April 2, 2014

The Lazy Man’s Way to Kill A Tree – FAIL – Always Cut the Cording String

They should have known better…It only takes a minute.

Cut the strings around the stem once the tree is stable. This red maple tree will eventually die.

Cut the strings around the stem once the tree is stable. This red maple tree will eventually die.

A landscape contractor (professional) overlooked the red maple above and the one next to it. What am I writing and ranting about? The lacing that holds soil-grown trees together. Sometimes there is a wire basket holding the soil and burlap together.

Either way, always cut the strings around the stems of a soil-grown tree or shrub. Always. But, wait…before you do, is the tree stable?

Don’t cut the string until the plant has settled into the soil. After install, sometimes a plant will sway one side or another due to wind and rain. It’s easy to straighten the tree before you cut the string. After, be careful moving the stem. If you hear popping noises, then roots are snapping.

The red maple above has been planted for over a year. This is plenty of time for the area to stabilize. Someone made a big mistake. Lucky for them I happened to come by and fix the problem.

Why cut the string at all, you’re thinking…? The string will eventually strangle the cambium layer of the stem. This effectively chokes stems and branches of receiving nutrients. It’s not uncommon to see this.

There are 1000 details to growing plants well. Don’t forget this one.

Have you ever seen this problem in the landscape? Let me know in the comments below.

Filed Under: Establishment and Care Advice, Expensive Mistakes
February 8, 2014

Right and Wrong Plant Install Methods – And Little Pointers That Will Increase Your Success

A beautiful tree is bought and installed the same day. Two weeks (or two months) later the leaves are wilting or the needles are turning brown. What happened?

Hollywood Juniper under transplant shock. The soil root ball was incorrectly installed.

Hollywood Juniper under transplant shock. The soil root ball was incorrectly installed.

The plant is in transplant shock. What?

When it was planted or transplanted, something happened that increased plant stress tremendously. Wait, stress, shock, is this even real?

Yes, it sounds funny, but transplant shock happens on some level every time a plant is installed. The roots are happy before the install process occurs and become stressed when water in not applied regularly.

Think about it… plants are not designed to be moved!

Most transplant shock occurs from under-watering. If the roots aren’t happy and moist, then the entire plant suffers. It may take weeks of under-watering or incorrect watering techniques to become apparent. At that point of visual contact and confirmation, it may be too late.

Here’s how to avoid transplant shock.
  • Start with a healthy plant. If the tree or shrub is wilted or looks sick at the garden center, don’t buy it.
  • Dig a proper hole. That means two times wider than the root ball. Try to dig and install just one plant a day if you have a large project. Don’t get in a hurry here. I have stunted more plants because I became exhausted and cut corners.
  • Install correctly. Remove the container (plastic pot) if applicable. If the tree is wrapped in burlap and/or a wire basket, DO NOT REMOVE. The burlap and basket protect the delicate roots from further stress. Apply appropriate amounts of water. You can’t over-water at the point of install. Make a moat!
  • Add mycorrhizae at planting time. Mix with water for greatest effectiveness.
  • Check the root ball every day for moisture with your finger. If needed, soak the root system.

If you follow the guidelines above, you’ll succeed 99% of the time. Good luck!

Question: What install methods have you found to be the most effective? Let me know on Facebook…

 

Filed Under: Establishment and Care Advice, Expensive Mistakes, Plant Install, Speak Landscape Like A Pro
January 16, 2014

How to Improve Cold Hardiness and Winter Protection for Landscape Plants

Imagine for a minute, you’re at a garden center… just browsing.

Cover tender plants with a sheet of 4 mil plastic.

Cover tender plants with a sheet of 4 mil plastic.

It’s the middle of Spring and a confederate Jasmine vine catches your eye.

The small yellow blooms are attractive and you instantly know the perfect spot for it at home.

A garden center employee mentions to you “It grows like a weed, but might not be cold hardy”, she says.  You make the purchase anyway because it’s gorgeous and take it home.

One look at the plant tag says it’s a Zone 8 plant. What does this mean and where should I plant it?

Cold Hardiness Zone

Cold hardiness is the rating a plant receives to indicate how cold a temperature it can withstand before damage. The USDA developed the Cold Hardiness Zone Map. Find your zone. Click here.

For Tennessee, Zone 8 is the warmest zone. Zone 8 is located near Memphis. This means that the cold weather typically doesn’t fall below zero degrees Fahrenheit. But it’s not a sure thing.

Cold hardiness zones are based on temperature averages over the previous decades. It’s well known the North-Western Hemisphere is in a slight warming trend, but each year the temperature could swing near record lows.

Zone 6 is the coldest climate in Tennessee, located in the eastern part of the state.

What is the best planting location for tender plants?
  • Plant susceptible tender plants on the southern side of the home and as close to the foundation as possible.

The heat from the home will radiate to the root system in the Winter. If the root system survives, the plant will flush new fresh growth in Spring. If the southern side and home foundation are not available, avoid a windy alley. Frigid cold wind causes dessication, or drying out of plant stems.

What Does Winter Damage Look Like?
  • Dessication damage may occur with stem splitting or stem die back.

Hard pruning is required to remove the dead stems. This may or may not be acceptable to you. Removing the dead stems will allow to the plant to flush new growth the following Spring. The new growth will hide the stem stumps.

Another way to protect susceptible plants is to wrap them in burlap or plastic. This traps humidity and warmer air. It helps eliminate dessication. For more info, click here.

How Do I Minimize the Possibility of Damage?
  • Purchase and Install cold hardy trees and shrubs.

That means if you’re in a Zone 6, 7, or 8, use trees and shrubs with a cold hardiness of 3, 4, and 5. These plants are extremely resistant to cold damage. A great hardy shrub is hydrangea.

Do you have any more tips that I didn’t mention? Please continue the conversation on the Facebook page.

Filed Under: Establishment and Care Advice, Expensive Mistakes, Right Plant In The Right Place, Winter Protection