Ejido Verde is financing indigenous Mexicans to plant trees – and plant a stake in the middle class

ImpactAlpha, March 27 – Ejido Verde is delivering its own Green New Deal for hundreds of families in the Mexican state of Michoacán.  

The decade-old company is one part pine-resin supplier, one part mass-reforestation project and one part community lender (ejidos are Mexico's century-old form of communal land ownership). Ejido Verde is financing the replanting of thousands of hectares of pine trees to produce the resin used in shoe glue, tape, chewing gum and hundreds of other everyday products. The trees also should produce multi-generational wealth for Purhépecha families in the Mexican state of Michoacán, restore degraded landscapes and capture a whole lot of carbon.

"The trees we plant today will create revenue and jobs for the next three generations," Ejido Verde's Shaun Paul told ImpactAlpha.

The symbiotic relationship between land and livelihood restoration is at the core of the long-incubated regenerative finance movement. Regeneration, a step-change beyond simple 'sustainability,' aims not only to preserve, but to restore and generate new value. Ejido Verde is among a roster of "regenerative" projects showing promise as ways to finance environmental restoration, climate action and improved livelihoods for communities affected by economic and environmental injustices.

San Francisco-based Farmland LP, London's Althelia Climate Fund and dozens of other funds and funders have adopted the regenerative investment thesis to drive investments in farm and forest lands, organic food production, forestry management and conventional to organic agriculture transition.

Resin economics

Pine resin is the base ingredient for many inks and adhesives. It's a $10 billion global market. Mexico is the world's fifth-largest resin producer.

The lands of Michoacán's indigenous Purhépecha community are home to some of the world's most productive resin-producing trees. The Pinosa Industry Group, Mexico's leading pine chemicals company, has worked with the community for almost a century to tap the trees and export the resin. Decades of deforestation have cut roughly two-thirds of Mexico's production and threatened the livelihoods of thousands of indigenous households. Risks associated with planting on untitled land have stalled reforestation (Ejidos covers about half of Mexico).

Decades of deforestation have cut roughly two-thirds of Mexico's resin production and threatened the livelihoods of thousands of indigenous households. l Photo credit: Kyle Hilken of Poco a Poco

To turn around the industry and safeguard their supply, Pinosa formed Ejido Verde as a new company.

Paul, an entrepreneur and investor, was approached as a possible funder. An early founder of Root Capital and other forestry and agriculture funds including EcoLogic Development Fund, Reinventure Capital and Bosques Pico Bonito, Paul has worked for decades to fund and grow businesses with indigenous communities in Latin America.

"How can we increase the supply of pine resin?" Pinosa's team wanted to know. "By planting trees," Paul told ImpactAlpha. Pinosa recruited Paul to scale Ejido Verde in 2016. The firm has raised about $11 million from Pinosa itself, Mexico's National Forestry Commission and crowd-lending platform Kiva. It's raising another $20 million and Paul expects annualized returns to be around 18%, depending on the instrument.

The model works like this: Ejido Verde makes a loan to an entire community. The community assigns land rights and responsibilities to individual families. The loans provide funding for the families to plant the trees. When the trees start producing resin at Year 10, communities repay the loan with 10% of the resin. Elido Verde buys up the other 90% at a fair market price.

"This represents wages that can propel entire families into the middle class." says Ejido Verde's Shaun Paul. l Photo credit: Kyle Hilken of Poco a Poco

The back-of-the-envelope math: 800 trees per hectare produce about 3200 kilos of resin per year. Paul says he recommends about five hectares per family. At today's resin price of about $1 per kilo, that's about $16,000 per year per family – or a typical wage for a white-collar worker in Mexico City, Lisbon or Madrid.

"This represents wages that can propel entire families into the middle class." says Paul, who moved his family to Morelia a few years ago. "That's what I'm offering the rural people of Michoacán."

Ejido Verde plans to have financed about 4,000 hectares by the end of 2019 and 12,000 by 2022. Over 30 years, says Paul, Mexico's pine resin global market share should grow from 2% to 5% and about $2 billion in wealth should be created for Michoacán's indigenous communities. The effort, he says, has the potential to capture about 6 million tons of carbon, at least offsetting all of the carbon for the city of Morelia.

Financing regeneration

Funds and funders are adopting the "regenerative" brand. At its best, it connotes a new approach that adds back more value than it extracts. Think soil carbon, rebounding fisheries and river bed restoration.

Blackdirt Capital, for example, buys and develops undervalued agricultural land in low-income areas in Eastern U.S. Moringa Partnership, a $96 million private equity fund, backs large-scale agroforestry projects in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa that generate economic, as well as environmental and social, benefits. Armonia, a family office, has seeded and invested in a number of regenerative funds and projects since 2007.

The trees also should produce multi-generational wealth for Purhépecha families in the Mexican state of Michoacán, restore degraded landscapes and capture a whole lot of carbon. l Photo credit: Kyle Hilken of Poco a Poco

GatherLabs, the new venture from the team that founded the Social Capital Markets conference, rounded up 44 such funds, fund managers, family offices and foundations targeting agriculture, ranching, forestry, and related food systems (GatherLa b is hosting its first conference, "Transform: Climate, Communities, and Capital conference," in May in San Francisco).

"We need to be working toward regeneration, not just maintaining the status quo," says Kevin Jones, who founded the annual SOCAP conference in 2008 before selling it in 2017.

"In terms of wider consciousness, regenerative agriculture and forestry investments are a relatively new category," he says. "But for many fund managers and investors – particularly those focused on 'impact' and mission-driven investing – interest in regenerative approaches has been significant for years."

About the photos. Visual storytelling firm Poco a Poco spent nearly a month working with the Ejido Verde staff and living with indigenous communities to understand the relationship between pine resin and the survival of an ecosystem and entire culture. Poco a Poco produced original photo and video content to share the stories of Michoacán's communities, forests, and resin refineries on behalf of Ejido Verde.

How to purchase, plant bare-root fruit trees

Question: I'm going to be planting some fruit trees this spring, and I'm wondering if it's better for me to buy the trees in a big pot from a nursery or if I should get them from a mail order place that sends them with no soil on their roots. Is there a benefit to one over the other?

Answer: Supporting your local nursery is always a good idea, but when it comes to fruit trees, there are definitely benefits to purchasing them bare-root.

First, fruit tree catalogs that sell bare-root trees almost always have a better varietal selection than local nurseries that may only be able to have a few different varieties in stock. If you're looking for a specific variety, you'll probably have better luck purchasing the plants bare-root.

