Georgia Natural Gas® to Give Away Trees in Celebration of Earth Day at Atlantic Station

Atlantic Station Earth Day Celebration (Central Park) April 22, 2011 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, the first 200 visitors to Georgia Natural Gas' (GNG's) venue at Atlantic Station's Earth Day Celebration will receive a free sapling (one per household) to celebrate the event. GNG acquired the young trees from the Georgia Forestry Commission. The saplings are native to Georgia and ideal for planting and cultivation immediately. The trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Plus, visitors can enjoy a close-up view of the Honda Civic GX natural gas vehicle, "powered by GNG." The vehicle will be displayed next to the GNG booth.

GNG representatives will be available on Earth Day to discuss weatherization tips with the public and to share It's a Natural -- the company's guide to free or low-cost energy efficiency solutions for the home. The company's representatives also can discuss GNG's internal and external sustainability efforts. The company received the Clean Air Campaign's Pace Award in 2009 and in late March was awarded the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2011 Environmental Award in the "Ennovation" category.

The Ennovation Award recognizes GNG's landfill gas initiative and its Recycled Natural Gas program now powering the Honda Civic GX.

Georgia Natural Gas serves nearly half a million residential, commercial and industrial customers. GNG is part of SouthStar Energy Services, a Georgia-based joint venture between AGL Resources (NYSE: AGL) and Piedmont Natural Gas Co. (NYSE: PNY). SouthStar also operates in Ohio as Ohio Natural Gas, in Florida as Florida Natural Gas, in New York as New York Natural Gas, in the Carolinas as Piedmont Energy, and in other parts of the Southeast as SouthStar Energy Services. For more information, visit www.onlygng.com.

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Pruning class set at UGA garden in Griffin

EVENT DATE: Feb. 25, 2011 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Learn to prune fruit trees and ornamentals at an upcoming course offered on the University of Georgia campus in Griffin, Ga. The course will be offered Feb. 25 and March 4.

In addition to proper pruning techniques, participants will learn what equipment to use, when to prune certain plants and techniques for creating a professional looking landscape. Participants will also learn pest prevention through pruning.

Taught by Bob Westerfield, a consumer horticulturist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the class will consist of both indoor lectures and outside hands-on demonstrations.

The one-day class will be held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. either day at the UGA Research and Education Garden on Ellis Road in Griffin, Ga. The cost of the course is $39 and includes lunch and break refreshments. Pre-registration is required by calling (770) 233-5598.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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Georgia-grown Fraser fir Christmas trees on the horizon

When it comes to Christmas trees, Fraser firs top the list. But Georgia Christmas tree farmers can’t grow the tree due to the state’s mild winters, and must buy Frasers from North Carolina to sell to their Georgia customers. A University of Georgia horticulturist wants to change that.

Fir trees produce new growth very early in spring, which makes them susceptible to freeze damage. “When new shoots start to grow in early spring, they are often severally damaged or killed by the below-32-degrees temperatures that we often have during the spring here in Georgia and much of the Southeast,” said Mark Czarnota, a horticulturist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Frasiers + Momis

Using a $30,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, he wants to deliver another option to Georgia Christmas tree farmers. He is grafting Fraser firs onto Momi firs in his greenhouses and fields on the UGA campus in Griffin, Ga., and working with Georgia Christmas tree growers in Lovejoy and Terrytown.

A native of Japan, the Momi fir (Abies firma Siebold & Zucc.) made its debut in Georgia in the early ‘90s. “The planting culture of Momi fir is very different from most other Christmas tree species that growers were currently growing,” Czarnota said. “Needless to say, Momi firs first introduction was a miserable failure.”

With proper management, though, Momi firs can grow in Georgia. The biggest stumbling blocks are adjusting soil pH to around 6.5 and providing irrigation to young plants for two or three years, he said.
Faster growing is more profitable

Growers in the Southeast don’t like to hear that it takes six to eight years for the tree to reach a desirable Christmas tree size. Traditional Georgia Christmas tree species like Leland cypress and Virginia pine mature in three to four years. When it comes to growing Christmas trees, the sooner a tree matures, the sooner the farmer can take it to market.

Fraser firs will grow in north Georgia, but the downside is that the tree is affected by the root fungus phytophthora. If not treated, it can kill infected plants.

A new Christmas, landscape tree

Czarnota hopes to combine the Momi fir rootstock and Fraser scion, or shoot, into a tree that will grow throughout much of Georgia and the Southeast.

