Amaryllis

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

I really enjoy the seasonal flowers that appear this time of year, especially the amaryllis. Many university Extension systems have information on the amaryllis so I wanted to summarize some of those sources this week to share with you.

Amaryllis are native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas.  They come in several colors, including red, pink, orange, salmon, white, and bicolor varieties.  Single-flowering, double flowering, and miniature amaryllis varieties are available.  Two to six flowers are produced on each flower stalk. 

When purchasing amaryllis, select large, solid bulbs that show no sign of shriveling or decay.  The largest bulbs often produce 2 flower stalks.  When planting an amaryllis bulb, select a pot that is approximately 1 to 2 inches wider than the diameter of the bulb.  The container can be made from just about any material possible but should have drainage holes in the bottom.  Plant the bulb in a good, well-drained potting soil.  Add a small amount of potting soil in the bottom of the pot and center the bulb atop the soil in the middle of the pot.  Then add additional potting soil, firming it around the roots and bulb.

The sun-loving amaryllis grows best indoors in a well-lighted area that receives at least four hours of direct sunlight each day.  A southern window exposure is best.  Keep the bulb in a slightly moist soil condition until flowering and then increase the frequency of watering.  It is best to water your plant when the soil surface feels dry to the touch.  Watering once per week is usually adequate.

Amaryllis prefers warm temperatures of 70 to 75 °F for best growth until the roots form and the leaves and flower stalk begins to grow.  Once the plant flowers, cooler temperatures of 65 °F will prolong the life of the flower.  Fertilizing an amaryllis bulb that has no leaves can kill the roots, but after the plant begins to grow fertilize twice a month.

After flowering, the secret of successfully growing amaryllis is to keep the plants actively growing after they finish blooming.  Remove the blossoms as soon as they fade to prevent seed formation by cutting the stem off just above the bulb.  Place in a sunny window.  During the next several months growth is active and should be encouraged for future bulb development.

There are several things that you need to do to re-flower your potted amaryllis.  First, stop watering and fertilizing it for 8 to ten weeks.  The leaves will yellow and wither.  When you see the top of the flower bud beginning to emerge, put the pot in a sunny area and start watering it again.  Remove all dry foliage.  As the flower stalk begins to lengthen, rotate the plant every few days to prevent the stem from leaning towards the light.

Crucial Conversations - Tips for having, not avoiding, tough conversations

Kari Lewis
MSU Extension - Glacier County

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a Crucial Conversations training led by Paul Lachapelle, an MSU Extension Community Development specialist.  Today I’ll share a bit of that training.

The idea for Crucial Conversations, that if we don’t talk it out, we end up acting it out.  Crucial conversations are talks where there’s opposing opinions, strong emotions, and high stakes. 

The first step in a Crucial Conversation is to identify where you are stuck.  Are there bad results you want to fix, good results you currently aren’t able to achieve, or continual problems?  This is an appropriate time to think CPR: Content (is this a single incidence?), Pattern (what recurring behavior is there?), and Relationship (how is this situation affecting your relationship?). 

Before beginning a conversation, we need to make sure our motives are healthy and seeking truth.  The first thing that deteriorates during a crucial conversation is not our behavior, but our motive.  We tend to see people not as THEY are, but as WE are, and project our wants, needs, experiences, and values on them (good or bad).  We may need to retrain our brain to think about what WE need together, versus just what I want.

It is also crucial to separate fact from story.  The three common story types are “It’s not my fault!” (the victim), “It’s all your fault!” (the villain) or “There’s nothing I can do, anyway!” (The helpless). 

As we talk, we need to state our facts, tell our story, ask for the other person’s ideas and viewpoints, talk tentatively, and encourage feedback.  Some examples of these include phrases such as, “Based on these facts, it leads me to conclude….”  “Can you help me understand….” Or “How do you see it?” instead of “Don’t you think that…”  We should also strive to avoid absolutes such as “The only reasonable option is….” and instead, use phrases such as, “One solution that may meet our goals would be to….” 