Also, fruit tree roots are fast growing and often the potted trees you find are pot-bound, meaning their roots are circling around inside the container. This can lead to issues with girdling and even plant death down the line. If you do purchase a potted fruit tree and it's pot-bound, be sure to use a saw or pruners to cut through any circling roots and loosen them thoroughly before planting the tree.

Bare-root plants, on the other hand, have no soil on the root systems, and since they're dug straight from a field, they do not have circling roots. While this may seem like a less-healthy way to start a tree, the opposite is true. In the eyes of many professionals, myself included, bare-root is the best method of introducing lots of different types of fruit and shade trees to the landscape.

For bare-root production, the trees are dug in the autumn and stored under very exacting humidity and temperature conditions to keep them dormant until the correct planting time arrives. Dormancy is maintained until the trees are shipped to the consumers.

Once planted, these trees grow quickly, establishing more rapidly than container-grown trees that often suffer from transplant shock for up to a year after planting.

Bare-root fruit trees are also fairly inexpensive to ship because you're not paying to mail heavy soil. Good mail order orchards ship their bare-root trees at the perfect planting time for whatever zone they're shipping to. This takes the guesswork out of planting, because the trees won't get to you until the time is right for planting.

Since early spring is the best time for planting bare-root fruit trees here in Pennsylvania, you'll want to place your order soon. They typically arrive in late March through April.

For the best chance of success, purchase plants that are between 3 and 5 years old, and seek out disease-resistant, hardy varieties that you won't have to coddle.

You should also consider whether or not the tree needs a pollination partner. Many types of fruit trees are not self-fertile, meaning a single tree is not capable of pollinating itself, but rather it needs another compatible variety with which to trade pollen. Most apples, cherries, blueberries and pears need a pollination partner for fruit set to occur.

Once your bare-root fruit trees arrive, remove them from their packaging immediately and soak their roots in a bucket of tepid water for about 10 hours before planting.

If there are planting instructions included in the package, be sure to follow them carefully. If not, try to plant the tree to the exact depth it was in the field (you'll see a soil line on the bark at the base of the tree). Keep the flare at the base of the trunk above the soil line and spread the roots out in the hole. Backfill the hole with the soil that came out of the hole. Do not add compost, manure or other soil amendments to the backfill soil, because they can promote root circling and cause issues with girdling down the line.

If you're worried about your new tree staying upright, after you water it in you can stake the tree with a 1-inch-by-1-inch-hardwood stake to encourage it to grow upright. But, the stake should be removed after one year to encourage the roots to strengthen and hold the tree upright on their own. Trees that are staked for longer periods of time are subject to future wind damage due to a weak root structure.

Keep your new fruit trees well watered for the first year after planting, and brush up on your pruning skills to ensure the plants are in prime shape for fruit production.

Horticulturist Jessica Walliser co-hosts "The Organic Gardeners" at 7 a.m. Sundays on KDKA Radio with Doug Oster. She is the author of several gardening books, including "Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden," "Good Bug, Bad Bug," and her newest title, "Container Gardening Complete." Her website is jessicawalliser.com. Send your gardening or landscaping questions to tribliving@tribweb.com or The Good Earth, 622 Cabin Hill Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601.

More Jessica Walliser Columns Stories

Here’s how the footprint of the plant-based Impossible Burger compares to beef

A new  analysis found that the burger also uses 87% less water than beef, uses 96% less land, and cuts water contamination by 92%. Those numbers are improvements on the last iteration of the burger, in part because the company has become more efficient as it grows and because it switched from wheat to soy as a key ingredient, because soy also yields more acres on a farm. But the majority of the impact simply comes from the fact that the product isn't made from an animal.

"The best, fastest, easiest way to make meat more sustainable is to avoid the cow," says Rebekah Moses, senior manager of impact strategy at Impossible Foods. "By making the Impossible Burger directly from plants, we have the luxury of bypassing the most inefficient stage in the entire food system." Cows are known for their greenhouse gas-producing burps–the largest source of methane emissions in agriculture–but also require cattle feed that takes large amounts of land, water, fertilizer to grow, and often leads to deforestation. The cow's manure is also another major of source of pollution.

The life-cycle analysis, which was verified by the sustainability consulting group Quantis, looked at each part of the plant-based burger's production, from the water and energy used to produce heme, the ingredient that gives the flavor a blood-like taste, to the resources used to grow other ingredients like soy and potatoes, and produce the packaging. The product uses 4% of the land needed to produce beef. "That's a very, very conservative estimate on our part–most cattle globally require far more land than that estimate,"Moses says. "It's completely inefficient, and it's why beef is the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon. If most of the land that's used for cattle feed were to be left alone, without the gassy animals, to re-vegetate and actually store carbon in trees and grasslands, it's not an exaggeration to say that we could set the clock back on climate change through food choice alone."

For an individual, the company calculated, swapping Impossible "meat" for a pound of ground beef saves seven pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, 90 gallons of water, and 290 square feet of land. Still, while some consumers might be choosing plant-based meat for environmental reasons, the startup isn't relying on sustainability to sell the product. "What we really wanted was to create a delicious product that can compete with beef on taste and craveability," she says. "That's the primary motivator for most people, and that's who we want to empower by providing a more planet-friendly option. Sustainability attributes are, for most consumers, a 'nice to have' in food choice, rather than the driving force of purchasing."

Prince Harry Plants Trees With Students to Celebrate the First Day of Spring

Spring has sprung and Prince Harry knows just how to celebrate!

On Wednesday, the royal redhead paid a visit to St. Vincent's Catholic Primary School in Acton, England where he met the institution's young students, many of whom had created Union Jacks, the U.K.'s flag, to celebrate his visit.

The 34-year-old Duke of Sussex sported dark blue slacks, a button-up and a light-blue jacket for the outing. Upon arriving he crouched down and greeted dozens of youngsters, who presented him with their patriotic artwork. 

He also said hello to Winnie, the headmaster of the school's dog, who he calmed by placing his finger to his lips, the universal sign for quieting down.

Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images

© Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images

But Harry wasn't on hand simply to say hello — they all had a project for the big day. He was visiting to show his support for The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy Initiative with the Woodland Trust, a program designed to promote forest conservation and environmental education. 

In a special ceremony, Meghan Markle's other half planted a tree on the school's ground, with some help from the kids. Afterward, he unveiled a small plaque commemorating the big day.

This light-hearted day of tree-planting followed a much more somber occasion for the prince, who surprised onlookers when he and his pregnant wife paid a visit to New Zealand House in London on Tuesday to honor the 50 victims of the tragic mass shooting on Friday.

