University of Maryland Extension: Garden Q&A
Q: Any hope of planting a Christmas tree without a root-ball? My boyfriend hates to see anything die. The more he watered our tree, the more it flourished. It actually started sprouting new buds! A nursery told us that maybe we could use a root hormone to make it grow roots. I hate to be a skeptic but is this possible? Or should we just lay our tree to rest in the woods from whence it came?
A: Sorry, there is no hope for growing a Christmas tree without a root ball. Rooting hormones will only work on vegetative cuttings. Those sprouting buds you see are not new ones the tree is producing now, but rather buds which the tree produced last summer for next year's growth. After the buds open, no further growth will happen.
All is not lost, however. After the holidays, decorate your tree outdoors for the birds to enjoy. Dip pinecones in peanut butter, then roll in birdseed. The birds will love it.
Q: I’ve been a gardener for many years and now I’m retiring. I like the “Plant Clinics” that the University of Maryland Extension sponsors at libraries and farmer’s markets. Can I get involved in something like that?
A: Plant clinics are just one of a host of activities done by our highly popular Master Gardener program. Master Gardeners receive training and a Master Gardener Handbook, then do a number of service hours to earn the prized Master Gardener certification.
Each county has a somewhat different program tailored for that county, so training times and classes vary.
Go to the Master Gardener program website at www.mastergardener.umd.edu and click “Local MG Programs” to learn about the program offered in your county or in a nearby county.