To build a safe environment for these conversations, there needs to be mutual purpose (recognizing shared goals) and mutual respect (caring about each other and your relationship), and it helps to paraphrase the other side’s story as you go.

Lastly, it’s critical to move to action.  This is where the issues have been established and you determine who does what by when, a follow-up time is set, and there is accountability for follow up. 

Most everything I’ve talked about today is often easier said than done, but the reality is we only get better at these conversations by having these conversations.  Research shows that nearly 2 in 3 of us say a conversation gone wrong has permanently damaged a relationship, and over half of us say the effects of a life-altering conversation we’ve had will last forever.  I encourage you to apply these ideas in your next crucial conversation, and remember George Bernard Shaw’s quote of, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” 

Christmas Cactus Care

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

One of the fun things about this time of year is the seasonal foliage that you might find in homes and businesses.  One of those is the Christmas cactus, which M.S.U. Extension has a fact sheet about that is free and available to the public.  You might be surprised to find out that Christmas cactus actually perform better and bloom longer in cooler areas of the house, with the plant liking an optimum temperature between 55 and 68°F.  This doesn’t mean though you should put the plant right by the front door.  They don’t like drafts.

The Christmas cactus is what is called a short-day, long-night plant.  For them to bloom they need at least 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness per day for about 6 weeks.  They most often bloom closer to Thanksgiving it seems in our area rather than Christmas due to diurnal cycles, which is a fancy way of saying any pattern that recurs every 24 hours as a result of one full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun.  Even though they need a certain amount of darkness to bloom, once they start they can be put in a bright location out of direct sunlight.  This will increase the amount of time they bloom.

As far as water needs go, they do not require a lot of water.  The soil should only be watered when it is dry to the touch.  When they are forming flower buds and are flowering they might need a bit more water to prolong bloom time.  The biggest thing is to never over-water. 

After they are done flowering, pruning the last one or two segments at or just above the node will encourage branching, and thus more flowers once it blooms again.  You can also fertilize the plant with a complete fertilizer once a month from spring until October.  Only fertilize during these times though and not while the plant is flowering.

As you continue to treat your Christmas cactus with love, watering and fertilizing as necessary, the plant can live for 20-30 years or more.  Enjoy it and the once a year blooms it sends out!

Pets Vs. Decorations

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

We are in that interim time between Thanksgiving and Christmas where life is hectic and everyone is in the process of beginning to decorate their home.  With the acquisition of two pets recently who are intermittently in the house I have begun to think about how to keep them and our Christmas decorations safe over the next month. 

First, let’s think about things like ribbons, wrapping paper, ornaments, tinsel, extension cords and gifts, which may be may be appealing "chew toys" but which may make your pet sick.  Eating tinsel or other string-like items such as ribbon can cause serious damage to the intestine.  One end can get stuck while the rest is pulled into the intestine as it contracts; the contractions may cause the ribbon or tinsel to saw through the intestine.  If not caught in time, infection of the belly cavity develops and the prognosis for recovery becomes poor.  Pets can quickly become ill with signs including vomiting, diarrhea, depression, belly pain and sometimes fever.  Foreign matter stuck in the intestine often does not show up on "x-ray" but sometimes the foreign matter will trap air in the intestine, which helps the veterinarian make a diagnosis.  Surgery is required to remove foreign matter that does not pass out on its own.

With the numerous lights around Christmas, pay attention to the fact that these lights are another attraction for pets to chew on.  Both indoor and outdoor lights should be carefully examined to ensure safety for your household pets.  Electrical shock may occur from defective cords as well as from pets chewing on cords.  Check cords for any signs of bite marks, loose or frayed wires, proximity to the tree's water supply or evidence of short circuits.  Use grounded "3-prong" extension cords and strictly follow manufacturer's guidelines for light usage.  It may be difficult to curb your pet's fascination with all those pretty decorations.  Child gates can be used across doorways to keep your pet away from the Christmas tree and decorations at times they can’t be watched.  Consider the strategic use of furniture as well.  I’m sure all of us would like to enjoy the Christmas seasonal decorations and keep our pets safe.

