Wood Stove Use and Safety

As winter weather sets in and folks begin considering ways to heat their homes, the use of wood from local sources inevita-bly comes to mind for those living in southern Indiana. As with all sources of heating, however, there both pros and cons as-sociated with wood burning stoves, and residents should be aware of the proper installation and care of stove in their homes and workshops. Use of woodstoves requires the proper installation of the stove, chimney and protective surfaces, as well as long-term

care for the device and pipes. Especially challenging is the routine cleaning of the chimney and stove pipes, which can be done either professionally or my the owner who feels confident in the steps needed to prevent fires from creosote build-up. For more information on the proper installation and care of wood stoves and chimneys go to:

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/FNR-100.html

It’s kind of fun to do THE IMPOSSIBLE! - Walt Disney

Dubois County Residential Connection

December 2014

Wood Ash In The Garden Wood stoves and fireplaces are great for warming gardeners' chilly hands and feet, but what are we to do with the resulting ashes? Many gardening books advise throwing these ashes in the garden. Wood ash does have fertilizer value, the amount varying somewhat with the spe-cies of wood being used. Generally, wood ash contains less than 10 percent pot-ash, 1 percent phosphate and trace amounts of micro-nutrients such as iron, man-ganese, boron, copper and zinc. Traces of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel and chromium also may be present. Wood ash does not contain nitrogen. The largest component of wood ash (about 25 percent) is calcium carbonate, a common liming material that increas-es soil alkalinity. Wood ash has a very fine particle size, so it reacts rapidly and completely in the soil. Although small amounts of nutrients are applied with wood ash, the main effect is that of a liming agent. Increasing the alkalinity of the soil does affect plant nutrition. Nutrients are most readily available to plants when the soil is slightly acidic. As soil alkalinity increases and the pH rises above 7.0, nutrients such as phosphorus, iron, bo-ron, manganese, copper, zinc and potassium become chemically tied to the soil and less available for plant use. Applying small amounts of wood ash to most soils will not adversely affect your garden crops, and the ash does help replenish some nutrients. But because wood ash increases soil pH, adding large amounts can do more harm than good. Keep in mind that wood ash that has been exposed to the weather, particularly rainfall, has lost a lot of its po-tency, including nutrients. Specific recommendations for the use of wood ash in the garden are difficult to make because soil composition and reaction varies from garden to garden. Acidic soils (pH less than 5.5) will likely be improved by wood ash addition. Soils that are slightly acidic (pH 6.0 to 6.5) should not be harmed by the application of 20 pounds per 100 square feet annually, if the ash is worked into the soil about 6 inches or so. However, if your soil is neutral or alkaline (pH 7.0 or greater), find another way to dispose of wood ash. If you don't know your soil's acidity or alkalinity level, have it tested for pH. Crop tolerance to alkaline soil also should be considered. Some plants, such as asparagus and juniper, are more tolerant of slightly alkaline conditions than "acid-loving" plants, such as potatoes, rhododendrons and blueberries. Wood ash should never be used on acid-loving plants. Source: Rosie Lerner, Extension Horticulture Specialist

Deadline for sign-up is January 15, 2015!

Lawns, Woody Ornamentals, Landscape Plants & Fruit Trees

December • Prevent bark-splitting of young and thin-barked trees, such as fruit and maple trees. Wrap trunks with tree wrap, or paint trunks with white latex (not oil-based) paint, particularly on the south- and southwest-facing sides. • Protect shrubs, such as junipers and arborvitae, from extensive snow loads by tying their stems together with twine. Carefully remove heavy snow loads with a broom to prevent limb breakage. • Protect broadleaved evergreens, or other tender landscape plants from excessive drying by winter sun and wind. Place canvas, burlap, or polyethylene plas-tic screens to the south and west to protect the plants. Similarly, shield plants from street and sidewalk salt spray. • Provide winter protection for roses by mounding soil approximately 12 inches high to insulate the graft un-ion. Additional organic mulch, such as straw, compost, or chopped leaves, can be placed on top. Wait until late winter or early spring to prune. January • Check young trees for rodent injury on lower trunks. Prevent injury with hardware cloth or protective col-lars. • "Leaf" through nursery catalogs and make plans for landscape and home orchard additions. Order plants early for best selection. • Cut branches of forsythia, pussy willow, crabapple, quince, honeysuckle, and other early spring-flowering plants to force into bloom indoors. Place the branches in warm water, and set them in a cool location. February • Check mulches, rodent shields, salt/wind screens, and other winter plant protections to make sure they are still in place. • Prune landscape plants, except early spring bloom-ers, which should be pruned after flowers fade. Birch-es, maples, dogwoods, and other heavy sap bleeders can be pruned in early summer to avoid the sap flow, although bleeding is not harmful to the tree. • Prune fruit trees to control plant size and remove dead, damaged, or weak limbs.

