Picking out a real Christmas tree, African violet event

Pick out a fresh Christmas tree — If you’re buying a cut Christmas tree, make sure it’s as fresh as possible. One way to do that is to buy it early and, if you’re not ready to put it up yet, keep it in water on the north side of the house until it’s ready to come indoors.

Avoid trees whose needles are a dull, grayish-green color, fail to ooze pitch when broken apart and squeezed, feel stiff and brittle or pull off the tree easily.

Once you have your tree home, recut the trunk about 1 inch above the original cut. This will open up clogged, water-conducting tissues. Immediately place the trunk in warm water. Check the water level often to be sure that the bottom is always in water.

You can find cut trees at garden centers and Christmas-tree lots.

For the freshest tree possible, cut one at a Christmas tree farm. You can find a list of those in the area and more tree-care tips from the Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association at kctga.com.

Garden events

African violet celebration — The Wichita African Violet Study Club will get together at 1 p.m. Dec. 12 at Botanica. The club will have a Christmas potluck; bring a dish to share if you want to join in.

This story was originally published November 26, 2014 at 3:34 PM with the headline "Picking out a real Christmas tree, African violet event."