Festival of Trees

Ronnefeldt Farms “Pigs”. Photo Credit/Kay Steinmeyer.

Picking the Perfect Poinsettia

News Column

John Wilson

Extension Educator

November 29, 2013

John Wilson

Picking the Perfect Poinsettia

Last week I talked about how to select a fresh Christmas tree, so it seemed only fitting to follow that up with how to pick the perfect poinsettia! Picking a poinsettia comes down to knowing how to judge the plant’s maturity and health. You want it to last as long as possible, but you also want it to peak at just the right time. The best way to judge a poinsettia’s maturity is to examine its flowers.

That can be tricky unless you know that the colorful parts on top of each stem are NOT flowers. They may look like petals but they’re actually bracts, or leaves that change color. This is triggered by the nights getting longer and the poinsettia prepares to bloom.

These bracts purpose is to attract insects to pollinate the flower, which starts out as a cluster of ball-like structures in the middle of each set of bracts. When those ball-like buds are still tight, the plant has some maturing to do. So, it might be an appropriate choice to buy now in early December. A few opening buds mean the plant should reach full flower in several weeks. So, it could be a good choice if purchasing a poinsettia in mid-December.

By the 25th, the colorful reproductive structures should be exposed, and they’ll even have a dusting of yellow pollen. The plant will be at its peak, when it is most colorful and interesting. After the bracts fade and drop, the plant will still be attractive. But you’ll be more likely to put it with your houseplants than to feature it on the dinner table.

Plant height has little or nothing to do with plant health. Traditionally, breeders try to ensure the blooming plant height will be about 2.5 times the width of the pot, so the plant and pot look in proportion. They also grow what they think will sell best, which tend to be poinsettias in the 15- to 18-inch range… both wide and tall.

But, healthy, shorter poinsettias also are available… and one of the newer types on sale now is much larger. It’s a dramatic tree form, encouraged by hand to develop a single 1- to 5-feet-tall “trunk” with a large, round poinsettia head. However, whatever their height, quality poinsettias are dense and lush-looking. For example, one in a 6-inch pot should have at least five sets of bracts.

Healthy poinsettias have sturdy stems. They show no signs of disease, damage or insect infestation (typically, tiny whiteflies or aphids). They should not be drooping or wilting. And, they should have dark green foliage down to the soil line – no yellow intruders and few to no lost leaves.

How they’re displayed can be a clue to the kind of care poinsettias are getting. And that, in turn, can be another sign of whether they’ll last very long. Nurseries typically ship the plants in a plastic or paper wrap to prevent damage. If temperatures are below 50 degrees, poinsettias will also need the protection of a wrap for the trip from store to a warmed car to a warmer home. Even a few minutes in frigid temperatures can damage the plants’ leaves.

However, while poinsettias are on the shelf, they should be wrap-free. Wrapping may be a basic for protecting poinsettias, but it also causes the plants to deteriorate more quickly. So, the less wrapped time, the better. Displayed poinsettias need to have enough room, as well. Cramming poinsettias together on a shelf often results in bent and broken plant parts.

Tip the plant out of the pot and check its root ball, too. White roots are healthy, brown roots are not. At the same time, check the moisture level of the soil. It should be moist, but not wet. A poinsettia sitting in dry soil will deteriorate quickly.

All of those checks are fairly easy to do – which is a good thing. Plant breeders are coming up with so many new “looks” that choosing which variety to buy can be difficult. Red bracts remain buyers’ favorite, but, pink, white and maroon also have fans.

Newer varieties are likely to have several bract colors, due to speckles, marbling or variegations. The color combos can range from looking quite formal to being cheerfully random. Some new varieties also have bracts that are scalloped, twisted or curved, including the increasingly popular Christmas rose and winter rose poinsettias.

Regardless of the color or size, using the guidelines above will help you select a poinsettia that will bring a decorative flair to your home during the holiday season. If you REALLY like it, there are things you can do after the holidays to carry it over until next year. Watch for more information on that after the first of the year or contact your local UNL Extension office for year-long poinsettia care.

Festival of Trees

Roscoe family “Aloha Tree”. Photo Credit/Kay Steinmeyer.

Special Program in December

Thanksgiving Trivia

The answer to yesterday’s question of the average size of a turkey purchased for Thanksgiving was…..drum roll…yes 15 pounds!!! Congrats to all who got the right answer!
Today’s trivia question is: The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in:
1. The 1920’s
2. The 1940’s
3. The 1900’s
4. The 1950’s
Post your answers here!

Thanksgiving Trivia

Yesterday’s question was which state consumes the most turkey? The answer was California. Congratulations to Peggy Jensen and Dan Tierney for getting the right answer.
Today’s question is: The average weight of a turkey purchased at Thanksgiving is:
1. 10 pounds
2. 20 pounds
3. 5 pounds
4. 15 pounds
Post your answers here!

