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TIMELY TIPS

	Look for disease and insect resistance when purchasing vegetable and flower seeds.
	Start seeds of slow growers, such as parsley, thyme and rosemary.
	Plan your vegetable garden, rotating crops to discourage pests.
	Monitor trees & shrubs for winter damage, prune out broken branches.
	Monitor indoor plants for winter pests, i.e. spider mites, mealy bugs & scale.
	Use wood ash sparingly in your compost pile, garden or lawn. It raises soil pH and supplies potassium.
	Consider using non-salt traction materials in place of de-icing salts; many plants are sensitive to salt damage.
	Check stored bulbs, remove moldy or shriveled bulbs.

Beyond White Pine:
Outstanding Conifers for Pennsylvania Landscapes

By Dr. Rick Bates, Department of Horticulture, Penn State

Conifers can add critical ingredients to any landscape not easily duplicated by any other tree. Few of us are aware of the wide range of conifers available to improve our landscapes. Too often our purchases are limited to the most common "bread and butter" offerings.
A little extra effort in the plant selection process will yield great dividends resulting in more dynamic, visually engaging four-season planting than most gardeners and landscapers allow. The following represents a partial list of excellent and adaptable conifers that should be considered for Pennsylvania's landscapes and diverse climate.

Backyard Fruit Production Guide Available On-line and in Print

Penn State's Small Scale Fruit Production Guide (AGRS-60) is a 105 page publication designed for home gardeners who would like to grow fruit successfully. It contains information about pest management, soil fertility, pollination, harvesting, apples, peaches, grapes, brambles, strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries and currents, and elderberries. In addition, the guide lists sources for tree and small fruit plants and offers suggestions for further reading. Anyone who invests time and effort in a backyard fruit planting should have this publication. The entire publication is posted on the web at http://ssfruit.cas.psu.edu. It is available in print from the Bucks County Cooperative extension office for $9.00 plus postage (call 215-345-3283). Or, you may order it directly from Penn State by calling 1-877-345-0691.

MASTER GARDENER CORNER

The Master Gardeners of Bucks County will be offering monthly Gardening Seminars to the public during Spring 2006. These seminars will be held in the meeting room at Neshaminy Manor Center, Doylestown from 7:00-9:00 PM. There will be a $3 fee for each seminar. Call 215-345-3283 to register. The first three seminars include:

• February 28 - Seed Starting and Plant Spring Bulbs for Summer Color
• March 22 - Choice Conifers
• April 18 - You Can Bloom Orchids in Your Home

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Horticultural Happenings

• Bucks Beautiful Fair - March 17, 18 & 19, 2006, Delaware Valley College
  Come visit the Master Gardener Information Booth in the Lower Gym at Delaware Valley College during the Bucks Beautiful Garden Fair. Bring your gardening questions and attend the free demonstrations at the Master Gardener Studio. Go to www.bucksbeautiful.com for more information.
• Philadelphia Flower Show-March 5 to 12, 2006, Philadelphia Convention Center
  Visit the Penn State Booth to have your gardening questions answered by Penn State Staff and Master Gardeners. Bucks County Master Gardeners and staff will be there Thursday, March 9. This years exhibit will focus on animal pests of the garden.
• Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, New Hope, PA - Winter Lecture Series
  Sunday afternoons from January 8 through February 26, Bowman's Hill will present their winter seminar series on a wide range of topics including ecological landscaping, natural history and gardening with native plants for wildlife. The first lecture is "Seeing the Forest and the Trees". All seminars from 2 to 3 PM, $10 for non-members. Go to www.bhwp.org or call 215-862-1846 for more information.

Avoid Plant Damage From Too Low Humidity Levels
By Mary Concklin, Extension Horticulture Educator, Penn State Cooperative Extension-Montgomery County

Humidity levels in a home tend to be variable, with higher levels in the damp and warmer months of spring through early fall. As the outside temperatures drop in the fall and winter, homes are heated. When the outside drier air is heated and no additional moisture is added, humidity levels within the home drop. Plant tissues are made up of water giving them a humidity level close to 100%. Water moves from high concentrations to lower concentrations meaning a plant will loose moisture rapidly through the leaves or foliage in the dry winter months. To prevent a severe loss of moisture simply increase the humidity within the home or around the plant.

Cactus and succulents which are accustomed to desert conditions, will tolerate a low humidity level in the home around 30% - 35%. Tropical plants are at the other end of the spectrum and are accustomed to higher humidity levels closer to 80% - 90%. Most other houseplants tolerate a range with an optimum level around 60%. During the winter if the humidity level indoors drops to around 20% - 25%, plant damage may result. Common damage symptoms include the browning of the leaf tips, leaf margins turning yellow, leaf and bud drop, and leaf curling.

There are several options to increase humidity including (1) placing your plants on a tray filled with stone and water. Be sure the bottom of the pot does not sit in the water constantly; (2) use a humidifier; (3) place the plants in the bathroom or a sunny kitchen; (4) place the plant pot in a larger pot. Place moist sphagnum moss inside the larger pot and around the smaller plant pot; (5) group plants together; and (6) misting, which has limited effectiveness. The humidity sensitive plants (the tropicals) can be grown in a terrarium or closed container. This will help maintain a humidity level closer to 90%.

Scott Guiser, Extension Educator/Horticulture
and
Sue Schneck, Master Gardener Coordinator

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