MENUPlant Health Care (PHC) is a holistic approach to maintaining your trees, shrubs and even your perennials. PHC begins when you first select a plant and continues throughout its lifetime. Here are some of the ways in which PHC can play a role in your plant's health and longevity:• To begin with, it's important to select the right plant for the location. This will go a long way towards assuring the health of your plant for years to come. It will be happy and grow the way it's supposed to, reducing the need for ongoing maintenance.• Provide good cultural care throughout their lifetime. That means having them pruned when they need pruning, providing any protection they need like guarding against animals feeding on them in winter and fertilizing if needed.
• Practice IPM (Integrated Pest Management). Some people believe IPM is PHC but it is only one aspect of it. IPM is the process of monitoring plants regularly for insect and disease activity and taking the action that's most effective at controlling the pest with the least impact on the environment. Regular monitoring detects pest activity in its early stages when less aggressive treatment is still possible.• A key aspect of PHC is preventive care. It's said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For example, preventive treatment for emerald ash borer (EAB) can save your ash trees from sure destruction. An already infested ash tree must be treated every year. Preventive treatments only have to be made every two years. Saving both time and trauma to the tree. The same is true for Dutch elm disease.• Changes to the landscape can also affect the surroundings. If, for example, a large tree is removed, it could affect understory plants – those planted in the shade of that tree. Plants that would thrive under a canopy would likely be shade tolerant. Removing the source of their shade exposes them to more sunlight than they are able to tolerate, resulting in very stressed plants.• If a plant is dead or dying, our Plant Health Care professional will recommend its removal. In addition to safety concerns, they consider such factors as the health of other plants whose roots are intermingled with the affected plant and the overall appearance of the landscape.PHC is a specialty within the arboriculture profession. Our PHC professionals are specially trained to diagnose and treat any tree and shrub problems early before they get a foothold. They employ the most effective, cost efficient and environmentally sensitive practices available. However, you are always in charge of the program. Our PHC pro makes recommendations. You make the final decision on how to proceed.
Winter is a good time to do a little research before the landscape season is upon us, especially if new trees or shrubs are in your plans. When spring arrives and you go to your garden center with your plant list, you’ll be better prepared.
The internet is a good place to begin. The site I recommend for good, professional information is www.treesaregood.com. It's the International Society of Arboriculture's (ISA's) consumer information site. A selection of consumer flyers can be downloaded free from the Tree Owner Information heading. The Arbor Day Foundation (arborday.org) is another worthwhile site. One caution, though: the foundation sells trees at what appears to be a very low price. These are bare root saplings. My advice is to obtain the information you need from their list to help you select a tree you like but to purchase it at a local nursery or garden center where you can examine the tree before you buy.Your first step should be to select a site on your property where a tree or shrub is needed. Determine the amount of space that you have available. Are there any obstacles like driveways, walkways, overhead or underground utilities or even pool or patio that could be adversely impacted by planting on that site? How much sunlight does the site receive? How is the drainage? What type of soil is there? You may have to wait until spring to determine the drainage and soil conditions but the answers to all of these questions affect your plant selection. If the site and the plant aren't compatible, you'll have nothing but headaches ranging from extra maintenance to the plant dying. Remember...right plant, right place.Your second step should be to decide why you want a plant in that space. The German Bauhaus art school's "form follows function" design philosophy should apply. Knowing why you want a plant in that space will also influence your selection. Are you planting it as a windbreak, to provide cooling, for privacy, to fill an empty space in your landscape design, for its fruit or to clean the air or prevent erosion?When you select a plant variety that you would like, check for any problems before getting attached to it. Is it hardy in our zone 5/6 climate? Does it have any potential pest problems? (You wouldn't want to plant an ash tree today, for example.) Is the growth pattern right for the site?You'll have to wait a couple of months before garden centers begin receiving their fresh plants from the nurseries but when you go, with your research fresh in your mind, seek additional advice from one of their staff horticulturists. It's a good bet that the tree you buy this spring will outlive you so you'll have to care for it a good long time – good reason to get it right.Carefully look over the plant you're considering. Be sure the trunk is straight and solid with no wounds and good branching structure with no crossing or rubbing branches and no co-dominant stems. When a trunk branches into two or more "Y" shaped trunks that appear to be of near equal size, those are co-dominant stems. Even though they appear equal, one is always weaker and prone to breakage and other major problems that you don't need.Have the horticulturist pull it out of the pot or pull the burlap back so you can check for girdling root. That's a root that's encircling the root ball. If everything else checks out, it's OK to have the horticulturist cut the girdling root out.When you get the plant home, dig the hole at least twice the diameter of the root ball but only the depth of the root ball. Remove the tree from its pot and stand it in the hole. If it's balled and burlapped, cut the wire or twine and pull the burlap down from the sides. Backfill the hole, stopping about halfway to gently tamp the soil to eliminate any air pockets. Finish backfilling, tamp again, water and mulch. Don't stake unless you are planting in a very windy location.For expert assistance, you can select the site, define your reason for planting, have some varieties in mind and turn the rest over to one of our professional landscape designers. Our professional designers know plants so be open minded if they advise against planting in a certain location. You'll thank the designer for saving you a lot of work in the future.