They placed flowers outside the building where a makeshift memorial has been created and left a note in a book of condolences. Harry kept things understated in a dark blue suit for the visit, the duchess wore a black dress under a black coat.

© Karwai Tang/WireImage Karwai Tang/WireImage

"Our deepest condolences," Markle wrote in her picturesque handwriting. "We are with you."

Below, Harry added "Arohanui," the Maori word for "best wishes."

RELATED CONTENT:

Save the birds and the butterflies — plant a native oak tree in downtown L.A.

Here in Manhattan Beach, we also embrace native and environmentally appropriate plants and encourage everyone to nurture more sustainable landscapes. In fact, this year we are proclaiming "The Year of the Butterfly" not only to celebrate the recent migration of the Painted Ladies through our region, but to bring attention to the stunning demise of the monarch population.

The Best Places To Get Plants (And Pots) Online From The Sill, Amazon, Terrain, and More

Everyone knows that plants make people happy. And if you want to partake in procuring greenery for your home that can bring you joy, you can now easily shop online. Plants of all sizes can be shipped right to your door, but are you prepared? Like buying a crate and bed for a dog, you need to know what kind of planter and space you have for your new plant. Here's some insight into how to manage those expectations, and some recommendations on the best places to purchase your plant partner.

Succulents

When it comes to the right plant of a succulent, you need to understand how frequently (or really how infrequently) you water it. Succulents need a lot of sun and almost no water, a good spritz every few days'll do you good. You absolutely need a drainage hole, because succulents + too much water = disaster.

Plants

The Sill "The Ezra Trio"

Plants for Pet Succulent Plants (5 Pack)

Pots

Lekha Footed Mini Planter

TOUCH MISS Ceramic Succulent Planter Pot (Pack of 4)

Small

Small plants need small pots, but not too small. Look for a pot that your plant can sit directly in the center of, with some room to grow. Hearty small plants that can withstand basically anything you throw at them (which is perfect for beginner plant parents) include Pileas, ZZ Plants, and Snake Plants.

Plants

The Sill ZZ Plant

The Sill Pilea Peperomioides

Pots

Liv 5" Footed Planter

Face Planter

Medium

Plants in the medium range come in all shapes and temperaments. Always make sure you look up what the plant needs in terms of water and sunlight. Something like a Money Plant doesn't need much drainage, so you can utilize practically any pot. Make sure you also take into consideration how large plants will grow. You will most likely have to re-pot your medium-sized plant if you don't buy one that it can grow into.

Plants

Terrain Lavender

The Sill Money Tree

Pots

Parker 10" Planter + Drainage Tray Set

The Sill Medium Dolores Ceramic Planter

Large

Investing in a large plant means you want all the form and beauty of fully-formed greenery and you're willing to pay for it. Taking care of these large beings isn't as hard as it seems. Abide by their rules of sun and water, get a pot that is bigger than you think it needs to be (I recommend aiming for a pot that has at least four inches of space between the outer most stem and the edge).

Plants

Costa Farms Live Ficus Lyrata

Costa Farms Majesty Palm Tree

Pots

Rivet Geometric Ceramic Planter

CB2 Zola XL Planter

Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.

Plant delivery startup The Sill makes it easy to learn about which plants are right for your home — here's how it works

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

After living in all types of cities, including ones with evergreen trees lining every path and, on the other end of the spectrum, concrete jungles where parks are cherished respites, I've discovered I really like being near greenery. So, too, do my friends and peers.

Whether for their aesthetic value, their tactile immediacy that social media and the internet can't offer, or our desire to care for something that doesn't require as much commitment as a pet or child, plants are the latest trend to grip millennial consumers.

In the age of online shopping, companies like The Sill are making it easy to order and take care of these delightful succulents, vines, and ferns. The Sill has been especially successful, experiencing 400% year-over-year revenue growth and making 50,000 deliveries across the continental US in 2018.

The Sill launched in 2012 to help city-dwelling millennials who don't have access to traditional garden centers or the time and space to dive into full-on gardening enjoy the benefits of indoor houseplants. It knows that we like having something green in front of us, but we also want the whole process of obtaining and keeping the green thing alive to be convenient and affordable.

It has physical stores in New York and Los Angeles, where you can take fun monthly workshops, but you don't have to live in these cities to bring some houseplants home. We tried out The Sill's online experience so you know what to expect.

The Sill

Here's what you'll find on The Sill

The Sill sells a variety of indoor plants, shoppable by size, light required, and collection (e.g. for beginners, pet-friendly). You can also shop all plants ($5-$115.50) for a virtual garden of all types of plants, from the jagged and restless Calathea Rattlesnake ($44.50) to the nearly-impossible-to-kill Zanzibar Gem ($56).

Some come in planters, which are made from either plastic or earthenware and will increase the total cost of the item, while others come un-potted.

On each plant's product page, you can learn about the brightness, sun exposure, water, and humidity required to take care of it, as well as a brief "bio" about its origins. With this information on hand, you can pick out a plant that you can realistically take care of, not just the one that looks the prettiest.

If you like the consistency of subscriptions, the company also offers $35 subscriptions, which delivers one potted plant to your door every month.

The Sill ships to the contiguous 48 states, with free shipping on orders over $75. Otherwise, you'll pay a $10 flat-rate fee for standard 5-7 day shipping.

Once you have your plant, there's a plant care resource center filled with helpful care tips, DIY ideas, and educational articles to support your emerging green thumb.

The Sill

We ordered a few plants from The Sill— here's how it worked

I picked out three small plants to grace my apartment windowsill:

Although I've ordered plants online before from another service called Leon & George, I still err on the concerned side about how these small plants would travel.

They arrived together in one box at my door, packed in paper bags and wrapped in an additional protective layer of bubble wrap:

Connie Chen/Business Insider

Despite their trip in a box that had shown up turned on its side, they emerged unscathed and with little mess. A layer of dry moss packed around each plant helped prevent soil from spilling everywhere.

Connie Chen/Business Insider

They looked and felt healthy, and with the enclosed care instructions, I planned to keep them that way. So far (knock on wood), they've held up well.

The bottom line

I'm still fairly new to the world of houseplants, but I liked that The Sill offered a large variety to choose and mix and match from. I didn't have to deal with transporting the plants back home, and once they did find their place by my window, I felt confident enough to care for them.

More than just ship you beautiful, low-maintenance plants, The Sill is inspiring a generation of shoppers to get in touch with the natural world and showing them the benefits of plant care. If you're looking for affordable indoor houseplants and the support and information you'll need to make the most of the experience, I recommend trying out The Sill.

