November No. 2

November 22, 2009

Holiday. We all know what that's about!

In this newsletter:  Arrival of Trees, Arrival of Santa, Wreath Care, Tree Disposal, Seminars.

1. Arrival of Trees.  The best, freshest, sustainablest Christmas trees around! We have multiple deliveries through Christmas and the trees are cut within 24 hours of delivery. The first batch is scheduled for a late day delivery, Tuesday, November 24.

2. Arrival of Santa.  The only real Santa in town. Yank on his beard; it won't come off. Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13 between 1pm and 5pm.

3. The care of wreaths, centerpieces and outdoor baskets of greens. First the baskets: as long as they are watered in once, the soil should simply freeze the greens into place. They will be fine just like this throughout the holiday. Wreaths are fine outside in the winter for many, many weeks.  They are not fine if they are hung between a door and a storm door. The sun will dry and fry them in short order if it shines on them for even a couple of hours a day. Wreaths indoors can last through the holiday, but it is a good idea to apply a spray like Wilt-Pruf that helps seal in moisture.  It is a safe, pine oil based product, but smells a little when first applied, best to spray outside. Centerpieces are essentially cut flowers and should be cared for as such. They are made with a foam insert that is watered. If you are planning on keeping a centerpiece in the house for a few weeks, the water in the foam should be checked and watered as needed. Putting your centerpiece in the refrigerator (not the freezer!) overnight will also help to extend its life.

4. Tree Disposal. Last newsletter, I mentioned biodegradable bags for leaf collection, which spurred a customer conversation about backyard composting vs. city composting. So I got on the phone and the web with the various municipalities regarding yard waste and Christmas tree disposal. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regulates yard waste. "The Minnesota legislature mandated the statewide source separation of yard waste in 1992 and banned it from being landfilled or incinerated. As a result, over 100 yard-waste compost sites have been established.", according to the MPCA's website. Further, a new state law will require most metro area residents, except those in Minneapolis, to use only compostable bags for their yard waste beginning in 2010.  As far as trees go, in the city of Minneapolis, if you put your tree out with your trash on pickup days after Christmas (a time frame will be announced), the city will pick it up and have it chipped and composted in Hutchinson. If it is over six feet tall, it should be cut in half. Other options include leaving it propped up in your yard for bird habitat, spreading the dried needles on the soil around your acid loving plants, chopping the branches for kindling, and using the trunk as a natural garden barrier. Of course, all ornaments, wire etc. have to come off.

5. We are currently at work on a compostable swag or wreath, no disassembly required!

6. A teaser on Winter/Spring 2010 seminars: Tapping for Maple Syrup in the City, Basic Tree Pruning, Creating Backyard Habitat, Urban Vegetable Gardening, Beautiful Containers, Build Your Own Water Feature, and some crazy Backyard Homestead idea.  More later.

Come on in!  It looks so amazing in here; it will take your breath away!