For most of us, taking down the Christmas tree is a dreaded time. The sparkling lights on the Christmas tree and the beautiful decorations make everything feel cozy and magical. There is also likely to be less offers to help take it down, than when putting the tree up.

What if you could repurpose that Christmas tree and give the kids something fun to do while on Christmas vacation? Instead of hauling off your real Christmas tree, why not considering adding it to your landscape outside.

Once your tree has been stripped of all the beautiful lights and ornaments consider placing it outside to help feed the birds. You could really up your bird feeding game by turning your tree into a large festive bird feeder. The tree will need to be anchored to a post or steel rod to ensure that it remains upright against the wind. Then the children can begin Continue reading Repurposing Your Christmas Tree for the Birds →

Flowering Pear Trees were put on the “Do not Sell”, Invasive Species List for the Ohio Department of Agriculture last January of 2023. The problem is the fruit!  When Callery Pear was sold in the United States in the 1900’s, many nurseries claimed they were sterile and would not produce fruit. Callery pears are native to Asia. The species is named for a French missionary, Joseph Callery, who first collected the tree in 1858.

As the song the 12 Days of Christmas goes, “A partridge in a pear tree”. Now the questions are “Was it nesting?” “Was it feeding?” or was it doing both.  Teresa Culley (Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati) and Nicole Hardiman published the earliest work untangling exactly what was happening with the misbehaving Callery pears They noted that European starlings would feast on the fruit.

In 2022, Olivia Clark (University of Dayton) produced a fascinating honors thesis titled, “A Starling in a Pear Tree: Assessing the Influence of Bird Dispersal on Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)”  Likewise, she noted that European starlings are among the most common birds observed eating Calley pear fruit.  She also reported that other birds will eat the fruit including American Robins (Turdus migratorius, family Turdidae) as well as Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum, family Bombycillidae). 

The airborne acrobatics by European starlings are known as a murmuration.  It’s one of Nature’s most fascinating spectacles with thousands of starlings twisting, turning, swooping, and swirling in a synchronized close-formation aerial display.   It’s a stunning example of collective animal behavior.

Although murmurations are most commonly observed in the fall, they may occasionally occur in the spring.  Organized flights may arise spontaneously anytime during daylight hours; however, the most dramatic displays occur during the evening hours. However, as Clark noted in her thesis, sheer numbers point towards the intestinal tract of European starlings as being a primary distribution route for Callery pears.  Research published in 2017 showed that starling murmurations could include over 30,000 individuals, thus the tremendous spread of Callery Pear seeds!!

Source: Thomas DeHaas, Buckeye Yard and Garden Line

A backyard bird feeder can be a source of joy and entertainment during the upcoming winter season. Join OSU Extension Educator, Carrie Brown, as we explore how we can best support our feathered friends as cold months roll in. Topics include food & feeder selection, feeder sanitation, deterring non-winged critters, and general birdscaping tips.  The Class will be held at the Main Library, 219 E. Broad Street in Lancaster at 6:00 pm on December 19.  For details contact the Fairfield County District  Library at 740-653-2745.

Are you ‘winterized?’

In this issue:

• Best defense against animal damage
• A Message from our MG Coordinator
• Community food drive a success
• Learning Never Ends project
• MG Newsletter win awards
• Sherman House update
• Seasonal Holiday spending tips
• Winter recipes for potato soup and bird suet
• Featured Book: Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries by Cynthia Riggs
• Ohio Plant Hardiness Map & All about the new U.S. Plant Hardiness Map
• Yerba Maté (part 2)
• Forcing bulbs in winter
• In/Around the Garden

Find the entire newsletter linked here in PDF.

Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii), and Easter cactus (Schlumbergera gaertneri) are popular houseplants, often given as gifts during the holiday season. They are grown for their beautiful, exotic flowers.

Holiday cacti can be very long-lived. It is possible for these plants to live over 100 years, passed down from generation to generation. Although true cacti, these plants are native to rainforests.

Holiday cacti require good drainage and aeration for healthy root growth. Holiday cacti bloom best when kept somewhat pot-bound.

MGV Edna Wilson’s 80 year old Christmas Cactus beginning to bloom..

Healthy plants may only need repotting every three years.

Recommended potting mix for holiday cacti:

1 part sterile potting soil, 1 part sharp/builder’s sand or perlite, 2 parts peat moss

When watering your Holiday Cacti it is best to lace plants in a sink to drain when watering. Remove excess water from saucers and decorative pots. Excess water may result in dropping flower buds, wilting and root rot.  Allow soil to dry out between watering.

Plants won’t grow well in heavy, wet soils. Do not allow plants to sit in excess water after watering.    After the plants have finished blooming, water less frequently, increasing again in spring or early summer when the plants resume more active growth.

Plan to Fertilize monthly June thru August with a balanced houseplant fertilizer at half-strength.  In the fall when flower buds are forming, change to a fertilizer with low nitrogen (N), and high phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) formulation.   Example: 0-15-10 (0% N, 15% P, 10% K)

Once flower buds have started to develop, holiday cacti do not like to be disturbed. Plants may drop buds due to drafts or sudden changes in temperature or humidity levels.  Direction and the amount of sunlight they receive can result in dropping buds.  If the plants are to be put in a warmer room than the one in which the buds started, move them there as soon as the buds appear.

As long as there is adequate light and a relatively cool night temperature, the flower buds should continue to develop normally. They will reward you with spectacular blossoms.

Winter weather is tough enough on plants – the wind, dryness and cold. Animals also struggle to survive, searching for shelter and food, sometimes in our own backyards. The damage caused by animals might only be cosmetic at times, but it can also have long-term effects on plants – even killing them.

Animals such as mice, rabbits, voles and deer feed on the twigs, bark, leaves and stems of shrubs and trees. They may nip off terminal buds, eat shrubs to the ground and girdle trees and shrubs by chewing through bark.

Girdling occurs when an animal chews through the bark and cambium layer beneath the bark, damaging the plant’s vascular system. This inhibits the transport of water and nutrients, resulting in partial dieback or plant death.

Your best strategy is fencing and guards.  While not always aesthetically desirable, the best overall strategy to protect plants is to create physical barriers, usually fences. Fence plants with sturdy fencing – enclosing all the branches of a shrub and the lower branches and trunk of a tree. Hardware cloth is a good choice for keeping out smaller animals.  Continue reading Winterizing plants: A good fence is the best defense against animal damage!! →

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

A fresh tree can draw up 2 qts or more water on the first day in the tree stand.

Bringing the outdoors in as decoration is a popular tradition this time of year. For some, décor that looks like real plant material is a must and for others, real is the only way to go. I respect both options but given the choice, I will go for real evergreen material for our tree, wreaths, swags, and garlands. If you like to keep it real for the holidays like I do, keep on reading.

There is something special about a live tree at Christmas. Most are pleasantly fragrant, each is unique, and a wide variety of choices are available to suit your preferences. When selecting a tree for your home here are some helpful tips that you can keep in mind for a Continue reading Keeping it Real for the Holidays →

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

Check out this easy recipe for suet!

If you are looking an activity to do with conservation in mind, check out this super simple recipe for songbird suet that we made recently at a Deerassic’s Wild Wednesday session. It has just three ingredients and can be easily adapted for making batches big or small.

Easy Suet for a Crowd

Ingredients Continue reading Easy Suet for a Crowd →