Learn the various uses for rootstocks and how to choose the right ones for your growing needs.

All tree fruits, including citrus, are propagated onto the root system of another plant. This root system is commonly referred to as the understock or rootstock. The upper part of the grafted or budded plant that bears fruit is referred to as the scion variety.

Rootstock varieties are not as plentiful as scion varieties, so selecting the proper rootstocks to use with fruit types grown in a particular area is easier. However, growers should become familiar with the rootstocks of choice for their particular needs.

Herbaceous perennials are common favorites in any garden or landscape. They require little maintenance and, unlike annual plants, will bloom for two or more years. Perennials also come in an array of colors, giving gardeners more options to add color to their landscapes. The following information will help gardeners grow healthy perennials all year long.

After a rocky 2023, the Alabama timber market is expected to begin trending in the right direction in 2024. However, there are several factors to keep an eye on as the year progresses. An Alabama Cooperative Extension System forest economics expert said landowners should know where the market stands going into this year.

The Weakest Link

The saying goes that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In terms of the Alabama timber market supply chain, the chain is at its strongest when there is the best ratio of timber supply, demand, input costs, capital investment and accessibility.

According to Adam Maggard, an Alabama Extension associate professor of forest business and economics, the state is dealing with an oversupply of marketable timber.

“Alabama is still facing a timber supply issue in terms of oversupply,” Maggard said. “Although it is dependent on how much of that supply is marketable and accessible to markets, our loblolly pine growing stock — making up roughly 83% of our softwood growing stock in the state — has more than doubled in the last 20 years.”

A strong component of the market is capital investments. During the last decade, Alabama surpassed more than $7 billion in capital investments in the forestry sector, with a recorded peak of $1.3 billion in 2018. In the same decade, there was a significant decrease in investments because of COVID-19. However, year over year, these investments into the industry have increased since 2020.

Most of these investments are being put toward mill capacity improvements, new sawmills and mills that are transitioning to produce products higher in demand (paperboard and container board currently). Maggard said there are also new investments in wood-pellet plants across the state, which is also reflective of the Southeastern region.

Timber Prices

On average, it has been well over a decade since there was large changes in stumpage prices (a tree’s price on its stump prior to harvest).

“Stumpage prices have largely remained suppressed and will likely not change much, with the exception of potential impacts from weather (wet weather events),” Maggard said. “However, the large surplus, housing market, economy, mill capacity and weather are all economic conditions to keep an eye on heading into 2024.”

Other factors that may influence stumpage prices include competition, distance from mills, tract size, tree species and tract accessibility.

A recently weakened demand of pine sawtimber forced a decline in its prices until eventually stabilizing near the turn of the new year. As with pine and hardwood pulpwood, their prices fell sharply each quarter in 2023. In fact, Maggard said region-wide, pine pulpwood prices witnessed a decline of 21% on average. In part, factors attributing to the decrease include product shifts in the paper sector, rises in the utilization of recycled fibers and an increase in the supply of sawmill residues as a result of recent capacity increases from mill expansions.

Housing Market

The housing market slowed throughout 2023. Currently, negative factors impacting the housing market include increasing mortgage rates, declining affordability of homes, inflation, lags in household formations, labor shortages, continued constraints on logistics and the supply chain, bank failures in the United States and global uncertainties (wars in Ukraine and Israel).

Most value-added forest products are utilized in the new, single-family housing construction sector. Increased mortgage interest rates have caused monthly mortgage payments to increase significantly for this sector. This has priced many buyers out of the market.

“The influence of increasing mortgage rates is evident, as aggregate costs have decreased affordability; thus, a reduction in total new and existing house sales for the 2023 calendar year,” Maggard said. “Overall, interest rates are expected to decrease some in 2024, which is indicative of a more favorable outlook. The desire to own a home remains a bright spot for a strong housing market to return when mortgage rates decline and affordability increases.”

Regional-Timber-Market Outlook

Maggard shares his quick notes on the regional-timber outlook. The list below provides a perspective of how the regional market is behaving.

• Softwood lumber capacity in the South is increasing thanks to new and improved mills.
• Softwood lumber production is forecasted to increase across the South.
• Hardwood capacity in region declined in recent years. This is because mills shifted toward softwood and increased capacity for pine timber. Also, pine is less expensive and easier to procure.
• There were seven pulp and paper mill closures in 2022 and 2023. Three mills converted to recycled production facilities only. As the largest pulp and paper producing region, this caused over 10 million tons of lost consumption.
• The pellet and bioenergy markets continue to grow, while wood demand for pulp has decreased.
• Logging employment has declined and trucking remain a continued issue.

More Information

The Alabama timber market has the potential to have a productive year in 2024. Look for cues — such as more building development, mortgage rates, weather events and the economy — to affect the market as the months progress. For information about forest economics, check out Alabama Extension’s Forest Business Resources program to learn more about maximizing forest potential.