Order indoor houseplants from The Sill here

The 10 Best Indoor Plants To Purify The Air In Your Home

Jewelyn Butron

There are a few things that can take your home to the next level and prove you're a real adult: a bookshelf, a bar cart, and perhaps most of all, an indoor plant. But let's be realâ€"most people aren't plant experts and have no idea where to start (admitting it is the first step).

Luckily, bonafide plant experts Erin Marino, director of brand marketing at The Sill, and Juliette Vassilkioti, co-founder and president of My City Plants, are here to help. For starters, Marino recommends choosing a plant based off the conditions your space provides. So, "if you're looking for a plant to put on a windowsill that receives bright direct sun all day long, choose one that thrives in those dry and sunny conditions, like an echeveria or haworthia (two popular types of succulents)," she says.

Having a plant does more than make you feel like you've got this whole #adulting thing down. One 2015 study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that interacting with indoor plants can can reduce both physiological and psychological stress. Plus, plants are great at purifying the air in your home by filtering out everyday pollutants.

So, what are you waiting for? Add these indoor plants to your home, and you'll start reaping all the healthy benefits ASAP.

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1 Snake Plant

The Sill thesill.com

$43.50

Don't let the name fool (or more likely, scare the crap out of) you. Marino explains that the snake plant simply gets its name from the thin, upright leaves with "irregular green banding" that look likeâ€"you guessed itâ€"snakeskin. 

Besides looking cool, it's a low-maintenance plant that's known for surviving droughts, making it perfect for newbies living in almost any environment. "Although the snake plant prefers bright light, it can survive lower light levels," she adds. 

Snake plants have also been shown to filter out nasty chemicals, like benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene, so you can breathe easy having this in your home.

Pet friendly? No. 

2 Pothos

The Sill thesill.com

$44.00

"Sometimes referred to as the 'cubicle plant,' the pothos is a great pick if you're a self-proclaimed 'black thumb,' says Marino. (Just so you know, a 'black thumb' is the total opposite of a 'green thumb.') And while this plant starts out small, its trailing vines can grow to over 10 feet long (WOW), even indoors where lower light and dry air make conditions less than ideal. 

As an added bonus, this plant is super easy to grow, adds Marino, and propagates (translation: breeds more pothos) in water. While you'll need to learn how to propagate a Pothos plant, you can basically get as many plants as you want for the price of one. And like the snake plant, the pothos filters benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.

Pet friendly? No. 

3 Dracaena

Hirt's Gardens amazon.com

$14.99

If you live a high-maintenance lifeâ€"always on the go, out at all hoursâ€"you need an "easy going, low-maintenance plant, like the Dracaena, says Vassilkioti. The Dracaena is great, she explains, because it can easily adapt to different light environments, though it's best to keep it away from direct sun. 

"The hardiest of of these group is Draacena Lisa," she explains. "It can deal with indoor temperature and season changes better than others." When it comes to purifying the air, though, the Dracaena Marginata Plant is your best bet. It removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene. 

Pet friendly? No. 

4 ZZ Plant

The Sill thesill.com

$76.00

If you live in a lower light environment, Marino suggests getting a ZZ Plant because they're drought tolerant and incredibly low maintenance. You might notice the ZZ has large potato-like rhizomes (a.k.a. horizontal stems that continuously grow) under the surface of its surrounding potting mix. 

These rhizomes, Marino explains, store water and help the plant survive drought in its natural environment. That means "they'll also help it survive infrequent waterings in your space"â€"think once a month if your plant's in medium indirect light. 

Oh, and Marino adds that many cultures believe a ZZ Plant "symbolizes prosperity and friendship," making it a great housewarming gift. 

Pet friendly? No. 

5 Spider Plant

Hirt's Gardens amazon.com

$10.99

Plants that give off "instant jungle vibes," like the spider plant, are having a serious moment right now, according to Marino. And they're super easy to care for, says Vassilkioti. These plants need bright light, but no direct sun, so they're perfect to put in a room with big windows. Just keep it away from the windowsill.  

Vassilkioti adds that this plant is fun to have around because it grows "baby spiders" (spiderettes), which can be easily propagated. It's also a strong air purifier, removing both formaldehyde and xylene.

Pet friendly? YES!

6 Rubber Tree

The Sill thesill.com

$40.50

If you have a tendency to forget about your plants, or are new to the whole "plant parent" lifestyle, get a rubber tree. According to Vassilkioti, they're "tolerant to some degree of neglect" (phew) and "handle under-watering better than over-watering." 

Sound like your kind of plant? Great, just know that a rubber tree needs bright light (can take some partial sunlight) and a good amount of space around for it to be happy, grow, and remove carbon dioxide from your home.

Pet friendly? No. 

7 Bird’s Nest Fern

Having a bird’s nest fern in your home is an instant conversation starter, thanks to its bright green, ripple-edged fronds. You'll score major cool points with this signature-looking plant, especially if you put it in a hanging planter, as Marino recommends. 

Because the bird's nest fern thrives in medium indirect light and a humid environment, Marino says, "it would do great in a bathroom with a shower, as long as there are windows that receive natural light." 

Ferns have been shown to filter formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene, so it's not a bad idea to put one in your bathroom. After all, that's where you're likely to use household toxins, like harsh cleaners, hairspray, and nail polish remover that often contain these chemicals.

Pet friendly? YES!

8 Peace Lily

Hirt's Gardens amazon.com

$16.00

If you already have experience keeping an indoor plant alive (congrats), then it might be time to add a peace lily into the mix.  Vassilkioti says this one requires more attention compared to other indoor plants. That means keeping it moist without over-watering and placing it in a bright but shady spot, she explains. 

One thing to note: "The peace lily's flowers have pollen, so this plant might not be the best choice for people who struggle with allergies," says Vassilkioti. 

If that's not a problem for you, she recommends putting a peace lily in your bedroom since it produces oxygen at night, while most other plants do that during the day. Besides producing oxygen, this plant also removes ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. 

Pet friendly? No. 

9 Philodendron Green

The Sill thesill.com

$39.50

"In the right indoor conditions, the philodendron’s heart-shaped leaves and trailing vines can grow to over 10 feet long, like the pothos," says Marino. This makes it a great plant if you've got high shelves, or want to add a hanging planter to your home decor (the ultimate in #adulting). 

Also like the pothos, it's "incredibly easy to prune and propagate, if you prefer a more compact shape," she adds. It's also one of the easiest houseplants to grow. 