“I don’t expect it to take over the market, but it will be a great addition,” he said. “A lot of work needs to be done in selecting good Momi grafting stock for desirable uniformity. It’s a lifetime project, and great potential exists in trying to cross Momi fir with other firs.”

Researcher John Frampton at North Carolina State University works on the tolerance of Momi fir to phytophthora. He has found the plant is very tolerant to the root disease.

North Carolina fir growers have a very difficult time dealing with the fungus. Frampton is trying to cross Momi and Fraser fir to breed a hybrid phytophthora-resistant fir. In the meantime, he encourages North Carolina growers to plant Momi-Frasier grafts, Czarnota said.

On-farm research

One of Czarnota’s collaborators, 82-year-old Earl Worthington, grows Christmas trees in Lovejoy, Ga.
“Dr. Worthington was one of the first growers to try to grow firs in the Georgia piedmont region,” Czarnota said. “He actually got greenhorns like Dr. Frampton and me moving in the right direction, and has been a wealth of knowledge for many Christmas growers here in the Southeast.”

Worthington hopes to someday grow enough Fraser firs to avoid buying from growers in western North Carolina. He bought 300 Fraser firs this season.

Worthington has been grafting Fraser firs onto Momi firs for the past 15 years. In the beginning, it took 10 years for him to grow an 8- to 9-foot tree. “I can now produce a 5- to 6-foot tree in five to six years,” he said.

The problem he now faces with his grafting efforts is the inconsistencies. “Some (of the trees) turn out very yellow, some very stiff, some are green all year, some flush early and some flush late,” he said. “Grafting trees is definitely a project for someone with patience.”

To search for a Georgia Christmas tree farm near you, go to www.gacta.com.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia


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Time to Think Trees, Says Georgia Forestry Commission

While Autumn is the time when colorful leaves fall to the ground, it is also the time to plan for putting tree seedlings into the ground! The Georgia Forestry Commission is reminding residents that the winter months are the best times to plant trees, and a wide variety of bare root seedlings are available for sale through the agency.

"The Georgia Forestry Commission has a great selection of seedlings in stock for anyone who wants to enhance their land," said Russ Pohl, Chief of Reforestation for the Georgia Forestry Commission. "We have excellent selections for all Georgians, from green thumb hobbyists to landscapers, wildlife lovers and timber growers."

Hardwoods available include redbuds, yellow poplars, and a wide variety of oaks and maples. Several species of pine are offered, including the native longleaf pine, known for its distinctive, flowing needles. Hardy shrubs and perennials, including crape and wax myrtles are also available.

"Seedlings should go into the ground between November and February," said Pohl. "That's when the trees are dormant, and Georgia's traditionally wet winters can help them get established."

Pohl explained that the GFC's online ordering system makes it easier than ever to purchase seedlings. By logging on to GaTrees.org, visitors can peruse tree selections, find out about species' growing preferences, locate step-by-step tree planting instructions and learn much more about the benefits of trees.

"Trees are environmental work horses," explained Pohl. "In addition, of course, to providing immeasurable beauty, trees clean our air and water, provide shade for cooling our homes and communities, habitat for wildlife, and serve as recreational havens for camping, hiking, and hunting.
Trees are a renewable resource that provide us with countless everyday products to make our lives better." Pohl said residents who own larger tracts of lands may consider planting trees on cut-over or idle acres. If planted around homes or communities, trees are a great way to put the land back to work, make a financial investment and contribute to the well being of the planet.

The Georgia Forestry Commission provides leadership, service and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia's forest resources. From advice and plans for reforestation, timber stand improvement and harvesting to eradication of pests, cost-share opportunities and seedling sales, the agency offers a variety of complimentary and low-fee services that enhance forest land. For complete details, visit GaTrees.org.

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Potted Christmas trees keep giving for generations

Families have fun choosing and decorating their Christmas trees. The twinkling lights, the bright colored ornaments, the handcrafted decorations the kids make and the yummy candy canes along with that fresh pine smell add a special glow to the holidays. But after the holidays, cleaning up those messy shed needles or dragging that tree out of the house isn’t as glorious.
There’s the age-old question: What do I do with the tree now?

Many retailers that sell fresh-cut Christmas trees also offer shredding service after the holidays. While shredded trees make excellent mulch for the landscape, one University of Georgia expert suggests consumers think about what to do after the holidays before they buy the tree.