For most Americans, the deadline to file 2023 federal income taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is Monday, April 15, 2024, unless extended because of a state holiday. When preparing to file federal taxes with the IRS, there are a few things to do in advance:

• Gather tax documents.
• Store documents safely and securely.
• Compare tax preparation options.

Doing these not only helps to save time when completing the forms but also helps safeguard against omitting information or making filing errors.

Do I need to file taxes?

Some taxpayers think they do not have to file taxes if they do not make a lot of money. Generally, it is rare not to file a tax return. Simply put, if your income is less than your standard deduction, you generally do not need to file a return (assuming you do not have income, such as self-employment income).

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Tax time does not have to be stressful. Before you begin the whole process, you may want to review the following checklist to ensure you arrive to tax appointments fully prepared.

Time

• Individual income tax returns are generally due April 15, unless it is the weekend or holiday. See When to File on the IRS website, www.irs.gov.
• If you are seeking an extension, you may file Form 4868, and your due date will be in October.
• The IRS provides the Tax Time Guide on their website, and more information may come out soon.

Personal Information

• Provide the social security numbers and dates of birth for all family members. (Required)
• Prepare bank routing and account number to receive the refund. (Optional)
• Bring copies of last year’s tax return. (Not required but helpful)

Income Information

• Bring W-2 forms for your family members.
• Form 1099-G for unemployment compensation.
• If you are self-employed, you will need Form 1099 and Schedule K-1. Learn more about the 1099-K form on the IRS website.
• If you have rental income, you need the records of income and expenses.
• If you are retired, you may have retirement income, such as pension, IRA, and annuity (1099-R).

In addition to the list above, there are other types of income, such as business income, investments, installment sales, alimony received (divorce before 2019), stock options, scholarships, awards, etc. The following links may be helpful:

• Individuals: https://www.irs.gov/individuals
• Business: https://www.irs.gov/businesses

Deductions

There are two types of deductions: deductions for Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)—also called adjustments—and deductions from Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), also called standard deductions or itemized deductions. Find more detailed information by visiting the IRS web page, Credits and Deductions for Individuals.

Deductions can lower the tax burden. As a result, you can have more money in your pocket. To prepare the documentation, you may prepare the following:

• Contribution to retirement accounts, such as Keogh, SEP, SIMPLE, and another self-employed pension plan
• Health Saving Account (HAS) contributions
• Self-employed health insurance payment records
• Mortgage interest from 1098 forms
• Receipts for energy-saving home improvements
• Electric vehicle information
• Cash or gifts to charitable organizations
• Receipts for moving expenses
• Sales of home (Section 121)

Tax Credits

• Documentation of adoption costs, such as medical, transportation, etc.
• Education costs
• Clean vehicle credits
• Record of foreign tax credits (if applicable)
• Home energy credits

In most cases, the individual tax credits can be found on the IRS website. If you are looking for credits and deductions for business, visit the IRS website listing of business credits and deductions.

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Good fats, bad fats, animal fats, vegetable fats—it’s hard to keep track of all the different kinds of fats and what you are and are not supposed to eat.

Types of Fat

Fat is a nutrient essential for health, and a source of energy. The benefits of fats are that they (1) support cell function, (2) protect organs and help keep the body warm, (3) help the body absorb some nutrients, and (4) produce important hormones. Too much fat in your diet, especially saturated and trans fats, increases your risk for several diseases, including heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and certain types of cancer.

What Is Cholesterol?

You’ve heard of it before. And you even know you shouldn’t eat too many hamburgers and french fries. But what is cholesterol, and what does it have to do with fat? Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fatlike substance found in the bloodstream and all your body’s cells. It is in meat, milk, butter, cheese, egg yolks, and seafood (crab, lobster, shrimp). Our bodies, which need some cholesterol to survive, produce most of the needed blood cholesterol. The rest (about 25 percent) comes from the foods you eat. Too much cholesterol can clog your arteries and lead to serious diseases such as heart disease. The good news is that you can control how much cholesterol you eat.

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Gardens enable people to grow their own food and have an active role in what’s being put on the dinner table. Whether in a community, school, or personal garden, there are multiple benefits to taking charge of your family’s meal plan. Research shows that people who participate in gardening tend to be more physically active, eat more fruits and vegetables, and experience lower rates of food insecurity.

Live Well Alabama and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University strive to partner with local garden efforts throughout the state. These partnerships includes community centers, early childhood centers, elementary and high schools, food assistance sites, healthcare systems, housing districts for limited-resource families and seniors, and summer camps. These partnerships work to establish new gardens, reinvigorate current gardens, and maintain existing garden efforts.

The produce grown in these gardens serves a wide range of individuals. At times, it goes directly to the individuals helping maintain the garden. Other times, volunteers are involved in helping donate to food assistance sites. Some school gardens allow children to take home produce grown, and if there is food leftover, it is donated to a local food bank or pantry.