Show --I Merry Christmas Salina RunGunnison Valley Ne Caring for your poinsettia by Clyde Hurst Sevier County USU Extension Agent There have been various articles on care and maintenance of poinsettias in many popu lar publications over the past month In case you have missed will one and desire a few pointers provide a brief synopsis here Some of this was taken from a note by one of our Extension horticulturists Jerry Goodspeed It may be helpful to remember that poinsettias are native to Mexico 1 he climate of their origin allows for growth in the winter when days are shorter and nights are longer It is the longer nights that are essential for the color development in the upper leaflike structures called bracts As most of you already know the (lowers are just those small yellow - green structures in the middle of the encircling bracts lope fully you have already started out with a healthy poinsettia which will have dark green leaves below the bracts and foliage all the way to the base like any other plant in the midst of active growth poinsettias will freeze at about 32 degrees and exposure to even slightly highertemperaturcscan cause injury to the leaves and bracts which may encourage early defoliation You will therefore want to be careful when transporting them from store to home or as is often done transporting them from home to cial events and back again Poinsettias will do best if the temperatures are kept about 65 to 70 degrees F in the day and 10 degrees less at night but they are forgiving if you don’t push the heat too much more than that Do give them good diffuse light if at all possible and don’t overwater They need moderate soil moisture but will develop root rot if left sitting in saturated soil Be sure the pot has drainage holes and that the foil or plastic wrap also has holes so the soil can drain A little houseplant fertilizer added to the water once every week or two will help keep them going When the colored bracts fall off watering can be reduced and trim off unhealthy leaves Jolly May Poinsettias tend to get a bit leggy looking but may be enjoyed if put outside when danger of frost is past Put them in a place out of direct sun but with good light If your plant grows well in the summer you may want to repot it in the fall and bring it into a room where the daynight light cycle will be the same as outdoors with no interruptions from artificial light Thisregimenshouldbringabout the color formation in the new bracts beneath the flowers again It is often hard to get this to work as well as the professional growers do but it could be fun It may be helpful also to remember that some people are sensitive to parts of the poinsettia plant The sap can cause skin irritations on sensitive people 'I his doesn’t mean that you should not have these lovely plants in your home during the holidays It just means that if you suspect that you may be sensitive you should leave the handling and watering to some other family member or wear long sleeves and some kind of glove You should be careful that young children don’t have access to them also since they tend to put a lot of things in their mouths This should not alarm anyone There are lots of other things you would not want your baby to eat so just treat your poinsettia the same as ou would the other things For more information call Clyde lurst your Utah State University Exx 275 tension Auent at good greetings are headed your way from Santa and us Don’t let a freeze put the squeeze on your pipes Each winter thousands of Utah residents are deluged with problems caused by freezing and breaking water pipes warns State Farm Fire and Casualty Company Claim payments by State Farm in 1995 for these kinds of losses exceed $33 million in Utah When the outside temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 6 degrees C elsius) water pipes in homes with little or no insulation are likely to freeze and break In fact a crack in a pipe can spew out more than 250 gallons of water a day destroying floors furniture appliances and personal items “In most cases damage of this type can be prevented it homeowners take simple precautions’’ says State Farm Public Affairs Specialist May Martinez Hendershot "Since uninsulated pipes are the most vulnerable to cold air homeowners can take a big step ward preventing damage by wrapping exposed pipes with insulation” Typically thicker insulation the kind most likely to be found at plumbing or home improvement supply much better than thinner insulation This should be carefully wrapped with ends butted tightly and joints wrapped with tape Other tips from State Farm include: Seal leaks that allow cold air side Look for air leaks around electrical wiring dryer vents and pipes Use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out and the heat in With severe wind chill a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze Disconnect garden hoses and if practical use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house Insulate pipes inyourhome’scrawl space or attic The more insulation you use the better protected your pipes will be An insulating pipesleeve heat tape or a thermostatically controlled heat cable are probably your best bets Be sure to use products approved by an independent testing organization such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc and only for the use intended (interior or exterior) When it’s especially cold where vou live let the hot and cold faucets drip overnight and open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to uninsulated pipes under sinks or exterior walls If you’re going away for an extended period of time it makes sense to shut off and drain the water system You must be aware however that if you have a fire protection sprinkler system in your house it will be deactivated when you shut off the water State Farm pays out about of the insurance industry’s nationwide total for frozen pipe damage this included $184 million on 76000 disass claims in a single ter in 989 That freeze mainly across the South cost more than the San Francisco earthquake that same year If your pipes freeze Don’t take chances If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out leave the faucets turned on and call a plumber If you detect that your water pipes have frozen and burst turn off valve in the water at the main the house leave the water faucets turned on (Make sure everyone in your family knows where the water valve is and how to open and close it Never try to thaw a pipe with a torch or other open flame Water damage is preferable to burning down your house You may be able to thaw a frozen pipe with the warm air from a hair dryer Start by warming the pipe as close to the faucet as possib le toward the coldest section of pipe Do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water because you could be electrocuted Snowmobiles dream above Sanpete County In the mountains above Sanpete County lies a hidden gem Judy and Glen Zumwalt call it snowmobilers paradise It is the Joe’s It ValleySky line Drive Complex consists of more than 100 miles of groomed trails and hundreds of miles of wide open fields with plenty of fresh powder snow “You will run out of daylight gasoline and energy before you run out of places to ride here” says Judy Zumwalt The Zumwalts have been avid for 28 years Glen snowmobilers Zumwalt is president of the Utah Snowmobilers Association and Judy Zumwalt publishes the group’s newsletter The couple also runs Big Pine Sports in Fairview which among other things sells and rents snowmobiling equipment Once people get a taste of the Joe’s ValleySkyline Drive complex they are hooked the Zumwalts say The area is massive more than 500 square miles of public land For travelers from the Wasatch Front it is accessible from Fairview in Sanpete County via Spanish Fork Canyon is possible from Snowmobiling about November through May The trails are groomed regularly by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the Manti LaSal National Forest Service The complex used to be a popular getaway mainly for locals Later the area was added to the snowmobiling map published by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation and its use creased However it is still an unknown spot to many “People get up there and their jaws just drop” Judy Zumwalt says “The sheer vastness of it is probably the most amazing thing There are some awesome views” Part of area's draw is that the roads to the sites are all paved and there are paved parking lots as well Equipment also can be rented locally Big Pine Sports even runs guided excursions that include clothing rides to the site equipment and tours Nearby town also offer amenities such as motels bed and breakfasts restaurants and automotive services Once at the Joe’s ValleySkyline Drive Complex Judy Zumwalt says it is important to follow some basic rules: never ride alone know your equipment respect the terrain and the weather For information on conditions at the Joe's ValleySkyline Drive complex call Utah Division of Parks and Recreor the MantiLaSal ation National Forest’s Sanpete Ranger District in Ephraim 283-- 151 For information on amenities in areas serving the complex call the Sanpete Heritage Council at J they bring loads of happiness and joy to you and your loved ones this holiday season We’re really grateful for your kind support fkiilies Gunnison Christmas is coming and we’d like to say hope lots of glad tidings are headed your way! Happy Holidays and loads of thanks from all of us Gunnison Plumbing MILLER COMPANY peace and serenity visit your home as we the Christmas season vour visiting us this past year Thank you Miller and Associates Gunnison Ut Salina Chevron and Heating Gunnison & May We reallv appreciate Salina Burger King Qisvron Interchange UT Salina lay the Utah delights of Christmas makes yours a nonderful Our sincere thanks for your kind patronage BURGER KING holiday Gunnison Telephone Company ±± ( m rtn Ml— Mu |