September 12, 2008
I can’t say when I have been more grateful for rain! My lawn has become so crunchy it hurts to walk barefoot on it and some of my newly transplanted shrubs have dropped their leaves. I have grown tired of watering and my plants and lawn are showing the effects.
The lawn will bounce back quickly with this nice, long rain but the trees, shrubs and perennials might take a little longer. If you have plants with no leaves or your perennials have no green parts above ground, do not assume they are dead. Be patient, it is possible for new leaves to appear this fall or even next spring.
Evergreen trees do not rebound if let go without water for too long. Once a conifer tree starts to turn brown, it is too late to bring it back. It will die in a very short time.
If a conifer has a slight yellowish tinge to the needle color, you can remedy that. That is typically a sign of nitrogen deficiency. The tree can be fertilized with evergreen tree spikes or a granular 12-12-12 fertilizer. Within 2 weeks the tree should look a healthier shade of green.
August 20, 2008
Due to the soaring fuel costs, many of us are doing sta-cations this summer instead of taking vacations. We are staying at home and enjoying our own surroundings. We will be spending leisure time in the yard and we might even be doing more outside entertaining which means everything will need to look its best. One spot that is frequently missed is pruning of the evergreens.
Most evergreen trees benefit from pruning while young. Once the trees get over 12 feet tall, pruning is difficult and usually not needed. First, look at the top of the tree. There should be only one leader pointing up at the top. If you see more, cut the other branches a bit shorter so there is only one long leader on top. With Pine and Hemlock, side branches might also need trimming. If this is done annually, you should only need to trim the new growth lightly. The more you trim the fuller looking the tree will become the next year. This is very advantageous if the trees were planted for privacy or wind protection. Spruce and Fir trees rarely need pruning on the sides.
The proper tools to use are hand pruners or pole pruners for the top leaders and long bladed hedge clippers for the sides. The Christmas tree growers trim their trees with long machetes for speeding up the process. That is a skill I have not learned!
July 7, 2007
If I get one point across today it’s to WATER!!! Any new or one year old plants you have in the ground are likely in need of a good soaking. And, since it’s time to start pruning, I am sending you a repeat tip from last year.
Pines are showing new growth on them. We call that “candle growth” because it looks like yellow candles standing straight up at the tips of the branches. This signals us that it if we want to prune our pines, this is the time to do it. The reason to prune pines is to encourage a fuller, denser, growth. If all you want is height and don’t mind if the tree grows with a more open habit, leave it alone.
To prune the tree, you cut off part of the candle. The amount you remove will influence how much growth you will allow the tree to have this year. If you do not remove any of the candle, you could get as much as 12-24″ of growth, whereas if you remove the entire candle, you won’t notice any growth on the branches and the trunk will just fatten up a bit. (The growth has to go somewhere!) I usually recommend you cut off half of the candle growth to prevent a spindly looking pine. Always leave one leader candle at the tree top that is taller than the rest. This leader I usually prune lightly also as it will determine where the next ring of branches will form at the tree top.
May 25, 2006
Take a look at your Pines and you should see new growth on them. We call that “candle growth” because it looks like yellow candles standing straight up at the tips of the branches. This signals us that it if we want to prune our pines, this is the time to do it. The reason we prune pines is to encourage a fuller, denser, growth. If all you want is height and don’t mind if the tree grows with a more open habit, leave it alone.
To prune the tree, you cut off part of the candle. The amount you remove will influence how much growth you will allow the tree to have this year. If you do not remove any of the candle, you could get as much as 24″ of growth, whereas if you remove the entire candle, you won’t notice any growth on the branches and the trunk will just fatten up a bit. (The growth has to go somewhere!) I usually recommend you cut off half of the candle growth to prevent a spindly looking pine. Always leave one leader candle at the tree top that is taller than the rest. This leader I usually prune lightly also as it will determine where the next ring of branches will form at the tree top.
If you want to guess the age of a pine tree, you can count the rings of limbs coming off the main trunk. The closer together the rings are, the denser the tree looks.
January 4, 2006
If your Holly, Rhododendron, Boxwood or Azalea are planted in a location with too much exposure to the winter sun and wind, these broadleaf evergreens can suffer by getting black leaf margins, dead leaves, or an entire plant can die. An anti-transpirant spray (such as Wilt-Pruf) can help. The spray covers the leaves and stems with a wax-like coating. The down side of the sprays is that they do need to be reapplied as it eventually washes off from the rain or snow.
Another option to the spray would be to wrap burlap around the plant to protect it. This does work but is rather unsightly. The best method is to put the right plant in the right space.
Also, check the condition of tender flower bulbs in storage. If shriveling a bit, sprinkle with water. Discard any rotted ones instantly and dust the remainder with sulfur.
December 29, 2005
Before you drag your Christmas tree to the curb to be thrown in the trash truck, consider keeping it around the yard for the birds. Tie the tree to a tall post or shade tree and it will stay green for months. The evergreen will offer the birds a lot of coverage from the cold winter winds. Strings of popcorn and suet balls can decorate the tree and the winter birds will love it!
December 21, 2005
White flecks on the needles of a green Christmas tree may look like flakes of snow but if they don’t melt away in your living room they are scale insects. Don’t worry, the insects are probably dead although their waxy coatings hide numerous eggs destined to hatch during May. Because there is a chance these eggs might survive the elements, avoid using these infested branches for mulching the gardens.
Poinsettias do not like soggy soil! Punch a drainage hole through the foil wrap of your Christmas poinsettias and set the plant on a plate for excess water to drain off.
November 1, 2005
Every fall I get asked this same question so I though some of you might be wondering about it too. “Why are the needles on the pine trees turning yellow?” This is a natural, annual occurence with many evergreen trees and is especially visual on white pines because the needles are longer and the trees grow with a more open habit. It is usually the second or third previous years (or the oldest) growth that turns yellow and eventually falls to the ground. The needles on the ends of the branches should still be green and flexible and if you look at the inside of most evergreen trees, you will notice there are no inner needles closer to the trunk. This is how we get that beautiful soft pine forest floor.
