Show from February 5, 2006

Birch

Good morning gardeners. Isn't it a lovely day? I loved the sunshine yesterday morning – it gives me such a lift. Yes, it's true that I've been away for a few days to the Florida sunshine, but that is just not the same. While it was lovely there, the bright clear Manitoba winter sun is a treat that southerners will never know.

And this cold weather is great. It now feels as though we are having a real Manitoba winter. Once this is over, we'll be ready for an early spring and a lovely warm summer.

By the way, thank you to Kevin Twomey and Mr. Tomato for their help while I was away. I hear they both did a wonderful job.

And before I go on to the topic of the day, I want to say congratulations to Diane Beaven on her retirement from the Manitoba Forestry Association. Dianne spent 41 year shepherding that wonderful organization and she will be missed. On behalf of everyone who cares about trees, Dianne, thank you for all you did and I hope you enjoy your rest.

Speaking of trees, I have been thinking of one of the loveliest of our native species and that is the birch tree. I don't know about you, but birch trees make me think of summer and the cottage. they seem synonymous with the great northern outdoors.

But birch or Betula, it's Latin name, is a species found throughout northern Europe as well in north America in zones 2 to 7. It has been an important tree in every location is which it grows, surrounded by folk lore, and the bark is used in everything from relieving pain to tanning leather. Thin strips of the bark were once used as a substitute for oiled paper. Its leaves were used to relieve arthritis. Tea from birch bark was used to stimulate the liver and is a powerful diuretic.

But one of the most important products was birch sap which is sweet – about half as sweet as maple syrup.

For early aboriginal people, birch sap was an important sweetener. and now, the sap is once more making a comeback. Did you know that there is a new wine on Manitoba shelves made from Birch sap? It's called Tansy, for the Cree greeting, and a fellow from Bakers Narrows introduced this wine to Manitoba consumers in December.

Again, birch sap wine is not new. It was popular in England in Victorian times and Queen Victoria refers in her diary to Silver Birch wine as being the favourite beverage of her beloved Prince Albert.

CARE OF BIRCH TREES

If you're thinking of planting a birch tree, give it lots of space – - its root system is very extensive, about twice the height of the tree in area or about one third the size of a foot ball field. It needs excellent drainage and prefers sandy soil, but is a big drinker in springtime, consuming enough water in a single spring day to fill ten bathtubs.

It has a couple of enemies, among the, the bronze birch borer and the birch leaf miner. (Mike Allen says to get rid of the miner, treat the tree in early June – or about 10 days after the first bud break – with a product called Lagon.)

Birch borer damage can be detected by die back at the ends of the branches from the top of the crown downward, while leaf miner damage will be evenly spread throughout the tree, appearing in early stages as light green or whitish discolorations on the leaves.

The best prevention for the borer, which leaves a D-shaped exit hole in the tree – is sufficient watering. Here in Winnipeg and other places in Manitoba with a heavy clay content in the coil, it is important to add organic mulch at sub surface levels and to keep the soil well areated in the root zone.

Now with me today is Mike Allen of Viburnum Trees Services and if anyone can tell you more about this fascinating tree, he can.

Also with me is Samantha Mutchmor. the new Executive Director of the Coalition to Save the Elms. Good morning, Mike. Good morning Samantha.