“If you don’t need a huge tree, and a 6- to 7-foot tree will work, you can go to any garden center and look at the live conifers available,” said Matthew Chappell, a UGA Cooperative Extension horticulturist. “There are so many choices. Cupressus, Chamaecyparis, Thuja, Leyland Cypress, Cedrus and Juniperus all will work as Christmas trees.”

Using a live potted tree doesn’t require more work than a cut tree, just a little different care. There are two big points to remember, he said.

“The tree should only be inside for a week to 10 days,” he said. “Placing the tree inside will shock the tree because when you move a tree inside, you are significantly altering the growing environment to lower light, drier and warmer conditions, especially if you put the tree near a woodstove or fireplace. This means the tree should be removed the day after Christmas.”

Also, remember to water. “The tree will need to be watered every 1-2 days until water drains through the bottom of the pot,” he said.

Live trees can be economical, too. In the Atlanta area, a 6- to 7-foot live tree in a 15-gallon container at a local retail outlet sells for between $100 and $140. A 15-gallon 6-foot Leyland Cypress goes for between $90 and $100 at local nurseries and tree growers. Both are comparably priced to fresh-cut trees. Call around to check prices in your area.

Considering the benefits of trees in the landscape to provide shade, screening or improved air quality, a live tree is one holiday decoration that can last a lifetime. “This could be a great new ‘plant a tree for the environment this Christmas’ movement,” Chappell said.

For information on planting, pruning and caring for a landscape tree, read the UGA Extension publication “Trees for the Landscape: Selection and Culture” online at http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/B875.pdf or call the UGA Extension office in your county at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

By Faith Peppers
University of Georgia

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Georgia Citizens Create Legacies by Planting Trees in The Grove

/PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to educate, engage and encourage Georgians to plant trees and protect Georgia's urban tree canopy, the Georgia Urban Forest Council (GUFC) and the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) have joined forces to create a new Web site and online community called The Grove, GeorgiaGrove.org.

The Grove allows families and friends to share the experience of planting trees and commemorating special life moments. The Grove members can share their memories by uploading pictures and stories of their tree planting experiences for others to see and discuss. The Grove members can also create groups, or "groves," to connect, share and interact with other members within the virtual community.

"This is a great tool that allows families to create a legacy and leave a positive mark on the world for their children and grandchildren to enjoy," said Mary Lynne Beckley, director of the Georgia Urban Forest Council. "By planting trees, we renew our commitment to protecting Georgia's green legacy, ensuring future generations will share in the life events we celebrated, while enjoying the benefits of living in healthy communities."

To be a part of The Grove, Georgia residents can log onto GeorgiaGrove.org. There they can create a free account, plant a tree with family and friends, take pictures of the occasion, then upload their photos and post their stories to share the experience with other Grove members. In addition, The Grove offers an interactive Tree Match Tool that provides guidance on choosing the right tree to commemorate a special event, as well as information on tree planting, tree care tips and the benefits of maintaining a healthy urban forest.

According to GFC, Georgia's urban forests have been diminishing, due to the rapid growth in development. To counteract the negative impact of tree loss, Georgia residents must be informed, educated and activated to help plant trees and preserve urban forest health.

"Strategically planted trees improve energy efficiency in homes, encourage people to linger and shop longer in business districts, provide shade to keep our cities cool and make communities healthier and safer places to live," said Larry Morris, associate chief of sustainable forestry with Georgia Forestry Commission. "It is important to encourage Georgia residents to plant trees and help develop vital green infrastructures, which offset the impact of grey infrastructures such as roads and utilities, and help sustain Georgia's green legacy."

The Grove is part of GUFC and GFC's Create Your Legacy initiative, which aims to educate citizens about the ways tree loss impacts the economy, the environment, our health and our social interactions. For more information or to share a legacy, log onto GeorgiaGrove.org today and share a tree planting experience.

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Properly Winterize Trees to Keep Them Strong

As winter approaches it’s time to winterize pipes, cars and homes. Have you winterized your trees yet?

Trees stand in the face of cold, drying winds, ice storms and deicing salts. Food reserves must be carefully conserved for the coming needs of spring. Water continues to escape trees. Any creature needing a winter meal nibbles on resting buds and twigs.

Trees stand alone against all circumstances that winter can generate.

Winter also is a time of serious change and reorganization within a tree. Many trees won’t survive to grow in another spring. You can do little things to make trees more effective and efficient at surviving a hard winter. A few small investments now can pay off in a large way, yielding a healthy, structurally sound tree.

