Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6A
Consider gifts for the gardener this season
By Terry Kelley
University of Georgia
Another holiday shopping
season is upon us, bringing the
age-old dilemma of deciding
what to buy that special some¬
one who loves gardening.
What do you get the gardener
who has everything?
Well, maybe they don’t
quite have everything yet.
Let’s look at a few possibili¬
ties and some tried-and-true
suggestions.
The easiest thing that
comes to mind is a nice gift
card to the local garden center.
Every gardener will be buying
seeds and fertilizer for the
spring crop, so a gift card
might come in handy. There
are tools that need replacing,
Ready, set, go
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Cub Scouts Pack No. 3740 participated in the Northeast Georgia Cubmobile
Race recently at Cumming First United Methodist Church. Front row, from left,
Jabe Roberts, Storm Roberts, Ethan Lann and John David Browning; standing,
from left, Chris LaFontaine, Katie Sikes, Joe Sikes, Stephen Creech, Michael
Wacho and Joe Rank.
Dormant trees for
CHAMPAIGN, 111. — Other
than raking up falling leaves,
colder weather usually means
the season for yard maintenance
is over. But don’t worry, for
those avid yard workers, there is
still work that can be done. This
time of year is actually a good
time to prune your trees —
except for those that flower in
the spring.
Trees are dormant in the
winter, making pruning easier
because you can better see a
tree’s structure when no leaves
are on the branches. “Proper
pruning can be an important
part of tree health maintenance,”
said Jim Skiera, Executive
Director of the International
Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
“Just be aware that each tree is
different, and pruning at the
wrong time or the wrong way
can injure a tree or make it sus¬
ceptible to disease.”
Pruning helps keep sur¬
rounding areas safe for people
and objects by removing dead
or broken branches. But too
much pruning can create more
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS — Thursday, December 1,2005
too, and maybe a few other
necessities and gadgets they
can choose from.
If you’re just not the gift
card type, consider more spe¬
cific gifts.
Take a look
It might behoove you to
check out the tool shed to see
if a hoe, rake or spade is in
disrepair. This is the perfect
time to give a new garden tool
to replace the one with the
handle held together by tape
or nails or broken off so short
that only your 3-year-old
grandson could use it.
There are all types of
weeding gadgets on the mar¬
ket, too. And various three
piece hand tool sets normally
include a trowel, garden fork
problems than it solves,
Skiera added, advising home
owners to prune annually and
lightly instead of all at once.
When in doubt, consult a local
ISA Certified Arborist for
advice.
Deciding what and where to
prune involves an understanding
of basic tree biology, sharp
tools, and an artful eye. Where
you make the cut is as important
as knowing what to remove.
There are a few simple princi¬
ples to understand before you
prune:
• Always have a purpose in
mind before you cut. Removing
dead or diseased wood, provid¬
ing clearance, or improving
structure are most common.
• Proper technique is essen¬
tial. Poor pruning technique can
cause long-term damage.
Learn how to make proper
cuts.
• Small cuts do less damage
to the tree than large cuts.
Unlike people, tree wounds do
not heal, they close. Smaller
cuts close quicker.
and cultivator. Newer
have extensions that fit
the wrist for added comfort.
And what about
protection gear, such as a
pair of gloves or a pair of
eralls? What about a
brimmed hat or one with
covering attached to
the ears and neck? This
your special gardener
being exposed to too
sunshine.
For those who use
cides, disposable
gloves, a face mask and
goggles would be
too.
Think of the
gardener
What about something
• Make cuts just outside the
branch collar for quick wound
closure.
• Avoid leaving stubs.
• Keep tools sharp and clean.
Remember that pruning
large trees can be dangerous. If
pruning your tree cannot be
done without using power
equipment or leaving the
ground, then it should be left to
a professional arborist. You can
find more tips on how to prune
trees at http://www.treesare
good.com/treecare/treecarein
fo.aspx.