Lastly, think about chocolate.  Chocolate can be toxic or even fatal to dogs and cats.  Chocolate poisoning occurs most frequently in dogs but other species are also susceptible. Theobromine is the toxic compound found in chocolate.  The toxicity of chocolate depends on the amount and type of chocolate ingested, with the toxic dose for a 44-pound dog being 3 oz. for unsweetened cocoa, 5 oz. for baking chocolate, 7 oz. for semisweet chocolate, and 20 oz. for milk chocolate.

On a lighter note, for inventive ways to keep your pets safe and still celebrate the holidays visit: 6 cat proof Christmas trees to try out during the holidays

Cow's Body Condition Score will impact calf health and pregnancy rates next year

Earlier than normal snowfall this year may necessitate feeding cows
earlier than normal.  Body condition score at calving impacts calf
vigor and health and cow breed back next year.  Photo by Kari Lewis.

Kari Lewis, MSU Extension – Glacier County

                Recently as I looked through our cows, I was concerned about some of the cows’ body condition scores.  There’s multiple factors that have had a role in our herd’s body condition being lower than I would like to see.  First, this summer’s drought resulted in less forage than normal, then the early October snowstorm hit the cows hard as well.  In addition, our weaning date was later than it should have been, which meant the cows were also lactating longer into the fall, using additional nutrients to support their calf at side.  Not surprisingly, it is our youngest cows who are the thinnest, as they’ve also been trying to grow in addition to supporting their calf and developing fetus. 

                As cows receive nutrition, they first use it for maintenance, then allocate the remaining nutrients to support fetal development, lactation, growth, and lastly, rebreeding.  Thus, if a cow is short on nutrition, the first thing to be impacted is her ability to rebreed.  Therefore, it’s critical that we provide adequate nutrition now to ensure cows are in an acceptable body condition to rebreed next summer. 

A body condition score (BCS) describes the relative fatness or body condition of a cow on a scale of 1 to 9.  A score of 1 means the cow is extremely thin, and a score of 9 indicates a very obese cow.  Each body condition score translates to approximately 70 pounds, so to increase a BCS 4 cow (on December 1) to a BCS 6 cow (by March 1) would require that cow to gain 1.6 pounds per day, not including the increasing weight of her fetus. 

                Why is body condition so critical?  Simply, thin cows take longer to rebreed, produce less colostrum, and give birth to less vigorous calves.  Those calves that are born weak at birth take longer to nurse, have lower immunoglobin levels which lessens their ability to overcome disease, and are ultimately less likely to survive. 

A cow’s BCS at calving is a large indicator of how soon she will rebreed following calving.  A cow that calves in a BCS 5 or 6 averages 55 days following calving until her first heat, while cows that calve in a BCS 3 or 4 average an 80-day post-partum interval.  Knowing that we want those cows to have one or two heat cycles prior to when they are bred, it’s easy to see why thin cows fall out of the herd.  Data from Spitzer et al., 1995 showed that first calf heifers that calved in a BCS 4 had a 56% pregnancy rate after a 60-day breeding season, whereas those heifers that were in a BCS 5 at calving had an 80% pregnancy rate, and there was a 96% pregnancy rate in the heifers that calved at a BCS 6. 

                The period after weaning (when nutrient requirements are decreased) and before the third trimester begins (when nutrient requirements increase again) is the most economical time to add body condition.  By providing adequate nutrition, a windbreak, straw during cold weather, and access to clean, fresh water, we can add condition to the cowherd to meet our breed back goals for next year.  

Here at the MSU Extension office in Glacier county, we can assist you in formulating a ration for your cowherd.  We have two hay probes that can be checked out to sample your hay for a nutrient analysis, and can use ration balancing software to formulate a ration that will meet your cows’ protein and energy needs.  Please call (406) – 873-2239 or e-mail kari.lewis@montana.edu with questions, I’m happy to help!              

Your Turkey is Cooked!

