Winter Humidity - Plants Got To Have It

Lack of humidity is a culprit in may indoor plant deaths, especially during the winter. The change in humidity from summer to winter is great enough, but if your houseplants vacationed outdoors for the summer, the transition is even greater. If you did move your houseplants outside for the summer, hopefully you brought them back in before the heat is turned on. Preferably while the windows were open, so the transition is eased a bit.

You may first notice a low humidity problem as browning leaf tips on your houseplants. As a plant dehydrates, it can start to look withered, puckered or simply drop its leaves.

To insure your houseplants get the humidity they need, first research how much your particular plants actually like. If your house tends to be dry, you can increase humidity around your houseplants by placing a tray of pebbles under the pots, filling the tray to just below the pot’s bottom. Do not let your plants sit directly in the water or you will be creating a whole other problem. You can also provide some humidity by misting your indoor plants daily. If you have a great many houseplants, you may want to invest in a humidifier. It’s good for your skin and even your wood furniture too.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

The Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) is coordinating their annual tree recycling event in conjunction with Henderson County Parks and Recreation. Residents are encouraged to drop off their trees at a designated site in Jackson Park near the covered picnic area. Hendersonville city residents may leave their trees at curbside, where they will be gathered and included in the recycling project.

Be sure to remove all lights and decorations before dropping your trees at the park. No wreaths, balled trees or greenery with wire will be accepted. Christmas trees will be chipped to make mulch on Jan. 10 at Jackson Park. Mulch created from the chipping will be given away free of charge, so bring a bag if you’re interested in taking some home.

Call the ECO office at 692-0385 for more information.

Vote for The Bullington Christmas Tree

Henderson County Master Gardeners have been working hard on creating handmade ornaments for the annual Holiday Tree contest at the Asheville Airport. This year their theme is "The Wise Owl Learning Tree". The decorated tree is on display through the end of December. All of the ornaments are made entirely out of natural plant parts from their gardeners within the mountains of North Carolina.

See the picture above for an extraordinary example of their creativity. This Owl is named Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of landscape architecture. The prize money awarded will go to the charity of choice, which is the Bullington Horticulture Learning Center. Please go to www.flyavl.com then click on holiday contest and vote for tree number 7; the tree with the most votes wins.