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HOW TO PLANT A LIVING CHRISTMAS TREE

December 3, 2018
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by Lisa Watters-Lain, Arizona’s garden gal

An evergreen with a starring role in the mountains of Arizona is gaining nationwide popularity.

The Single Blue Pinyon Pine is a local variety that gives a bold appearance to a rustic tree. Its blue color blends well in dry mountain landscapes as well as modern and Mediterranean style gardens.

The tidy appearance and unusua¬¬l blue color is stunning, but this tree is gaining popularity at farmers markets for its pine nut production. Even at a young age, the tree produces pinecones with melt-in-your-mouth nuts. Let it grow wild to 10 feet or, for a perfect Christmas tree shape, prune it right after its spring growth.

January is an excellent month for planting evergreens. The timing is perfect for those using living trees as decorations during the holidays and then planting them after the New Year.

Because of their waxy needles and high internal pitch, most conifers need surprisingly little water. Once these trees get up to size, our arid climate, dry soil, and extreme temperatures seem to keep them happy. This holds true for most other high-country natives like pine, cypress, cedar, juniper and spruce.

These trees, especially the native pines, do have trouble with our crummy mountain soil. They don’t like to sit in wet soggy soils. A tree’s internal metabolism is slowed to an almost stasis-like state. New root hairs will form along with next spring’s candle buds as long as the soil drains properly. That’s why digging the right size planting hole and adding the correct soil amendments are critical for a successful planting.   

Here are six steps to plant an evergreen tree successfully, no matter the season.

Step 1 – The bowl-shaped hole should be the same depth as the root ball, but three times as wide. Plants do not need a deep hole; they thrive when able to stretch out just under the surface of the soil in search of food and water. This is why a bowl-shaped hole promotes the best root development. Rid the hole of rocks and debris larger than a golf ball.

Step 2 – Improve the planting soil by adding Watters Premium Mulch. Good mulch will keep clay soils loose and aerated, and in loose granite will retain water up around the root ball.

The amount of mulch per plant should be equal to the size of the root ball. That is the quantity of mulch you will need to blend into the native soil used to fill in around each plant.

Step 3 – Evergreen trees are so sensitive to soggy soil that it is recommended they be planted on a slight mound. Whatever you do, don’t bury the plant; keep the trunk out of the soil. The top of the root ball you see in the grower’s pot should still be able to see sunlight once planted.

Step 4 – Evergreens need the right plant food for a healthy start. Use my specially blended All-Purpose Plant Food 7-4-4, specifically designed for Arizona’s mountain plants. Just sprinkle the granules on top of the root ball and water in well. The slow-release nutrients promote a deep green color, while encouraging thicker root formation each time you water.

Step 5 – Promote deeper roots with Root & Grow. Add this liquid rooting hormone to the water you use to saturate the root ball. It forces many new root hairs to grow into the surrounding soil. More roots mean a more vigorous plant. Use this root tonic once a month until new candle growth emerges in spring. 

Step 6 – Top dress the planting area with a 3-inch layer of shredded cedar bark. This extra layer of nature’s insulation holds moisture in, keeps weeds out,and protects from extreme temperature swings. It is like pulling a thick wool blanket over the roots when they are cold and shivering.

Water – Keep the tree moist but allow it to dry between watering. Give it a thorough soak twice per month throughout the winter. Once new growth is experienced, bump the water schedule up to twice a week during the first growing season, then once a week. 

For exact planting details that include drawings and measurements, ask for my “Guide to Mile High Planting” the next time you visit the garden center. You might also like the useful companion guide “Mile High Watering.”

Until next time, I’ll see you among the Christmas trees here at Watters Garden Center.

Lisa Watters-Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road, in Prescott, or reach her at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter.

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LOCAL NEWS: The Northern Arizona VA in Prescott has provided an update on their Homeless Veteran Program. . . .PRESCOTT, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s Homeless Veteran Program, along with its community partners, housed 445 Veterans in 2022, exceeding their target goal by 157%.Nationally, the 2022 goal was to house 38,000 homeless Veterans— a goal that was exceeded by 6.3%. The Department of Veterans Affairs remains committed to ending Veteran homelessness and increasing housing placements is critical to achieving this goal.“This success is a result of efforts built on the evidence-based ‘Housing First’ approach, which prioritizes getting a Veteran into housing, then provides the Veteran with the support they need to stay housed,” said Steve Sample, Medical Center Director.In Northern Arizona, there are a variety of services designed to house homeless Veterans. The VA’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program includes VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers that provide formerly homeless Veterans with subsidized housing and a wraparound, interdisciplinary case management team to address issues that may have contributed to homelessness. The program provides justice outreach services, employment services, health care services through the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team, outreach, and transitional housing support. The VA also works closely with community partners to house homeless Veterans through a system called Coordinated Entry, where community agencies along with the VA regularly meet to coordinate efforts and ensure homeless Veterans do not fall through the cracks.“We are fortunate that there is so much support for helping homeless Veterans in our area,” said Jessica Taylor, Homeless Program Coordinator for the Northern Arizona VA. “This success could not have been possible without great collaboration between our community partners, Housing Authorities, Tribal partnerships, and support from our local communities.”Looking ahead, the VA will continue to explore new avenues to house homeless Veterans and overcome housing barriers. In collaboration with U.S VETS, Gorman & Company, and the Arizona Department of Housing, a supportive housing project on the grounds of the VA’s Fort Whipple campus is in the initial planning stages. The VA is also expanding outreach to ensure that homeless Veterans are aware of services available to them. For Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness— or if you know of homeless Veterans in need of assistance, call 877-424-3838.For more information on renting to or hiring homeless Veterans, visit: www.va.gov/homelessAbout the Northern Arizona VA: Through its main campus in Prescott, along with Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in Cottonwood, Flagstaff, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and Anthem— with additional clinics in Tuba City, Page, Kayenta, Chinle, Holbrook, and Polacca, the Northern Arizona VA provides services to approximately 33,000 Veterans over a catchment area of more than 65,000 square miles.. . .www.facebook.com/VAPrescott ... See MoreSee Less

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Empty Bowls of Prescott Arizona has announced that it will distribute $24,000 to local foodbanks! Their 2022 Empty Bowls fundraising event took place in September, and donations can be made year round on their website.prescott-empty-bowls.square.site ... See MoreSee Less

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