version includes color images that illustrate subjects discussed. To subscribe to this newsletter electronically, send an e-mail message to [email protected] or [email protected] listing your e-mail address in the message.

Brand names appearing in this newsletter are for product identification purposes only. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned.

K-State Research and Extension is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision or hearing disability, or a dietary restriction please contact Extension Horticulture at (785) 532-6173.

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Ernie Minton, Dean.

Pinwheel Cookies

By
Debbie Dance Uhrig
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This week’s column became a game of process and elimination, seriously! It was like writing down all your favorite holiday recipes, and then labeling them in your favorite order. There were many analogies that went into picking the recipe. It wasn’t based upon taste alone, I also entered in the memories associated with my choices. Lastly; each recipe considered came from the dessert category.

As you can see the winner is the Pinwheel Cookie! Second place for me was Orange Slice Cake and 3rd was Marshmallow Date Roll. There are so many more holiday sweet favorites, my list is extremely long, and I can never make them all every year. However; I do make plenty of time to pick those that are favorites of guests coming into our home. I think most good cooks do the same thing.

Cookies have been around since the 7th century AD, but many say they made a big arrival in the 20th century in France. Interestingly enough the pinwheel in America became popular in the 1930’s and was considered a food by-product of the great depression. I had no idea about that part! When you examine the ingredients, you will find there’s not a huge amount of sugar and no icing. Also dried fruits were a very common thing, and economical. Fillings today can be all sorts of things like chocolate, strawberry etc.

As we sit down at the many dinners filling this season, I would like to pose a question regarding the serving of dessert! I’ve tried narrowing this question down and asking Ms. Manners, but so far, I haven’t gotten the answer I was hoping to find. So here goes: When you have a dining event in your home and let’s say there are 10 people present, what is the protocol for dessert? As a frequent host my answer remains: Dessert is served when those who are dining are finished with the main meal, most particularly, the host/hostess. This would be after the entrée & salad dishes have been removed from the table. For many years, I have observed people practically running for the dessert table when there were 2-3 people still eating the main course. (Yes, at big functions, I serve more than one dessert, and I sometimes make a dessert ‘display’.) I feel this rush to the dessert table, before everyone is done eating is just poor manners, in general!

When there’s a super large gathering of people our expectations definitely need to modify. Especially when things are served buffet style. Sometimes I also think the proximity to the kitchen makes a difference in how people act. I enjoy allowing folks time to digest the large dinner, tidy a few things, then serve the after-dinner coffee & dessert. OK, so I was raised by parents with high expectations when it came to dining. We also knew how to dress when we dined within our home, a restaurant or friend’s home….’Ut oh’ perhaps I better close out this dessert discussion before I bury myself in this one. My hostess decision is the next time my repeat offender comes to our home I will handle dessert totally different. The presentation will not be seen or displayed prior to the meal. And if someone jumps up and starts to head for the desserts, I’ll just politely say: ‘Let’s wait please, as some are still enjoying their dinner, etc.’

I’ll be making at least a double of the pinwheel recipe because they freeze so wonderfully. The hour is quickly approaching for this elf to get some much-needed rest. I hope your holiday season is filled with joy and peace, as we celebrate the real reason for the season. Merry Christmas, Debbie, ‘The Covered Dish’.

Date Pinwheel Cookies

1 cup softened butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs, beaten

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

Date Filling

1 pound dates, finely chopped

½ cup white sugar

¾ cup water

1 cup finely chopped nutmeats, Walnuts or Pecans

Cook the filling ingredients except the nuts over low heat until the mixture becomes pasty, adding chopped nuts at the end; cool.

Cream together the butter with the white sugar and the brown sugar. Add the beaten eggs to the mixture, blending until smooth. In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients: flour, soda, cinnamon & salt. Add to the creamed mixture, blending well.

Divide the dough in half and roll each portion about ¼ inch thick, as if you’re rolling cinnamon rolls. If dough is too soft, place in the refrigerator 1-2 hours. Another consideration is to roll the dough between parchment paper or waxed paper for easier handling. Split the date filling in half for each log. Spread the date fill over the dough within one-half inch of the outer edge.

Roll up the dough and slice ¼ in thick. (I like to refrigerate mine before slicing.) Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for approximately ten minutes.

Twas the Night before Christmas

By
Steve Gilliland
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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring EXCEPT that darn mouse.

It chewed and it rustled so to honor my spouse,

I set out some traps for that darn pesky mouse.

We don’t have a chimney, or mantle or poker

And the nearest we own to a fireplace is a smoker.

Our stockings were all holey and strewn under the bed,

So our old hunting boots hung by the smoker instead.

Our puppy was nestled all snug in her bed

Under the laundry room table with her stuffed toy named Fred.

She quivered and whimpered; to watch her was funny

As she dreamed she would finally corral that ol’ bunny.

My pj’s were long johns, all cozy and white

And I crawled into bed and turned out the light.

Deer season had ended with no deer in the shed

So visions of deer jerky danced in my head.