Adoption Awareness Month

There are 304 children in the state of Nebraska up for adoption. “We are trying to recruit adoptive and foster parents,” stated Russ Reno of the Nebraska Department for Health and Human Services.

74 of the children are between the ages of birth to five years, 86 are six to ten years old, 88 are 11-15 years of age and 57 are 16-19 years old.

They are also all wards of the state. “We do try to keep the children in their home, but sometimes, it just isn’t possible,” Russ said.

Many of them have been wards of the state for a lengthy time period. “81 of them have been wards of the state for five years or more,  40 for five years, 59 have been for four years, 62 for three years, 44 for two and 18 one year or less,” Russ stated.

November is National Adoption Awareness Month. “There is a day each year where the courts are opened on the weekend to approve adoptions of wards of the state.” There were 435 children adopted in 2012. Russ said. “A celebration follows afterwards, consisting of a meal, program and prizes for the adoptees.”

The Health and Human Services Department has one goal in mind at all times for the children. “Our number one priority is keeping the kids safe,” Russ stated.

Teresa Drelicharz is a therapist and also does home studies for private adoptions in the state of Nebraska. “Adoption home studies are only one of the many services provided. We don’t do any placements of children or work with birth parents as other larger agencies do,” Teresa said.

She is also one of many that raise awareness about adoption in the state. “We do this through advertising, electronic billboards and the website (adoptionnebraska.com),” Teresa stated.

Children up for adoption come from various backgrounds. “Some of them have been abused and some have been dropped off at hospitals,” Teresa said.

If you wish to adopt a child, there are ways to do so. “Research quality child-placing agencies and find one that feels like a good fit. A place to start is the Nebraska Adoption Agencies Coalition website or go to adoptionnebraska.com,” Teresa stated.

Every child deserves a safe and loving home. If you have one to offer a child in need, please contact an adoption agency near you.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Mary Loftis

Thanksgiving has to be my favorite holiday. Food, family and fun is how I look at it. No presents to buy, only grocery ads to consider and real quality time to anticipate…well, after the preparations are done. As I look back at the Thanksgivings I’ve enjoyed, I know I never gave a thought to the herculean efforts the women (mostly) in my family made to make the holiday seem so perfect.

I grew up in a pretty small family. Just my brother and I and our holidays were mainly spent with my Mom’s side of the family at Grandma’s house which gave us two cousins to play with. Ten people total for the holiday. After I married into a larger family with four children, which has become larger and larger over the years, the total we now host, as we live on the family farm, varies from an anticipated 26 this year to 37 last year!

As you can guess we have a LOT to be thankful for and getting this group together is just part of it. With everyone volunteering to help round out the menu we have plenty of food. (Last year we had three nieces all volunteer to bring the green bean casserole!) We did negotiate to add a little more variety to the table.

I can handle cooking the 23 pound turkey…even though it seems like I need to be an All Star Wrestler to get it cleaned and in the roaster, but my least favorite part of the holiday is cleaning. And honestly, it’s not the cleaning that bothers me…it’s the clutter I have to “rearrange” in order to be able to clean. As I was rushing around last weekend trying to do my half day cleaning in 30 minutes, I was considering ways to make the BIG CLEAN before the holiday easier.

Here I am, dusting the surfaces I can see (see above note about clutter) and thinking to myself “You won’t need to dust the high places because the “tall family members” can’t make it this year.”

Now do I call that a “short cut” or what? Of course I’ll probably have all of the shorter family members standing on chairs to check now that I wrote about it!

My husband Steve would add having to clean the machine shed is also in his bottom list of preferred duties. Since many of our activities over the years have included using the shed he has had numerous occasions to dislike this cleaning activity as well.

Rearranging the dining room to get as many, if not all the family in the same room also comes into the preparations. The tall family members need to watch their heads as the light and ceiling fan don’t have a table under them with this arrangement. We always hope the skinny people sit at the big table, as they can’t get out once they get in unless EVERYONE moves! The kids table and little chairs are brought up from the basement to help out with the arrangement too.

After the Thanksgiving prayer there is a Loftis house traffic control method used to get your food. You pick up a plate, come to the kitchen, circle around the counter filling your plate and then head out the back door to go around outside and come in the front door to the dining room.

The post meal festivities are truly the highlight of the holiday. When our kids were little, the guys went out and played football. As the family grew in size and stature, the football field shrank, so we went to other Thanksgiving activities that were safer than running into the big propane tank. We’ve done scavenger hunts, including one using GPS units and lots of clues. A variety of games have been used including Minute to Win It games and last year we even had a Family Talent Show. We are probably looking for an inside activity this year with the colder weather forecast, but it is sure to include fun and laughter.

