Are you tired of purchasing a cut Christmas tree every year--just to throw it away after the holidays are over? Consider buying a living Christmas tree instead. Living Christmas trees are becoming more popular every year because of their many advantages over cut Christmas trees, which include a lower fire hazard, repeat use, and an increase in value once planted in the landscape, where they can become a yearly source of cut greens for each holiday season.

After the holidays, you can leave your tree outdoors in its original container for year-round beauty and bring it back in again for a second Christmas. However, because most living trees used for Christmas trees are fast growing, they should not remain in a container for more than two years. There are a few other things to consider when planning to use a living Christmas tree indoors.

Living trees can stay in the house for only a brief period, no more than 7 to 10 days. Prolonged exposure to warm household temperatures would force new growth to develop on the tree and this growth would be apt to suffer damage when the tree is transplanted outdoors after Christmas. Longer periods in a home can lead to death of the tree.

Be sure to water the tree regularly while it is being used in the home. Line the tub or container in which you place a living tree with plastic or place a larger saucer underneath the container to keep excess water from dripping through onto your floor or carpeting. One good way to water is to dump two trays of ice cubes on the soil--this waters the tree slowly and evenly. It also helps keep the roots cooler.

Use only the newer low watt lights on your tree to avoid burning or discoloring the needles, and do not spray your tree with colored Christmas paint or snow, even if the product says it is washable.

After Christmas, if the weather should happen to be very cold, place the living tree in the basement or garage where it is cool, but not below freezing, for a few days only: Then, when the weather improves, take the tree out of the container and plant it.

Make sure that the tree will fit into your landscape. Most trees used as Christmas trees will eventually reach heights of 40 to 60 feet. The tree will be inside for a very short time compared to the time that you will have it in your landscape.

We stock living Christmas trees that grow well in our local area. Just click on this link for pictures and descriptions of some of our trees. With care and planning, your Christmas tree will serve as a living memory for many years.

When most people think about drought tolerant landscaping they conjure up images of rock, cactus and succulents. And while they can have a place in some drought tolerant gardens (if you live in the desert) most modern drought tolerant designs don't rely on them and are filled with the beauty and color of many favorite mainstream plants.

Most existing landscapes already have plants that can survive periods of drought. The key is to select plants for your particular growing conditions when planning and designing (or re-designing) your landscape and then placing these plants together according to their water needs.

Your goal should be to create three basic divisions of plant groupings: a very low water zone, a low water zone and a moderate water zone. Each area should be irrigated separately, according to specific water needs. In this way you can have one area that uses more water than the environment naturally provides and another area where you might need no extra water at all.

Consider foliage texture and color, bloom period and the shape of each plant when selecting plants for your garden. Also incorporate some plants with grayish foliage; these have a natural reflective quality that allows them to survive in low-moisture, high-heat situations.

Along with proper plant selection are a couple of other very important principles which should be incorporated into any drought tolerant garden:

• Make sure to use a soil amendment like Gardner & Bloome Harvest Supreme when planting.
• Cover open areas around plants and trees with a two inch layer of mulch, such as Gardner & Bloome Soil Building Compost, to reduce evaporation, keep the soil cool, and help prevent weeds.

Last, a drought tolerant garden needs to be watered correctly in order for you to succeed in your water-saving goals. Each water zone should be on a separate station and timer. Make sure to irrigate in the early morning to help reduce evaporation. Be sure to pull weeds as needed to reduce competition for water, and feed your garden at least quarterly to help your plants stay healthy and strong.

With careful selection, planning and execution, drought-tolerant landscapes can be as pleasing as those needing heavy irrigation. We have a great selection of colorful drought tolerant plants, and our staff of garden experts is available to help you every step of the way.

By Tamara Galbraith

You see them all over the place during autumn: bales of hay used as fall décor. But once all the autumn decorations have been put away, what should you do with your bales of hay?

One option is: compost them. Hay is an excellent additive to the compost pile, and ideally, the heat of the pile will kill any weed seeds that might be languishing in the bales. Straw apparently breaks down even better than hay.

Hay and straw make great mulches and/or path covers too. First, though, break open the bales and let them sit outside for a couple of weeks. This will allow wild birds to come in and munch on any weed seeds that might still be present. When spreading hay or straw bales on garden beds, be sure they don't stay too clumpy as you break the bales apart.

Last, hay bales left intact make great cold frames--a kind of mini-greenhouse for housing tender plants during the colder seasons. Simply arrange the bales in a tight square and place your plants inside, either right in the soil or in containers. A piece of Plexiglas or an old window serves as the lid.

If you decide to give this easy cold frame a try, be aware that you must monitor the temperature frequently. Too much sun, and the plants inside will fry, so prop the lid open if necessary. If temperatures are going to drop too low for your plants, throw a blanket over the whole contraption and remove it when things stabilize.

No matter what, the hay will eventually break down, though, so keep an eye out for that--as well as the occasional mouse looking for a warm, fluffy place to spend the winter.