Which live tree is right ‘fir’ you?

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

What is your ‘perfect tree?’

In my opinion, there is something magical about a live evergreen tree decorated for the holidays that simply cannot be replaced by a synthetic look-a-like. Each year, I encourage my friends, family, and clientele to support local Christmas tree farmers and embrace the traditional experience of hunting for the perfect live tree.

Tree growers report that many Americans are concerned if utilizing live trees for decoration is “environmentally friendly”, but rest assured, it certainly is.

The National Christmas Tree Association reminds consumers that,

“It is much better environmentally to use a Continue reading

Box Ripening Success

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County, OSU Extension

When placed in a box together, unripe fruit and veggies can be ripened!

Box ripening is a process that home gardeners can easily do to extend the productivity of their gardens later than the growing season. Although it seems like magic, there are scientific reasons why putting unripe fruits and veggies into a box, putting them on a shelf or under a bed, and finding ripe ones in a week or a few later happens.

The “magic” is attributed to ethylene gas. Ethylene is a growth hormone emitted from plant material as a gas. Ethylene regulates multiple aspects of plant growth including vegetative growth, fruit ripening, abscission (the hardening of plant cell tissue that causes leaf or fruit drop), and senescence (tissue aging).

When you place unripe fruit and actively ripening fruit in a box together, the Continue reading