Though it's not the most air-purifying plant out there, philodendrons do filter formaldehyde. Not too shabby for a low-maintenance plant that's perfect for newbies. 

Pet friendly? No. 

10 Aloe Vera

The Sill thesill.com

$28.00

"This plant isn't just easy to care for, it's also known as a healer," says Vassilkioti. "Aloe vera juice has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties." So not only can you use this plant to brighten up your home, but you can also use it to heal wounds and different skin conditions.

Put your aloe vera plant in a bright, sunny spot and don't worry about keeping it alive. "This guy likes to get its soil very, very dry before watering," she adds. And even if you don't use aloe vera for its healing properties, you can still reap all its air-purification benefits as it removes formaldehyde. 

Pet friendly? No. 

Lindsay Geller Lindsay Geller is the associate love & lifestyle editor at Women’s Health

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Master Gardener: Help with a dying apple tree and how to grow flowers from bulbs in Southern California

This apple tree appears as though it has died at the graft and the living branches are emerging from below the graft. (Courtesy of Bertha Marineo)

Q: I planted an apple tree about three years ago, but it seems to be dying. Here is a picture of it. I will appreciate any advice.

A: From your photograph, it appears as though your apple tree has died at the graft and the living branches are emerging from below the graft. This can happen when a tree is stressed or damaged in some way. It can also happen in the best circumstances as a random occurrence. Your tree may be root bound, which would be a source of stress.

If you have decomposed granite or other poor soil and dig (or, in this case, chisel) a hole only slightly larger than your root ball, you are creating a pot. If you improve the soil inside this pot, the tree's roots will not grow any further than the edge of the pot because, as soon as they reach decomposed granite, they won't want to go any further.

My suggestion would be to remove this tree, dig a much bigger hole, and add some organic material (such as compost) to your soil. When you plant your new tree, break up the soil around your planting hole. Mulch with bark or compost, but keep the base of the trunk clear.

Q: I grew up on the East Coast and have fond memories of my mother's tulip garden. Not only did she grow tulips, but we also had grape hyacinth and crocus. Are there any bulbs suitable for growing in Southern California?

A: Yes, you can grow bulbs here! They are a delightful way to add color to your garden during the time of year when everything else is dormant. Many varieties originate from regions with a Mediterranean climate, so they are adapted to our hot, dry summers and rainy winters.

Flowering bulbs look best when planted either in small groups or large drifts. In our buffalo grass lawn, we planted groupings of Ipheion (a small, low-growing plant with charming baby blue flowers). By the time our grass comes out of dormancy, they disappear.

Other small bulbs can be planted under trees and dormant shrubs that lack interest at this time of year. Larger bulbs such as daffodil and bearded iris need a bit of room, so they should be planted in open spaces.

Some bulbs provide only one season of color, but many will naturalize in your garden. If your bulbs have naturalized, you will want to dig them up and divide them every few years. Crowded bulbs will produce foliage, but will stop flowering. You can either replant or share the extra bulbs.

You should plant bulbs shortly after purchase so they don't dry out. If you are particularly enthusiastic about filling your space with bulbs, you may want to invest in a narrow hand digger especially made for planting bulbs. Look for one with markings so you can easily plant your bulbs at the proper depth.

Have gardening questions? Email gardening@scng.com.

Looking for more gardening tips? Here's how to contact the Master Gardener program in your area.

Los Angeles County

mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; 949-809-9760; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; 951-683-6491 ext. 231; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

mgsanbern@ucanr.edu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu/

It’s time to plant fruit trees — here’s how to best establish them

EARLY SPRING is the ideal time to plant a fruit tree. All fruiting trees that grow in the Pacific Northwest go dormant during the winter months. These trees most easily settle into a new home if they are transplanted while still in slumber — ideally, several weeks before their spring buds break. Spring weather allows the newly planted trees to send out roots and begin photosynthesizing without the stresses associated with excessively hot, dry or freezing weather.

Fortunately, the local nursery industry is generally well-prepared for the spring planting season. Fruit trees begin arriving in local stores as early as February. If you are looking for very specific varieties, start shopping early, because there is always limited stock available. You might also consider mail-ordering your trees directly from a grower, which will provide access to the broadest range of varieties.

Great Fruit Trees for Western Washington

Most of these trees have dozens of locally viable varieties to choose from:• Apples• Asian pears• Cherries• Figs• Mulberries• Pears• Plums

Fruit trees can be purchased "bare root" or as potted plants. Bare-root plants are often available earlier in the spring and can be considerably less expensive.

Whichever type you choose, follow these simple practices to ensure the successful establishment of your new tree:

• Know your graft: Almost all fruit trees have been grafted. Grafting is a propagating technique that has been used for centuries. Typically, a branch from a desirable fruit tree (called the scion) is attached to the base of a different variety (called the rootstock). The scion determines the type of fruit, and the rootstock determines the mature size of the tree. When shopping for fruit trees, you'll likely see a range of graft options, including true-dwarf, dwarf, semi-dwarf or standard-sized trees. In most settings, dwarf or semi-dwarf trees work best.

• Pick a good spot: While many species are somewhat forgiving of poor soil conditions, most prefer a site that is sunny and well-drained. Keep in mind the mature size of your tree. You'll need to provide it with enough space to fully spread its branches in its new home. And make sure to check the acidity of your tree location — optimum soil pH for most fruit trees is about 6.5.

• Dig the right size hole: The hole should be twice as wide and the same depth as the root ball. It is not helpful to dig deeper because loose soil underneath the tree will cause it to sink as the soil settles back into place. Use your shovel or a spading fork to cut gashes into the sides and base of the hole. This will make it easier for the roots to grow into the surrounding soil.

• Planting: Trim off any broken roots, and cut back roots that are long enough to wrap around your planting hole. Place the trunk of the tree in the center of the hole, and fill in soil on all sides. Water the soil as you go, and tamp it around the base with the handle of your shovel. These techniques will help close air pockets, stabilizing the tree and preventing root die-off. It is imperative that the graft union remains at least 2 inches above the surface. The graft union should be visible as a bulbous wound near the base of the trunk. If the base of the scion wood touches the ground, it might send out roots. This can override the dwarfing qualities of the rootstock and result in a full-size tree!

