How does your garden grow?
Christmas plants

By Joel Patton
Ulster-American Homestead Garden Center is located at 4191 Rochambeau Drive, Williamsburg • 757-566-0404

I don’t know much about records in this part of the world, having lived here for only two years, but I am fairly confident that October 2007 will go down as one of the warmest on record. We saw temperatures rise above 80°F on 20 days and three of those days recorded 90° or more, with Thursday 11th peaking at 96°. Phew! It was not until the end of the month that temperatures finally resembled normal October levels and at last we got the long awaited rain.
As we near Thanksgiving we can now savor typical fall weather. At the time of writing this column we have had no real overnight frost, but there is a decided coolness in the air.
Back in Ulster they have enjoyed a fairly pleasant tenth month with less rain than usual and temperatures around mid 50s, which is quite warm for them.
Shrubs here in Virginia are looking green and perky for this time of year and a number of them have put on a late display of bloom due to the unseasonably warm weather. I will reiterate my previous advice; this is by far the best time to plant trees and shrubs. Forget their appearance as they enter dormancy and don’t be afraid to keep planting right through the winter, frost permitting.
As maples, oaks, pears, beach, cherries and dogwoods adorn themselves with a late fall coat of orange and red it is time to make preparation for Christmas.
In spite of all the cynicism and commercialism, Christmas still fills many people with renewed hope of a more caring world and a rekindling of the basic values that made America great.

CHRISTMAS WREATHS

Colonial Williamsburg is famed for its wonderful display of Christmas wreaths adorned with fruit, nuts and berry decorations. Back in Ulster, wreath making was some what different to the U.S. Our wreaths were usually much smaller, plainer and made from the native holly which grew throughout the hedgerows which encompassed the fields in our countryside. Most of our wreaths were placed on family graves right up to Christmas day and rarely on front doors like here in the States. Subsequently my old garden center in Ulster sold 2000 wreaths on the week before Christmas and it was not unusual for us to open late on Christmas Eve to clear last orders.
My family has been making wreaths for more than 40 years and I am delighted to bring this tradition to Williamsburg. Instead of holly which doesn’t keep well here I prefer to use a mixture of greens, Fraser and Noble fir, Cedars and Juniper to produce an attractive, long lasting wreath. I use a Leyland cypress base and spray the wreath with Wilt Pruf to prevent it drying out before decorating it with natural cones and artificial berries and ribbon if requested. I make five sizes of wreaths varying from 14-inches to over 3-feet in diameter.


Christmas Trees
And, one of the most recognizable symbols of the Christmas period is the real Christmas tree. I realize that lots of people, for a variety of reasons rely on an artificial tree nowadays, but thankfully there are still many who prefer the woodland smell of a real tree in their home over Christmas. The hassle and bother of strapping a tree to the roof of your car and taking an hour to adjust it to the correct position in your tree stand is all part of the Christmas experience.
Many types of Christmas trees are grown: White pine, Scots pine, Norway spruce, Blue spruce, Noble fir, Nordmann, Douglas fir and Fraser fir. Everyone has their own favorite; mine is the Fraser.
Fraser fir produces a really nice shaped tree and it is probably the best for retaining its needles.
Here are a number of tips to help your tree stay fresh and healthy.
(A) Avoid buying the tired and cheap up old trees that have obviously been cut weeks before Thanksgiving, no matter how low the price.
(B) Request that your supplier makes a fresh cut at the base of the tree to allow it to begin taking in important fresh water.
(C) A continuous supply of water is essential, so make sure your tree stand has a good deep water pan.
(D) Adding one of the many preservatives helps prevent needle loss, they are available in both tablet and liquid form.
(E) However, the best tip is common sense; don’t place a live tree in a warm room, too close to an open fire, radiator or air vent. Also, while it might be ok for folks to erect their fake tree the day after Thanksgiving you are asking for trouble if you place a fresh tree inside before the beginning of December.

OUTSIDE & INDOOR WINTER PLANTS
Many customers ask about potted Christmas trees. But be warned; just because they are growing does not mean they will not die in the heat of your home. Containerized trees are expensive and if you want to plant them outside after Christmas don’t leave them in the house any longer than 2 weeks.
Indoor plants are also very popular this time of year. Cyclamen and indoor Azaleas need a cool location with good light to remain healthy; undoubtedly the favorite plant is the Poinsettia which now is available in a kaleidoscope of colors although traditional red is still the most popular.
Poinsettias like a steady warm atmosphere, avoid draughts, and water sparingly each day, adding a liquid feed once a week; with care they will keep their colored bracts (it is not the flower) for many weeks.
Don’t forget there are lots of plants with winter interest which can be given as a gift for Christmas or used to decorate your home. Winter Camellias, Cotoneaster, Pyracantha, Holly, Dwarf Spruces, Pines, winter flowering Mahonia, or beautiful false holly (Osmanthus) to name but a few and how about a winter planted container with hardy pansies/violas and evergreen ivies.

Our Plant of the Month “The HOLLY”(Ilex)


A widely distributed and planted shrub or tree, hollies are both versatile and adaptable. Long associated with Christmas it has been used to make Christmas decorations and wreaths. Holly can be found in many forms from the dwarf mounded plants with round smooth leaves to the traditional prickly leaf varieties which usually grow into a broad pyramid shape.
Holly can be used as a specimen tree, boundary hedge or as part of a formal planting scheme. It can be plain green, green/blue or variegated. Most hollies are evergreen but the winterberry, (Ilex verticillata) loose their leaves in winter to reveal branches covered in bright red berries. Generally hollies require a male pollinator to produce a heavy crop of berries but some like (Ilex Burford) produce berries without one.
Hollies are a woodland plant and will take part sun or shade; some hybrids will tolerate full sun. They prefer well drained soils. Hollies are acidic so use a high humus compost mix when planting. They can be cut back and trimmed any time of the year and their growth rate can be as much as 8-inches per year depending on the type and variety.



FEATHERED FRIENDS
Don’t forget our feather friends this winter. Now that the weather has turned colder its time to put out your bird feeders and fill your bird baths with fresh water.
Could I take this opportunity to thank the Toano-Norge Times for giving me the opportunity to bring my thoughts and ideas into your home over the past year. Could I also thank all our friends and customers for their kind support in our new business and I wish y’all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.