Question: This Christmas, I want a living tree that I can plant after the holidays. How should such a tree be handled to insure its survival?

Answer:

Planting a living Christmas tree in your yard can be a great way to create a lasting memory of a special person or a special occasion. Getting such a tree to survive requires some planning and special handling.

Make sure you know where you are going to plant your tree. Consider digging the planting hole before you take the tree inside your house because bad weather or other obligations may delay planting if you wait.

If you live in an area where the ground is likely to freeze, dig the hole ahead of time and store the fill dirt in a protected area. Dig the hole just deep enough to accommodate the root ball.

If possible, choose a tree that has been grown locally. The farther a tree has been shipped, the more likely it has been subject to various kinds of stresses.

The tree you select will probably be a field-grown one that has been dug up and its roots wrapped in burlap (a process called ball and burlap or B&B). If it is a container-grown tree, the following recommendations will still apply.

Put your tree in a large tub and use rocks or bricks to keep it upright. Fill the empty space around the top of the root ball with light mulch such as sphagnum moss to help retain moisture.

Don’t fill the tub with water; the roots need to get oxygen, so you only want a few inches of water in the bottom of the tub. When you add water, pour it over the top of the root ball.

Locate your tree in the coolest part of the room and away from air ducts. Consider setting your thermostat a few degrees lower than normal.

Leave the tree inside a warm house no more than a week and plant it as soon as you move it out. You have a dormant tree, and you want to keep it that way until you get it planted.

Set the tree in the ground with the top of the root ball slightly above the soil line. Water the tree well but do not fertilize it.

Question: Is it advisable to put wood ashes on a garden?

Answer:

Wood ash has some fertilizer value, the amount varying with the kind of wood being burned. In general, wood ash contains less than ten percent potassium, one percent phosphate, trace amounts of heavy metals and no nitrogen.

Calcium carbonate, a common material used to reduce soil acidity, comprises the largest component of wood ash (about 25%). Unlike lime, wood ash has a very fine particle size so that it reacts rapidly and completely with soil.

Highly acidic soil will likely be improved by adding wood ashes. Slightly acid soil, in the range of pH 6 to 6.5, should not be harmed by up to 20 pounds per 100 square feet annually.

If your soil pH is already near neutral or alkaline, find somewhere else to dispose of your ashes. Most essential plant nutrients are most available to plants in slightly acid soils.

Consider crop tolerance in any decision to use wood ashes. They should never be used on acid-loving plants such as rhododendron or blueberries, but might benefit plants such as asparagus and juniper, which are more tolerant of slightly alkaline soils.