• Staking: Most newly planted trees benefit from staking. A strong support will help the trunk remain upright while it establishes a root system. If you are planting dwarf or semi-dwarf trees, you might want to set up permanent staking. The dwarfing rootstock might never develop a broad-enough root system to support the trunk and branches. Dwarfed trees can tip over, even years after planting. The stake should stand at least as high as the tree's lowest limb and be set just past the edge of the root ball. You can use tree-staking wraps from a garden center to tie the stake and tree together, or DIY methods such as old hose or nylons. Do not use wire or any material that could gouge the tree.

• Mulching: Apply mulch around the base of the tree to supply nutrients and conserve soil moisture. Keep the mulch at least 2 inches away from the trunk. Mulch that touches the bark of the trunk will make it easier for burrowing animals to gnaw at and girdle (remove a ring of bark) your new tree.

• Care: Water your new fruit tree regularly for at least the first three seasons after planting. Most fruit trees benefit from yearly pruning and fruit-thinning.

Now, the only thing you have left to think about is what type of tree you are going to plant.

The Skill Tree Principle: An Innovative Way to Grow your Skills Efficiently

How to Learn Any New Skill Faster

Through all this skill learning experience, combined with the various readings and courses I've completed on the subject, I can now safely say that there is one timeless way to learn any new skills faster:

The more smartly-practiced skills you learn, the faster you'll learn other connected skills.

Let's break it down to more understandable chunks:

Smartly-practiced

When's the last time you spent some time thinking about your learning experience for a given skill?

I'm not exaggerating when I say the majority of people stopped at age 12 or below. Studies show that kids lose the vast majority of their curiosity by the age of 12.

The short explanation is that when you start school, you don't have to think creatively anymore on how to solve problems. You are told what to think, what home-works to do, what tests to take, etc.

Even for people who do continuous education, most of them just blindly follow a curriculum laid out by a "teacher" who "knows" how to "best" learn a subject.

Remember how you learned to ride a bicycle as a kid?

Right! You watched and tried on your own. You failed. Many times. You tried again the next day. And guess what? A few days later, your brain started making the right connections for you.

Photo by Chelsea Aaron on Unsplash

What's so smart about that?

You practiced the way that worked best for you. You didn't follow a YouTube tutorial you found on "the best way to learn how to ride a bicycle". You didn't practice this one method you found online over and over again until it worked (or ultimately didn't).

The best way to learn any skill is never the best way for everyone.

Connected skills

This is probably the most important concept to understand. Skills are physical connections in your brain. We can call a group of connections a "chunk". A skill is a combination of multiple chunks in your brain.

To make things clearer, let's use a simple example. Let's deconstruct the skill of throwing a basketball by identifying some of the chunks necessary to perform a good throw:

Jumping

Flexing legs

Raising arms

Arm pushing motion

Calculating distance

Calculating force

and many more!

Each from the list above is one or multiple chunks of connections in your brain.

Now, let's say you have become pretty good at throwing a basketball. What's another skill you think might be easier now to learn?

Right, a skill that uses the same chunks!

Now that you know how to flex your legs and jump, it's much easier to perform a long jump. In fact, without these chunks, there's no way you could do that!

See what I mean with connected skills?

Some skills can't be learned until you have a learned a "subset" of that skill.

How to grow the perfect Christmas Tree (it’s harder than you think)

A perfect cone shape, that vibrant green color, good needle retention — and no bare spots. If you're in the Christmas tree business, like Virginia farmer Jim Gehlsen, you know what your customers are looking for.

Within the space of four weeks every spring, Gehlsen trims all 30,000 of his miniature pines and spruce trees by hand for the coming winter, because nobody else does it quite right, he said.

In the annual search for the perfect tree, people in the U.S. bring home more than 25 million of these festive holiday centerpieces each year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. In 2017, total sales for harvested Christmas trees in the U.S. added up to more than $200 million.

But shapely evergreens don't just grow straight out of the ground in top condition. Christmas tree farming is a year-round battle against fungal infections, insect attacks, erratic weather and climate change. Despite all these hazards, farmers cultivate Christmas-card-ready trees with careful attention to pests, timing and innovation.

Prime habitat for parasites

A Christmas tree plantation is caterpillar heaven, with plenty of young needles and bark for them to gnaw on.

Bagworms — actually moths, though you hardly ever see one fluttering in the air — spend most of their lives as caterpillars inside cocoons spun from their own thread and the needles of the trees that surround them.

Without Gehlsen's care, the bugs would "get so thick … that they'd kill the top half of a tree" by stripping the bark and killing the branches, he said.

After he's done selling trees for the holiday, Gehlsen begins the new year by walking his rows of spruces and firs and removing as many bagworm eggs as possible. He returns to this task for a brief window in the summer when the newly hatched caterpillars are ravenous but vulnerable to chemical sprays. "You can only spray bagworms in June and expect to kill them."

Bagworms are moths that live most of their lives in shelters that they build from silk and nearby vegetation. They can cause severe damage to new tree growth. Photo by Vicky Stein

The tiny invaders are just one of many tree-eating insect species. Dozens of types of weevils, midges and aphids make their appearances on farms across the country, depending on the tree species and the weather. They can travel on trucks hauling loads of trees or spread on the wind, finding new habitable territory where they land.

Christmas tree farms make for prime habitat for those parasites because the trees are so tightly packed together and of one consistent variety, said Chal Landgren, Oregon State University Extension's Christmas tree specialist. It's a great breeding ground for fungi, too, he added.

One in particular, a fungus called pine gall rust, killed or deformed more than 8,000 trees on Gehlsen's farm over the past 15 years. He has stopped growing and selling scots pine, the species that the parasitic fungus attacks, planting more white pine and Norway spruce instead.

Success in tree farming is a moving target. Insect and fungus populations grow and shrink yearly. "Nobody is having much luck growing scots pine anymore," Gehlsen said. "But 40 to 50 years ago it was the No. 1-selling tree."

There are also "good bugs" that help farmers. Tree growers nationwide leave developing praying mantis eggs alone when they discover them in their fields each winter.

Praying mantis egg masses will hatch into dozens of tiny insect predators when they warm up, either indoors or in the coming s pring. Farmers can use these insects as a first line of defense against tree-eating pests. Photo by Vicky Stein

Although one of the most common species of praying mantis is not native to the U.S., it can still provide valuable pest-control services, chowing down on aphids, midges and moths.

That is, if it's allowed to hatch outdoors.

Much to the chagrin of some unsuspecting tree buyers, the egg masses can sometimes hide among the boughs and, when warmed up in your cozy house, result in a bumper crop of tiny predatory insects in your living room.

Abnormal weather is the new normal

Tree care takes careful timing, Gehlsen said, but that timing is shifting.