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

Thanksgiving is now just a couple of days away, which I’m sure if your home is like mine, has been on everyone’s minds for the past several weeks.  Thoughts of company, upcoming holidays, and food seem to constantly swirl around in conversations.  There are numerous ways out there for people to prepare their main course of turkey for Thanksgiving, from basting, brining and marinating to using roaster ovens, grills, smokers, deep fat fryers, pressure cookers and microwaves.  This week, as our time is short, I wanted to focus on how to cook a turkey the day before serving it.  Perhaps this is considered heresy to some people as the smell, atmosphere and stress of preparing turkey surround the events of the day but you might be looking for another way. 

The following directions from the University of Nebraska, I emphasize again, apply to roasting your turkey one day before your meal.  You’ll want to wait about 20 minutes after removing turkey from the oven to allow the juices to distribute.  Be sure to follow safe procedures for thawing and roasting your turkey before you proceed to this first step.  For more information, go to the USDA Let's Talk Turkey site.

Slice the breast meat but the legs and wings can be left whole.  Place your turkey in shallow containers, limiting the depth to less than 2 inches.  Metal containers cool faster than glass-type pans.  Also, refrigerate any broth saved for making gravy in shallow containers.  Refrigerate the turkey, loosely covered.  You can place loosely covered foods in the refrigerator while still warm.  However, cover tightly when food is completely cooled.

When serving your turkey the next day, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline advises that cooked turkey may be eaten cold or reheated.  Of course, you’re going to want to reheat your turkey so I would suggest following these recommendations given by the USDA:

In the oven set the temperature no lower than 325° F.  Reheat the turkey to an internal temperature of 165° F.  Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature.  My main concern with reheating is keeping the turkey meat moist.  What is suggested to keep the turkey moist is to add a little broth or water and cover it.  If you are using a microwave, cover your food and rotate it for even heating.  Once again, check the internal temperature of your turkey with a food thermometer to make sure it reaches 165° F.  After that, it’s time to sit back and enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and holiday!

Spotlight on SNAP-ED with Jodi Duncan

There are so many facets to MSU Extension and today I would like to highlight our Nutrition SNAP-ED program.  This is the Montana State University Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education, which supports low income Montanans in making the healthy choice the easy choice when it comes to nutrition and physical activity.  We know that 77% of Montana adults do not participate in enough physical activity to meet guidelines, that 74% of Montana adults eat less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and 29% of Montana children ages 10 to 17 are overweight or obese.  To combat these challenges, SNAP-ED teaches low income youth and adults how to eat, live, learn, work, play, and shop within their communities to make healthier choices. 

Locally, Jodi Duncan is the SNAP-Ed instructor based out of our Glacier county office, with primary responsibilities of serving the Blackfeet Reservation in addition to the Cut Bank and Shelby communities as time permits.  She started this position in September, and has certainly hit the ground running!  In October alone, Jodi taught a total of 30 different classes, which reached 460 individuals!  Jodi has been teaching 1^st, 3^rd, and 5^th graders at the Babb Elementary School, and 9 different classes of 1^st graders at the Vina Chattin Elementary School in Browning.  She has also begun teaching classes here in the Cut Bank schools, and has been working on scheduling classes with the Shelby Elementary School as well. 

Each lesson that Jodi teaches focuses on both nutrition and physical activity.  Students are given the opportunity to sample a healthy food during each class which has exposed many students to fruits and vegetables that they may not normally try.  Some examples of the samplings that students tried last month included whole grain trail mix, vegetable soup, yogurt parfait, and a peanut butter yogurt dip with apples. 

               
Statewide, the MSU Extension Nutrition Education team reached 8,152 Montanans with direct education efforts in this last grant year.  There were 920 adults that participated in the Eating Smart, Being Active series and 7,103 youth that participated in the Youth Understanding MyPlate series in the 1^st, 3^rd, and 5^th grades across Montana. 

              
Thank you to the schools that have partnered with the MSU Extension SNAP-Ed program.  It’s exciting to hear the stories of 1^st graders that want a second helping of vegetable soup, or the kids that see Jodi in the grocery store or tell her that they had their parents pick up a fruit they tried in class!  The SNAP-ED program is just one more way that MSU Extension is making an impact in

Montana.

Kari Lewis, MSU Extension - Glacier County