The International Society
Arboriculture (ISA), headquar¬
tered in Champaign, 111., is a
nonprofit organization support¬
ing tree care research and edu¬
cation around the world. As part
of ISA’s dedication to the care
and preservation of shade and
ornamental trees, it offers the
only internationally-recognized
certification program in the
industry. For more information,
and to find a local ISA Certified
Arborist, visit www.treesare
good.com.
make gardening more
ergonomic? A nice set of knee
pads, a kneeling pad or a gar
dening stool are all useful for
any of that close-to-the
ground work,
In fact, one gardening stool
is made to wear. It attaches to
the gardener with a harness
and allows hands free move
ment around the garden. A
coil spring on the bottom
cushions the seat and allows
the gardener to plop down just
about anywhere,
For the more technically
advanced, electronic meters
help monitor soil pH, moisture
and fertility. For under $40,
you can equip your favorite
gardener to quickly determine
whether more fertilizer or
maybe some irrigation is
Combat fuel costs with the
right firewood, forestry
commission urges public
Heating oil costs are expected to skyrocket
this winter, but there’s an old-fashioned alter
native that can offset those increases: fire
wood.
“We’re expecting substantial increases in
wood used for fuel this year,” said Nathan
McClure, forest products specialist with the
Georgia Forestry Commission. “But before
choosing quality wood in
the right amount for your
needs.” McClure said peo¬
ple using firewood should
have basic knowledge of
the fuel and its properties.
Firewood is sold by the
standard cord or by the
cubic foot. One cord is
equal to 128 cubic feet of
involving terms such as “truckload,” “face
cord,” or other unclear descriptions of meas¬
urement.
Choosing the proper species of tree is key
when producing any type of wood product,
and firewood is no different. Good quality
firewood comes from species with a high den¬
sity wood. Oak and hickory species are com¬
mon, dense species used for firewood. Maple,
ash, and sourwood also have relatively high
densities.
To reduce the amount of wood needed,
consumers should understand some Btu basics.
“Wood from all species of trees has similar
energy value per pound when measured on a
dry-weight basis,” explained McClure. In fact,
he notes that 2.1 million tons of pine wood
byproducts were used for an energy source by
industries in Georgia during 2003. However,
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needed.
Speaking of irrigation, how
about a new garden hose or
sprinkler? Kits are available
for under $100 to set up drip
irrigation in the garden. Drip
irrigation is more efficient. It
helps reduce diseases by keep¬
ing the foliage dry while pro¬
viding moisture right at the
soil surface.
Compost
Does your gardener use
compost? A plethora of com¬
posting aids is available, from
simple wire mesh bins to
polyurethane compost tum¬
blers made from recycled
plastic. There are collapsible
bins, food composting con¬
tainers, biodegradable com¬
posting bags, compost ther-
the lighter or less dense the wood is when
dried, the more wood that is required to pro¬
duce the same heat,
Oak has an energy value of approximately
30 million Btu’s per cord, while species such
as pine and yellow poplar have an energy
value of around 20 million Btu’s per cord. To
reduce the amount of wood needed, con¬
ft
•M Be sure you're choos¬
ing quality wood in the
right amount for your
needs.
- Nathan McClure, forest
products specialist
duces a thick smoke. This
heavy smoke may cause hazardous buildups
of “creosote,” a flammable tar-like substance
that forms in chimneys and emits particulate
matter into the air.
The Georgia Forestry Commission recom¬
mends combustion of dry firewood in a mod¬
em wood-burning appliance to provide safe
burning conditions and better air quality.
Georgia’s 25 million acres of forest land
provide a valuable, renewable resource that
has great potential to fuel the state’s energy
needs.
McClure expects the state’s 7.4 million
acres of pine plantations will soon begin to
contribute to industrial and commercial ener¬
gy uses and to the production of ethanol and a
“green” diesel.
For more information on firewood use and
Georgia forestry please visit www.gatrees.org.
mometers, choppers, turners
and even books on how to do
it.
Finally, consider a rain
barrel to collect natural irriga¬
tion water, a garden cart for
transport or maybe some hand
lotion for the end of the day.
Don’t forget the postharvest
gifts, such as salad choppers,
pressure canners or freezer
containers, either.
If your gardener has all of
this, never fear. There’s
always room for a new garden
gnome somewhere. Happy
holidays.
Terry Kelley is a
Cooperative Extension horti¬
culturist with the University of
Georgia College of Agricul¬
tural and Environmental
Sciences.
that is denser, such as wood
from Georgia’s native oaks.
In addition, consumers
should choose firewood that
has been air dried for at least
six months after being cut and
split. Green firewood, or fire¬
wood that has not been proper
ly dried, should not be used. It
burns inefficiently and pro¬