Q: How should I care for my poinsettia so it lasts during the holiday season? Click here for answer.

Q: How has the poinsettia come to be a Holiday tradition? Click here for answer.

Q: I was thinking of decorating my house with some mistletoe for the holidays but I read that the plants could be harmful to my children. Is this true? Click here for answer.

Q. What can I do with my Christmas tree after the holidays? Click here for answer.

A. Winter Watering-Yes, here on the western slope we can sometimes have low moisture even in winter. The general rule is, if day temperatures are above freezing for a week and there is no snow cover you need to water. New plantings (within the last couple of years) are the more susceptible to winter desiccation and may need more attention. Even older plantings may need water however, especially evergreens.

A. Living/Live Christmas Tree Care-Living Trees (still having their root system) need special care in order to use them for Christmas. First you want to dig the hole where the tree is to be planted before the ground freezes. Cover the soil removed from the hole to prevent it from freezing. Plan to keep the tree indoors no more than 3-5 days. If outdoor temperatures are 25 degrees F. or less you need to place the tree in a cool spot such as your garage to adjust to indoor temperatures. Leave it in the garage at least 2-3 days before bringing it into the house. Keep it in the coolest spot in the house, out of direct sunlight and away from heater vents. Put it back in the garage for about 2 weeks before planting it. If temperatures are below 25 degrees F. keep it in the garage until they aren’t. Water weekly during this whole process. Handle the root ball very carefully, the more it is moved around the more likely to do it damage.

A. Winter Cold Injury – Sudden temperature changes is the main cause of winter cold injury. Here on the western slope our winter air temperatures fluctuate 30-50 degrees quite often. This can be very confusing to a plant. During the day the warm temps will get things moving and waking up and then the night temps remind them what time of the year it actually is. These problems can cause sunscald on thin barked and/or young trees on the south side of the trunk. Plants can also get tip die back and evergreens will turn brown and look burnt. Another cause of winter cold injury is the wind taking moisture from the plant while it can’t get any from the frozen ground. The only things we can do to combat winter cold injury are winter watering, wrapping young trees, and using barriers to protect plants from the wind.

A. Bulbs-Your bulbs will need a cold period before spring, in order to bloom. You can substitute this by putting them in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6-8 weeks than plant them when the soil can be worked. They may not perform as well as they would’ve planted in the fall but they will certainly survive.