The "Big 8 List" of things to do to winterize your tree:

1. Remove or correct structural branch faults and deadwood that are clearly visible. Make small pruning cuts that minimize any exposure of the central heartwood core.

2. Properly prune off branches that will touch the ground when loaded with rain and snow. Foliage and branches that are in contact with soil can invite pests and problems.

3. Remove damaged and declining twigs, branches and bark. Don’t leave pests food and shelter for the winter.

4. Remove new sprouts growing at the tree base or along stems and branches. Don’t over-prune green tissues. Pruning should conserve as many living branches as possible with only a few selective cuts.

5. Spread a thin layer of composted organic mulch to blanket the soil. Cover an area at least as large as the branch spread. Mulch is nature's way of recycling valuable materials, but be careful of pests hitching a ride.

6. Aerate soils if they’re compacted and poorly drained. It’s critical not to damage tree roots living in the soil. Saturated and dense soils suffocate roots and help root diseases.

7. Conservatively fertilize with any essential element which is in short supply within the soil. Nitrogen should be used sparingly, especially under large, mature trees and around newly planted trees. Use very slow release fertilizers.

8. Watering may be needed where soils are cool but not frozen, and there has been little precipitation. Winter droughts need treatment with water the same as summer droughts, except it’s much easier to overwater in winter.

Trees sense changing seasons by temperature, by a dormancy timer in the leaves and buds and by the amount of light they receive. Old leaves, buds and inner bark all have pigment sensors which read the seasons. As days shorten in fall, one pigment called phytochrome sends a message across the tree to shut down for winter.

Getting ready for winter in an organized way is called senescence. Senescence in trees is an ordered shutting down of summer growth and the conservation of valuable resources. Senescence brings both fall colors and renewed spring growth.

Many materials collected or manufactured by a tree during the growing season are withdrawn from soon-to-be-shed and dead leaves. Tree waste materials are left behind. The last bit of tree food is stockpiled in the living cells of the outer annual growth rings. Twigs, branches and roots become collection sites and warehouses of materials needed for another season to come.

Within the tree, biological doors and windows are being closed and locked. From the moment last spring's green leaves expanded and began to make food, winter dormancy has been the designed end. The process of spring and summer growth reset and started a dormancy timer that hurries tree preparations for winter.

A tree-filled landscape in late fall and winter can be mistakenly thought to be asleep. Fall and winter trees are not sleeping, but are simply still -- truly counting the days until spring.

Most of the growing points in the tree are protected inside overcoats called buds. Each growing point waits for a correct message to signal a new season of growth. Only then will it be apparent whether a tree has put aside and saved enough resources to respond to the new season of growth.

Trees are investments that require a small amount of care. For the sake of your tree's quality of life and your own, take a few minutes to winterize your tree. For trees, wonderful springs come from well-tended fall and winter.

For more information about tree health care, contact a professional arborist or community forester.

By Kim Coder
University of Georgia

Kim D. Coder is a professor of tree biology and health care with the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

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Trees Fall Victim to Georgia's Drought

An increasing number of trees are falling victim to Georgia’s ongoing drought, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. “The lack of rainfall is impacting shade trees and has also caused a decrease in timber production for the past growing season,” said James Johnson, GFC Staff Forester. “Both pine trees and hardwoods are dying, but species within the red oak group in urban areas are prompting the most attention. Homeowners should be taking preventive measures now,” he said, “because by the time obvious symptoms appear, it may be too late.”

Johnson said large trees require several hundred gallons of water each day to stay healthy, but any supplemental water applied will be beneficial. Trees should be watered thoroughly underneath their “drip line,” the area beneath the canopy where rainfall drips to the ground from the tree’s foliage and where “feeder roots” transport moisture to the trunk.

“Certain types of “gray water” can be used to sustain your trees,” explained Johnson. “Water from dish or clothes washing can be used without fear because they are diluted solutions that won’t harm the tree.”

Johnson said drought-stressed trees should not be fertilized because that can spur branch growth and put further strain on the tree’s limited water supply. One thorough watering each week is more effective than several light waterings, according to Johnson. “Trees suffering from the drought are also more susceptible to diseases and insects,” Johnson said, “so check them regularly to prevent damage.” Johnson recommended mulching to help hold moisture in the soil, which is especially beneficial for shallow-rooted species such as dogwood. As cooler weather approaches, trees will require less moisture and supplemental water isn’t necessary, according to Johnson.

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