The holidays are a time of joy and family ... and plants. If you
think about it, horticulture plays a surprisingly large part of
the holiday season. We use evergreen Christmas trees, holly
wreaths, poinsettias and other gift plants, and my favorite,
mistletoe (and kissing beneath it!). All of these plants have
great historical and symbolic meaning for the Christmas holiday.
Sometimes, though, holiday horticulture can cause some
inconveniences. Pine needles need to be swept up; water spilled
or splashed while filling the tree stand needs to be mopped up;
and soil from potted plants that are knocked over by kids or
pets needs to be both swept and mopped. In some extreme cases,
though, our use of plants during the holiday can lead to
tragedy. Tree fires are not unheard of, and people and pets have
been known to become sick after eating some of the greenery.
Don't allow our glad times to become sad times! A little bit of
forethought can "wrap up" these holiday challenges ... Dried-out
Christmas trees Cut trees ar