My wife lay beside me in jammies of red

She was already dreaming of Claus and his sled,

When out in the drive there arose such a ruckus

I sprang from my bed to see what had struck us.

I should have known not to “spring” from my bed

Cause I busted my big toe and clobbered my head.

As I limped up the hallway I grabbed my deer rifle

I’d show them I was someone with whom not to trifle!

I peered out the window and what did I see?

Why old Santa himself, alive as could be.

And there stood old Rudolf in all of his glory,

With his nose shining brightly just like in the story.

But all I could see was his head on my wall .

With that bright red nose twinkling to brighten my hall.

His rack was enormous, at least twenty points,

The thought of its score made me weak in my joints

I wanted that rack, whether legal or not,

So I eased out the door to line up my shot.

I clicked off the safety and steadied myself

So I wouldn’t endanger the Jolly Old Elf.

Now remember those traps I’d set out before?

Well there happened to be one right by the door.

While I tried to be sneaky so no one would know,

That trap clamped its jaws around my sore big toe.

I jerked on the trigger and the shot went astray

And ended up lodged in the front of the sleigh.

The reindeer all spooked and yanked on the sled

Dumping St Nick on the floor on his head.

They shot out the drive as slick as a whistle

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,

But I heard him exclaim as they drove out of sight

Rudolph you blockhead; no more deer hunters tonight!

Unraveling Medical Myths

By
Guest Columnist
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Myths are just stories we tell ourselves and others to make sense of the world around us. Myths convey beliefs or values and attempt to tell truths. In their effort to tell the truth, myths may exaggerate or misrepresent things. Sometimes this misrepresentation is innocent, while other times it is used as a tool to regulate or manipulate people. Myths can be used to give a sense of power and control over an overwhelming situation.

Of the many types of myths, ones that deal with medicine are particularly common. A person’s life can feel out of control during times of sickness or injury. It is easy to feel powerless when one’s body is not feeling or acting normally. A story that helps explain why this is happening can be comforting. A story can assign blame to whom or what caused this. It can also serve as a lesson or a warning to others. In every myth there is usually some small bit of truth that makes it believable.

Look at the myth “going out with wet hair will cause you to catch pneumonia”. It serves as a warning; if you do this, you could put your health in danger. Countless college students running late to early morning classes have tested this myth, including me. Science has proven that bacteria or viruses in the air entering your lungs cause pneumonia, not wet hair.

If you Google “Does going out with wet hair make you sick” – you will get over 50 million results in less than a second. If you look long enough, you will find at least one page to support whatever stance you want to take on this. Mayo clinic and Cleveland clinic both have websites stating this is a myth. Some websites say “this is a myth, but…” They go on to hypothesize subtle correlations between having wet hair and lowering nasal passage temperatures just enough to increase susceptibility to a virus that may already be there. Of course, there will always be grandmothers who insist that they are right, regardless of what any doctor, institution, or the internet says.

We live in an age of easy information. With so many answers and opinions, it is very easy to get overwhelmed and not know who or what to believe. This is why we at the Prairie Doc have strived to bring in experts each week to help give health information that is based on Science and built on Trust. We know that without science, we cannot bring you accurate information. More importantly, without trust, it really does not matter what we tell you. We hope that over the last twenty years we have earned that trust. Please continue to tune in to South Dakota Public Television, Facebook, or YouTube and ask those questions. We are here for you and truly look forward to discussing your questions each week. We will help you separate medical myth from fact so you can “Stay Healthy Out There”.

Jill Kruse, D.O. is part of The Prairie Doc® team of physicians and currently practices as a hospitalist in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook and Instagram featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show providing health information based on science, built on trust, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.

Year Around Indoor Plants

By
Guest Columnist
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0

Most of the houseplants we enjoy in the home are tropical, meaning they will not survive our outdoor environment. So we bring them inside for the winter so we can continue to enjoy them year-round. Plants need to be fertilized to ensure proper growth and development, especially during the late spring and summer months when warmer temperatures encourage growth. However, fertilizer requirements for most plants need to be reduced during the winter months. At this time watering should also be reduced to correspond with the decline in plant growth. Fertilizing is not necessary right after repotting if a potting mix with compost or other amendments is used. The media will have readily available nutrients and will be able to sustain plant growth. Begin fertilizing again when the plant shows signs of reduced, but active growth. Refer to the instructions on the bag of potting medium to determine when plants should be fertilized. Also, remember not to use a high-nitrogen fertilizer when plants are in bloom. This will result in more foliage production and less flowers.

It may be necessary to periodically flush the soil to leach soluble salts that have built up over time from fertilizer usage. Soluble salt damage (stunted growth, chlorotic or necrotic foliage, and injured roots) is most commonly caused by over-fertilization. All plants need soluble salts to thrive but in varying quantities so read the fertilizer container label carefully. To do this, add water to the container, approximately four to five times the soil volume, to push the salts through the drainage hole in the bottom of the container.

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