Source: Winter Garden Calendar (HO-90), Rosie Lerner

Indoor Plants and Activities

December • Check houseplant leaves for brown, dry edges that may indicate too little relative humidity in the house. Increase humidity by running a humidifier, grouping plants, or using pebble trays. • Extend the beauty of holiday plants, such as poin-settias and Christmas cactus, by placing them in a cool, brightly lit area free from warm or cold drafts. • Houseplants may not receive adequate light be-cause days are short and gloomy. Move plants closer to windows, but avoid placing foliage against cold glass panes. Artificial lighting may be helpful. • Because growth slows or stops in winter months, most plants will require less water and little, if any, fertilizer. • If you are forcing bulbs for the holidays, bring them into warmer temperatures after they have been suffi-ciently precooled. Two to four weeks of warm temper-atures (60˚F), bright light, and moderately moist soil are needed to bring on flowers. Bulbs require a chilling period of about 10 to 12 weeks at 40˚F to initi-ate flower buds and establish root growth. Precooled bulbs are available from many garden suppliers if you did not get yours cooled in time. • When shopping for a Christmas tree, check for green, flexible, firmly held needles and a sticky trunk base, both indicators of freshness. Make a fresh cut, and keep the cut end under water at all times. • Evergreens, except pines and spruce, can be trimmed now for a fresh supply of holiday greenery. Use proper pruning techniques to preserve the beau-ty of landscape plants. January • Keep holiday poinsettias and other plants near a bright window. Water as top of soil becomes dry. • Check produce and tender bulbs kept in storage, and discard any that show signs of decay, such as mold or softening. Shriveling indicates insufficient rel-ative humidity. February • Check water levels daily in cut-flower vases. • Repot houseplants as they outgrow current pots. • Early blooms of spring-flowering bulbs can make good gifts for a sweetheart. Keep the plant in a bright, cool location for longer lasting blooms. Forced bulbs make poor garden flowers and should be discarded as blooms fade.

Purdue Extension/Dubois County Kenneth J. Eck, ANR Educator

1482 Executive Blvd. Jasper, IN 47546

Phone: 812-482-1782 Fax: 812-482-3301

Email: kjeck@purdue.edu www.extension.purdue.edu/dubois/

CALENDAR OF EVENTS DUBOIS COUNTY AGRI-NEWS

Equal Opportunity Statement

It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service that all persons have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs,

services, activities, and facilities without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital sta-tus, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a veteran. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action insti-tution. This material may be available in

alternative formats.

2015

Jan. 4 Dubois County FB Young Farmer Meeting (Jasper) Jan. 8 – Apr.9 Dubois-Perry-Spencer Master Gardeners (Thursdays - Chrisney) Jan. 12 Purdue Extension/Ind. Beef Cattle Assoc. Reg. Mt. (Ft. Branch) Jan. 14 Purdue Herbicide Resistant Weed Meeting/PARP (Vincennes) Jan. 15 4-H Sign-Up Deadline Jan. 20-22 Indiana Horticultural Congress (Indianapolis) Jan. 28 Crop Management Workshop/PARP (Vincennes) Jan. 28 Purdue Regional Dairy Meeting (Evansville) Jan. 30 Southern Indiana Pork Conference (Jasper) Feb. 11-14 National Farm Machinery Show (Louisville, KY) Feb. 17 – Apr. 7 Purdue Forestry Short Course (Cuzco/SIPAC) (Tuesdays) Feb. 18-19 Midwest Women in Agriculture Conference (Merrillville) Feb. 24-25 Purdue Farming Together: Planning for the Transfer of Farm Ownership and Management (Huntingburg) Feb. 2015 Southwest Indiana Crop Seminar/PARP (Bretzville) Mar. 3 Purdue Energy & Solar Workshop (Huntingburg) Mar. 4 Southern Indiana Grazing Conference (Odon) Mar. 5-7 Indiana Small Farms Conference (Danville) Mar. 16 Indiana Livestock, Forage and Grain Forum (Indianapolis) June 3-4 World Pork Expo (Des Moines, IA) July 14-18 Dubois County 4-H Fair (Bretzville)

Purdue University, Indiana Counties and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating An Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Institution

Dubois County Extension Office 1482 Executive Blvd. Jasper, IN 47546-9300 Telephone: (812) 482-1782 Fax: (812) 482-3301 Website: http://www.extension.purdue.edu/dubois Return Service Requested