Archive for the ‘Landscaping’ Category
January 3rd, 2012 | 
Author: Think GREEN and plant a tree today! Did you know that the winter time is one of the best times of the year for planting trees and conifers. Dormant trees and conifers transplant with virtually no stress and will be ready to spring to life when the weather warms. Little or no watering will be required after the initial watering when planted.
Another huge benefit to winter planting is that you are getting the freshest trees possible since nurseries are currently digging to fill their lots for spring inventory.
Call or visit our website today if you would like more information.
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By now you have undoubtedly heard of or have seen the disease called Diplodia Tip Blight that is affecting mostly the Austrian Pine and Scotch Pine in the Kansas City area. However, no Pinus species is immune including Douglass Fir, White Pine, Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Vanderwolf Pine. While this disease is not confined to our area alone, the Kansas City Metro is already seeing many dead pines and will continue to see the devastating effects of this disease for many years to come. Fungicide applications can slow down the inevitable demise of these species but applications must be timed properly at two different intervals in the spring when the new candles are forming to be effective.
Helpful tips: Prune and remove affected branches, rake up all blighted needles, twigs, and especially cones which harbor the fungus and destroy or discard them. Call a professional for fungicide treatment plan or removal.
If you would like more information or have one of these pines in your yard that needs help or complete removal please contact me to discuss.
(Photos provided by Dr. George W. Hudler, Cornell University)
Spring is in the air and its time to get your shrubs ready for the growing season.
The three main objectives for winter and early spring shrub pruning are to:
1) Thins excess or unsightly branching
2) Reduce overall height or to promote compactness
3) Rejuvenate multi-stem shrubs with too many old branches by cutting all stems
to a height of 3-6″.
A general rule of thumb: Do not trim spring flowering shrubs until after flowering is complete. If needed, you can go ahead and trim without injury to the shrub but the spring flower display may be greatly reduced for this spring season. Examples of shrubs in this category are Forsythia, Lilac and Mock Orange. Spireas which flower in the summer should be trimmed to a height of 3″-6″ every two to three years to reshape the shrub, remove any winter dieback and promote dense branching.
Red Twig Dogwood, Variegated Dogwood and Purple Leaf Plum also can benefit from an occasional sever pruning since these varieties can lanky growth patterns. Barberries can also withstand and benefit from an occasional hard pruning to reduce their size and promote compactness.