"The mid-Atlantic area used to be pretty regular," he recalled, and he depended on the predictable cycle. Trees used to start growing in early spring, but he said lately snows and cold temperatures have pushed late into the season. "The last couple of years, we've had most of our winter in March."

Drought creates a cascade effect that throws trees and their defense against pests out of balance.

This year, a slow start to the growing season was followed by a summer of record rain, Gehlsen said. Some of his trees drowned in the water pooling at the lowest areas of his farm. "But it seems, nationwide, that the abnormal is starting to become the normal and that's sad. Excessive rain, excessive drought, excessive heat, excessive everything."

In Oregon, Landgren said, the last three summers have been so dry that most newly planted noble fir trees died.

Drought creates a cascade effect that throws trees and their defense against pests out of balance. Bark beetles usually only attack weakened trees, Landgren said, and far fewer of the trees are now able to muster up the water to create enough sap to push the beetles away.

"When the tree doesn't have that ability to defend itself, the problem builds up," Landgren said.

But less rain can also be a blessing. The drier weather means Oregon farmers have had fewer problems with fungus. "A lot of the foliage diseases like moist, wet springs and moist summers, so there's a little bit of a trade-off," Landgren said.

Just as Gehlsen is rethinking which tree species he plants in Virginia, growers in Oregon are making their own preparations for the future. In greenhouses and on hillsides, Oregon State University is tending to new kinds of Christmas trees—fir trees from the Mediterranean, which are resistant to root rot, local pests and the long dry summers that the West Coast is starting to expect.

"We enjoy that tree," Landgren said of the variety he gets for his family every year, and which keeps its needles well. "But they're a little harder to find." At least for now.

Invasive tree species in Austin is considered the zebra mussel of the plant world

AUSTIN, Texas — Twice a month, Keep Walnut Creek Wild volunteers meet up at the North Austin park just off Parmer Lane to kill as many glossy privet trees as possible.

"Definitely you want to wear gloves because these things are sharp," Stephanie Simmons said describing the tools normally used to perform the task: either the carpet knife or putty scraper.

Simmons striped off a ring of bark, a process called girdling.

In a year, it's expected to kill this tree.

As a tree steward, it's a practice she usually doesn't do.

"This is the only thing that I really will kill," Simmons said.

This isn't an ordinary tree.

KVUE'S Jenni Lee tagged along with the volunteers on President's Day. She asked Simmons, "would you consider the ligustrum, the glossy privets, the zebra mussels of the plant world?"

Simmons quickly responded, "yes! Yes!"

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Glossy privets are an invasive species that are taking over parks and green spaces in Austin.

Simmons was trained under the Tree Folks' Urban Forest Steward program and said they're killing off the native plants.

"They just ruin the ecosystem," she said.

Cliff Tyllick is the organizer of Keep Walnut Creek Wild.

"I've even see them kill junipers and you know if something in Central Texas can kill an ash juniper, it's tough," Tyllick said.

Tyllick likes to call himself the "Grim Reaper to the glossy privet."

His group is working with the City of Austin to reduce the tree's population.

Tyllick has also contributed to TexasInvasives.org's map of all the glossy privets at Walnut Creek Park.

All the green markers are his observations.

"It will kill plants larger than itself, it will choke out everything smaller than itself, it will even come up from seeds so densely, that lots of other plants won't make it past its seedling stage," Tyllick said.

Tyllick's goal now is to teach as many volunteer how to properly girdle or kill glossy privets.

Doing the wrong way, like cutting them at the ground, will only result in regrowth.

Glossy privets are also known as Ligustrum lucidum. Tyllick said the other invasive species taking over Walnut Creek Park is known as the Ligustrum Quihoui. 

Tyllick warns of an up and coming invasive called the Chinese pistache that is also dangerous to native plants. It is a common yard tree, like the glossy privets.

He has counted five mature female Chinese pistache in Walnut Creek so far.

To more information or to join Keep Walnut Creek Wild, click on this link.

Grow: The right tree in the right place

Trees are an excellent addition to almost any landscape. They provide shade, beauty, windbreak, privacy, cleaner air, less noise, less glare and can even increase your property value. However, the key to these benefits is selecting the right tree and planting it in the right place.

By having the right tree in the right place, homeowners not only help ensure a lifetime of satisfaction, but also keep maintenance costs low. There are several things to keep in mind when considering trees for the landscape. First, the tree’s purpose will impact the sustainability of different tree species, whether used for shade, aesthetic beauty, wind protection, screen or something else.

Second, the size and location of the tree, including space for roots and branches, will affect which species to plant. And third, the shape of the tree varies among species, including round, oval, columnar, V-shaped or pyramidal shapes. Think about how the tree will work in the space available.

If you have utility lines running through your property, large trees aren’t a good choice. As the trees grow, they will interfere with the utility lines and cause problems. Short trees don’t clash with overhead utility lines.

Trees planted in the wrong place can have a negative effect on the landscape and can sometimes lead to costly repairs. Large evergreens planted close to the house on the south side can block warming winter sunlight. The north side of a landscape void of trees can leave it vulnerable to icy winter winds.

The right kind of trees planted in the right places can have a positive effect on your utility bills. Large deciduous trees on the southeast, southwest and west side of your home provide cooling shade during Oklahoma’s notoriously hot summers, but don’t obstruct the warming sun in the winter. Planting a row of evergreens on the north side of your property will help block cold winter winds. They also can provide a screen for privacy.

Something else to take into consideration is the condition of the site. Things to keep in mind include soil conditions, exposure to sun and wind, drainage, space constraints, hardiness zone, human activities and insect/disease susceptibility.

When shopping for trees, a high-quality tree will have strong form with firmly attached branches; a trunk free of wounds or other damage; and a quality root system to support healthy growth.

A lower quality tree will feature a weak form in which multiple stems originate from the same point and/or branches are rubbing and crossing each other; a trunk with wounds, which often is associated with poor handling or incorrect pruning; and a limited, crushed or circling root system in an undersized root ball or container.

Whether you’re landscaping a new home, replacing trees or adding to an existing landscape, consider all of the various factors when making your tree selection. Many trees have the potential to outlive those who plant them, so these selections can have a lifetime impact.

David Hillock is a consumer horticulturalist with Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension.

Tilling for the soul: Where to find the best plants for your spring garden near Atlanta

You can finally feel it in the air —spring is on the way. To celebrate the coming of the green like never before, go ahead and get started on that dream garden you've always wanted.

