If your Christmas tree is one of the living choices, plant it as soon as possible after Christmas. The longer it’s left indoors, the poorer the chances of keeping it alive outdoors. Choose a well-drained spot in full sun, dig a wide ugly hole no deeper than the ball, backfill with soil from the hole only, no amendments, settle the soil with water – no tamping, then cover the disturbed area with ½” of compost followed by 3” of coarse shredded cedar or other native tree mulch. No staking, wrapping, thinning or mulch piled up on the flare.

If you used a cut tree, take it to a recycling drop off point to be ground into mulch or better still, grind yours at home and use it for mulch around your own ornamental plants. Even if the tree was flocked, it can be used for mulch because the flocking material is usually made from latex glue, which microorganisms will gobble up pretty fast. Christmas tree mulch not only looks good but smells great too.

To discuss this newsletter or any other topic, tune in 8am -11am to the Dirt Doctor Radio Show. The call-in phone number is 1-866-444-3478. Listen on the internet or click here to find a station in your area.

Please share this newsletter with everyone in your address book and all your friends on Facebook and Twitter to help me spread the word on organics.

Naturally yours,