Some Fun Thanksgiving Facts for You:

• The Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving feast, in 1621, lasted three days.
• On October 3, 1863 Abraham Lincoln issued a "Thanksgiving Proclamation" that made the last Thursday in November a national holiday.
• In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed Thanksgiving to the third Thursday in November, in order to make the Christmas shopping season longer and thus stimulate the economy. Two years later, he changed it to the fourth Thursday.
• In 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, on the fourth Thursday in November.
• There were no mashed potatoes at the first Thanksgiving dinner--potatoes were brought here later, by Irish immigrants.
• Turkeys were one of the first animals in the Americas to be domesticated.
• Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey a noble bird and wanted it to be the national bird of America, rather than the eagle!
• Native Americans used the red juice of the cranberry to dye rugs and blankets.
• Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October.
• The pilgrims didn't use forks; they used spoons, knives and their fingers, so if anyone objects to your picking up that drumstick--tell them you are simply practicing traditional American table manners!

Fresh holiday greens such as wreaths and garland have a definite life span, but with the following tips you can keep them looking good so you can enjoy their wonderful scent and beauty throughout the holiday season.

If you aren't hanging or mounting your greens right away, lay them outside on the ground (best side up) in a cool shady location until you ready to use them. Try to avoid getting the greenery wet.

Sunlight, heat and wind are the worst enemies for holiday greenery, so keep that in mind when hanging them up. Outdoors, wreathes will last much longer on doors with northern or eastern exposures. Southern or western exposures can cause greenery to dry and discolor much more quickly.

If hanging or mounting greenery indoors, be sure to keep it away from heating vents and try to maintain room temperatures of 70 degrees or less. Also shutter direct sunlight window exposures to prevent excess discoloration.

Transpirants help to slow down moisture loss, which helps to maintain the color and reduce a potential fire hazard. Be sure to apply transpirant outdoors at least one hour before decorating the greenery, so it can dry before you add all those personal touches to it!

Happy Holidays!

Do I really need two fruit tree varieties to produce fruit?

Answer:
Yes and no. Citrus trees like lemons, limes, and oranges are self-fertile and require no pollinator. Most apricots, figs, nectarines, peaches and persimmons are self-fertile; only a few varieties need a second tree to help them produce fruit.

Our staff of garden experts knows which trees make the best "mates" for others, and will be happy to help you with any questions.