No matter what the cleaning, re-cleaning, cooking and reheating, Thanksgiving Day comes down to enjoying some special time with our family and truly giving thanks for all the blessings we have received.

I hope your Thanksgiving is also full of genuine thanks giving as well!

Mary Loftis,

Extension Assistant
UNL Extension – Burt County
111 North 13th Street, Suite 6
Tekamah, NE 68061
Phone: (402) 374-2929

Fax: (402) 374-2930

Internet: mloftis2@unl.edu

Miller is National 4-H Congress Winner

Nati

Brent Miller

onal 4-H Congress Winner:

Brent Miller of Lyons will eat his Thanksgiving turkey this week and head for the airport to take part in the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia. This prestigious 4-H event has taken place in some form or another since 1922.

Miller will be attending as the result of his 4-H efforts recorded in the 4-H Career Portfolio. This is a comprehensive record book of 4-H project accomplishments, 4-H leadership, community service, volunteer work, citizenship, educational experiences, and non 4-H experiences. After evaluation at the state level he was selected to represent Nebraska in the Animal Science curriculum area at the National 4-H congress in Atlanta, Georgia on November 29^th to December 3^rd, 2013. He will be one of 25 delegates from the state Nebraska attending the National 4-H Congress.

Brent has been involved in the poultry and sheep projects showing these animals at county, Fremont, State Fair, Ak-Sar-Ben and many area progress shows.  Taking this curriculum area to a new level, he began participating in the P.A.S.E. (Premier Animal Science Events) by attending Meats ID, Skill-a Thon, and Livestock Judging practices with Cuming county 4-Hers and competing on teams at state competition. A highlight was in 2012 when they were the state winning team in the P.A.S.E. Meats ID contest. The team was then able to represent Nebraska at the American Royal National 4-H Meat Judging and Identification Contest.

Other than the Animal Science project and activities he have been involved in the Science and Technology projects of woodworking, Aerospace, and electricity, the Environmental-Education projects of Homes for Wildlife and Shooting Sports, Plant Science projects of Horticulture and Floriculture, Healthy Lifestyle (Foods) projects and Consumer and Family Science projects including Home Environment and Sewing.

Brent has been the Lil’ Green 4-H Mascot at the Nebraska State Fair for 7 years and really enjoyed his time inside the inflatable mascot…except when it was REALLY hot! He also enjoyed the opportunity to attend many different 4-H camps and getting to meet new 4-H members at them.

Miller said this of his 4-H experiences: “Through both winning, and losing I have learned valuable lessons that will impact me throughout the rest of my life and have shaped me into the person I am. 4-H has allowed me to travel, meet new people, learn many life lessons, and develop and learn new skills. In the future I will be going to college and want to major in something agricultural. 4-H has made me who I am, and without the influence of 4-H on my life, I would be a completely different person. I believe that 4-H is an amazing organization that helps to develop talents and skills of everyone involved. It helps shape people into the persons they become and teaches many life lessons along the way.”

Bancroft Senior Center News

8ancroft Senior Center News

* The senior center provides Information and Assistance to any individual who is looking for services for themselves or another person 60 years and older, the center manager and/or center participant can provide information to individuals on services available within the community. We link individuals to the services and opportunities that are available within or beyond the community itself. We will then establish adequate follow-up procedures to see that their needs were met. For more information call 402-648-3387.

*If you are 60 years and older and need information on programs designed to help keep you in your home longer or if you need legal help, contact Connie at 402-648-3387 or in the evening at 402-648-7648.

* We have the following medical equipment to loan out on an as need basis, wheel chair, bath seats, toilet seat riser and portable toilet chair, crutches or walker. Call 402-648-3387 during office hours.

Weekly Activities:

Wed. Nov 27: Melody chimes practice at 9:00.  Join us for coffee at 10:00. Come and play Wii bowling at 1:00 and bingo at 2:00.

Thurs. Nov 21: Pool at 9:30. Join us for Tai Chi at 9:30 and walking exercises at 10:00. Sign up for the pitch tournament at 1:30.

Thurs. & Fri. Nov. 28 & 29: Center is closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Mon. Dec. 2: Bring one or covered dishes for the potluck dinner at 12:00. Come and play cards or work on the puzzle after lunch.

Tues. Dec 3: Pool at 9:30.  Tai Chi Class at 9:30 and walking ex. class is at 10:00. Sign up for the pitch tournament at 1:30.

Wed. Dec 4: Melody chimes practice at 9:00.  Join us for coffee at 10:00. Come to the center at 1:30 to play Rummikub, dominos or the card game 65.

Sat. Dec. 7: Reminding everyone to bring their goodies to the community building around 10:30 a.m. for the Cookie Walk.