Live Christmas trees, birds, gifts

Live Christmas trees require some attention to maximize your enjoyment and minimize any aggravation. Mostly, they need water. If you are able to cut a fresh tree, have a bucket of water or tree stand waiting at home, get it into the water as soon as possible. If you buy a live tree, cut the bottom to reveal a fresh surface for water uptake. It is amazing how much water a fresh tree will take up so check daily, that water is naturally humidifying your home, and may be quenching the thirst of a pet. My dog thinks tree water is more interesting than water bowl water. If the tree is near a floor vent or heater the water issue is more important since evaporation will be a factor. The tree will reward you by holding onto its needles, easily into January, and lightly scenting its environment – smelling like a Christmas tree. If you buy a live tree intended for later planting, keep it indoors for as short a period as possible since the heat will stress the tree more than watering can compensate. Trees are renewable resources, the tree farm has young trees planted where previous Christmas trees were removed, trees remove then store carbon in their tissues, and, at the end, can be recycled. Winter bird visitors like juncos are back and if you have bird feeders you know the pleasure they bring. Water is also important for birds in the winter and my neighbor had a heated bird bath that was heavily visited. I turn the birdbath upside down in the winter so it does not crack with freezing water but try to have pans of water available. My birds are spoiled, like my plants and my dogs, they get a smorgasbord of food choices and their preferences are fascinating. Finches like safflower seeds as well as sunflower. Mixed seeds are thrown on the ground for the ground-feeding sparrows, juncos, and doves. Cardinals love sunflower seeds. Blue jays love peanuts in shell, while titmice, chickadees and nuthatches like shelled peanuts. Suet attracts the woodpeckers (downy, hairy and red bellied), nuthatches, and occasional starlings. All these birds attract a local Cooper's hawk, so it is important that a conifer stands nearby to offer shelter and hiding; jays give the alarm, everyone scatters. Gifts for gardeners: we always need new gloves, the ones used this year are stiff with soil and plant secretions. I asked a gardener what gift she likes and she said "a root knife", so I looked it up online and they are used for dividing clumps and she said she liked the depth measurements on the blade that help her planting bulbs. Since my class on young tree training, I invested in a serious hand saw and use it for pruning. Besides pruners and loppers, there are always hats, kerchiefs and sunscreen. This is a great time of year, hectic and peaceful at the same time, spend more time with the peaceful- your plants and your birds.