»RELATED: How and when to cover plants during cold weather

Let's face it, gardening really does till the soul, so what better way to add joy and beauty into your family's life than to fill your yard with the stunning flora found at these top local nurseries.

Not sure about your skills in the garden? No worries! Local gardens and nurseries around Georgia often offer workshops, classes and knowledgeable instruction to help you discover your hidden green thumb. So get out there and bloom where you're planted with the help of these neighborhood nurseries.

Kinsey Family Farm. 7170 Jot-em Down Road, Gainesville. 770-887-6028. www.kinseyfamilyfarm.com.

Best known for its wide array of Christmas trees in winter, Kinsey Family Farm in Gainesville also offers a large selection of colorful and green spring plantings, including azaleas, flowering trees, quince, native plants and the top requested garden shrubs and perennials. Family-owned and operated, Kinsey Family Farm also offers landscaping supplies, landscaping rocks and water fountains to really make your garden bloom.

Garden*Hood. 353 Boulevard SE, Atlanta. 404-880-9848. www.gardenhoodatlanta.com.

Atlanta area gardeners, make sure to stop by Garden*Hood for your spring greens this year. Located right in Historic Grant Park, Garden*Hood is an independent nursery that offers novice gardeners a chance to ask questions and get advice from horticulture experts and shop for plants from some of the top regional growers in the South. This community-based garden center will inspire you to get your hands dirty and will connect you with local gardening enthusiasts so that you can start enjoying a beautiful garden of your own.

»RELATED: This farmers market was named the best in Atlanta in 2018

Night Song Native Plant Nursery. 1095 Epperson Road, Canton. 770-401-8896. www.nightsongnatives.com.

If you're looking for a local nursery that specializes in native plants, look no further than Night Song Native Plant Nursery in Canton. The experts at Night Song will tell you that using native plants in and around your garden will help provide food to native animals, like birds, butterflies, bees, mammals and invertebrates. Using sustainable growing methods, Night Song plants are grown through division and/or from wild-collected and nursery-grown seed.

Autumn Hill Nursery & Landscape. 4256 Earney Road, Woodstock. 770-442-3901. www.autumnhillnursery.com.

When you visit Autumn Hill Nursery & Landscape in Woodstock, you'll shop from hundreds of varieties of perennials, annuals, trees and shrubs, as well as all the garden accents and landscaping supplies you need. While there, stick around for one of their hands-on workshops held by local experts to help you build your confidence in the garden. If you're already a passionate gardener, you'll find good company among the Grateful Deadheaders gardening club located onsite.

Abbott Creek Nursery. 884 Thompson Road, Dawsonville. 706-265-1607. www.abbottcreeknursery.com.

With over 25 years of experience, it's the mission of Abbott Creek Nursery to grow and provide healthy, strong and beautiful plants to the public. Family owned and operated, Abbott Creek Nursery is located in Dawsonville and opens for the spring in the second week of April with a wide selection of annuals, perennials, shrubs and more.

Maple Ridge Nursery. 5907 Covington Highway, Decatur. 770-987-4066. www.japanesemaplesandconifers.com.

Looking for stunning local Japanese Maples? Visit Maple Ridge Nursery in Decatur for one of the largest collections of Japanese Maples in the entire Southeast featuring hundreds of different varieties. You'll also find a large selection of stunning conifers hand-picked to grow well in and around Georgia. All the plants at Maple Ridge are grown 14 miles east of Atlanta and well adapted for a southern climate.

Learn how to make the right choice when it comes to fruit trees

After we moved to Boise in 1971 and bought a house with a large yard, I set out to grow everything possible. I made some mistakes, and you can avoid them by reading about mine.

At this time of year we begin to think of fruit trees, brambles and shrubs. They're less costly if you can buy them bare root instead of containerized. A major consideration, if you're to harvest any fruit, is whether fruit will set and remain on the host plant until harvest. There is an abyss in difference between whether the plant will survive and whether it will set harvestable fruit.

I set out to grow hardy kiwi fruit, and having read about the heavy crops some growers were facing in other parts of the world, we built a very sturdy arbor. Then we planted the vines, two females to one male. There is at least one self-fruitful variety, but self-fruitful fruiting plants often don't produce heavy crops. I had no doubt the vines would survive our winters (and they did), but when I saw them break into blossom so early in spring that fruit was doomed, I realized my error. Vines are hardy, but we won't get fruit.

Some experts advise planting fruit trees on the north side of dwellings to delay blooming. Our winter sun lies to the south, and it is still in that predominant attitude in spring, so a dwelling could shade a north-planted tree or shrub, possibly delaying blossoms. I didn't have a place for such a vine on the north side of my house, and even with that delayed spring for a plant, it couldn't have delayed blossoms long enough to escape many spring frosts.

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Another mistake was my insistence on full-size apple trees. Semi-dwarf apple trees begin bearing fruit much sooner than full-size ones. The estimate for full-size apple trees is to bear in five to eight years, three to five years for semi-dwarf. Semi-dwarf trees are almost as tall as the full ones, estimated at 18 to 25 feet high for full, 12 to 15 for semi-dwarf. Semi-dwarf trees will not bear fruit quite as heavily, but for a family's use, the difference wouldn't be noticed. If you plant a tree that bears only every other year, such as my Gravenstein (notorious for this bearing habit), you can try to get it to bear fruit every year by judicious thinning when it does bear fruit. Or just resign yourself to canning two years' worth of applesauce every other year.

For fruit tree purchases at any time, pay attention to:

1) Their USDA hardiness zone (USDA says we're in zone 7, but you're safer to assume zone 6).

2) Their soil preference (most of the Treasure Valley has alkaline soil, parts of the valley bottom have more acidic soil, but use a pH test to determine your soil's alkalinity) and rooting habit (if it's a tap-rooted tree, you should dig the hole then chisel through caliche hardpan before planting such a tree).

3) Resistance to pests and diseases.

4) Flowering time, and if your proposed tree or shrub is not self-fruitful, you'll have to buy two different trees or shrubs with close to the same flowering times (pay heed to what will pollinate what, for I belatedly found that Bartlett pear does not pollinate a Seckel pear).

5) Fruit quality and harvest time (some fruits are to be harvestable in November, and I think that's far too late for this area that experiences frosts in October, and sometimes in September).

Once you've decided on varieties you want, check around locally owned nurseries for them, since they're apt to carry trees that are climatically adapted to this area. Locally owned garden stores and nurseries such as NEON, Edwards Greenhouse, Franz Witte, Far West, DuRite and Fruitland Nursery may carry what you're looking for. Shop globally, but buy locally.