Tuesday, November 1, 2011

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY PLANTS FROM SEVERE WINTER WEATHER?

WITH A DIFFICULT WINTER AHEAD IT WOULD BE WISE TO TAKE PROTECTIVE MEASURES NOW. SAFEGUARDING YOUR PLANTS IN FALL

ELUDES YOU FROM A SAD & DIFFICULT CLEANUP IN SPRING

PRUNING BACK IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES A POST OF IT'S OWN

OTHER VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS:

Spray Your Evergreens with Wilt Pruf

Wrap New and Tender Plants in Burlap

Cover Small Fruiting Trees With Frost Clothes

http://www.gardenbargains.com/item-300386/cosy-fleece-cover-set-of-3.htm

Larger Sensitive Trees with Plastic Canvas

Topiaries with Canvas Housing or Burlap

Perennials with Glass Housing

Or Cold Frames

Building Up Your Plants With Mulch Works Great Too - Especially for Roses

Or Wrap & Mulch At The Same Time

Then There's Always Old Fashion Burying

This practice is often used to protect Fig Trees as well as Roses

Monday, October 31, 2011

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY TREE IS PRONE TO BREAKAGE?

THE ANSWER IS VISUALLY SIMPLE

You see it all the time. The trees that break are typically imbalanced or diseased. Observe these photos for example:

THIS TREE WILL SPLIT RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE DURING A BAD STORM SUMMER OR WINTER

THIS TREE WILL COMPLETELY UPROOT IN A BAD STORM SUMMER OR WINTER

THIS TREE'S DEAD FROM DISEASE LIMBS WILL BREAK OFF IN EVEN A MILD STORM

THIS TREES LEFT LIMB IS WEAK IN CALIBER AND IT COULD VERY WELL BREAK IN AN ICE STORM

THIS TREE WILL LOSE THE LOWER RIGHT BRANCHES FROM WEIGHT IN A SNOW OR ICE STORM

THIS TREE WILL LOSE THE VERY BRANCH THE ARBORIST IS BEGINING TO PRUNE IN A WINTER STORM OF SNOW, ICE AND HIGH WINDS

Sunday, October 30, 2011

WHY DO TREE LIMBS BREAK DURING AN UNTIMELY SNOWSTORM AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT IT?

WHEN A SNOW STORM HITS AND THE TREES ARE NOT READY

We had a lot of rain early fall, followed by unseasonably warm temperatures and the plants perform according to what mother nature deals them. So they absorbed the water and it's organic nutrients and continued to grow and flourish which is why the retained their green leaves so late in the season. Many of the trees that broke were still in summer color and had not yet begun the process to dormancy. The fall colors occur as the plant draws back nutrients from its leaves to store as food for the the long winter. So between the excessive water uptake and still being leafed out, these evergreen and deciduous trees had a greater surface for which the snow and ice to adhere. This added weight and as a result broke the limbs.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

When it's safe to access the breakage prune back the remaining branch stub, in some cases to the trunks surface. If you haven't already I might also suggest a deep root feeding of the specimen. To prevent further damage brace or cable the tree and prune back some of the other branches to reduce the wind load.

They're prepared, but are we?

If you've observed the chipmunks and squirrels this season then you realized how busy they were collecting food, or best said, destroying your garden. Thats because they knew we were in for a harsh winter...again.

I will follow up with more informative posts so as not to let this happen to you

Thursday, October 27, 2011

CAN A PUMPKIN GIVE BIRTH?

YES BUT ONLY BY SCULPTURE

I will be away from my posts for a few days for minor knee surgery, but to sign off I had to share this funny and unusual use of pumpkins put together by a hospital staff in a maternity ward.... I suppose to take the edge off. I thought it would be kind of appropriate. Ouch!

BE BACK SOON!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY ROTTING PUMPKIN?

Bury It and it Will Grow

If you have an area for a pumpkin patch in full sun and well drain soil or mulch then bury your decaying squash deep enough to recover it with an inch or two. The protected seeds within will germinate and begin to grow the following spring. It's fun and easy!