If dividing your perennials is one of the fall landscape tasks that you just didn't get to before winter descended upon us, fear not. It's ok to do it in the spring.However, you don't want to run right out and begin dividing perennials now. Right now, the soil is either frozen or muddy, neither of which is workable. I suggest
you put it on your to-do list for when spring actually arrives. You will have better success when the soil is plantable. You’ll be able to tell its ready when you can take a handful of soil, squeeze it and little or no water drains from your hand.Dividing or splitting is one of the best methods to propagate perennials. Each perennial you divide yields three new plants, and all it costs you is a few minutes of work. The process also keeps perennials from taking over your whole yard and maintains the original look of your beds. Here's how it's done:• Lay a tarp or piece of plastic on the ground next to your perennial bed.• Select those perennials that have grown too large and spread out too much for the space.• With a sharp spade, dig up the whole perennial(s) you plan to split and lay it on the tarp.• Using your sharp spade, pruners, a saw or any sharp tool that you feel comfortable with, cut the rootball in half. Then cut each half in half so you have four individual plants.• Return one section to the hole. Backfill, tamping about halfway through the process to remove any air pockets. Finish backfilling, tamp, water and mulch.• Plant the other three plants elsewhere or find them a new home.You may have places in your own yard that would make a good home for the remaining perennials from your splitting operation. If not, they make nice gifts for your gardening friends. One or more of your local non-profit organizations that sponsor spring plant sales would also appreciate your donating the split perennials to the sale.You may find that you prefer splitting perennials in spring, rather than fall. That way you, or the recipients of the extra plants, don't have to overwinter them. They can plant them, or sell them, as soon as they are received. You may prefer not to split perennials at all, in which case, we have landscape professionals who would be happy to do it for you.
Tree trimming is one of an electric utility's highest maintenance expenses, and you, the ratepayers, foot the bill. There is something homeowners and municipalities can do to rein in those costs. Plant lower growing trees near power lines.Safely providing consistent power is the utilities’ number one priority. So, trees that interfere with utility wires are going to be pruned to maintain state-mandated distances from wires. Besides looking less attractive, excessively pruned trees' lives may be shortened. They will be under stress, which can lead to insect and disease attacks.
Most property owners, both private and public, believe there is nothing they can do except lament the aggressive pruning required by the New York State Public Service Commission. But there is something you can do. If you have a tree interfering with power lines in your yard, have it removed and replaced with a lower growing tree.With the high winds that we experienced in Western New York recently, I felt it important to share a factor our designers take into consideration when deciding on tree placement. That is the location of utilities. I hope you'll also keep it in mind as you plan the addition of trees to your landscape. It's important to look up as well as down. Electric, telephone and cable wires can be either above ground or under ground. Gas, water and sewer are always underground and if you have a septic system it is critical to avoid interfering with that. The final height and spread of the tree have to be considered when planning where to plant. Below ground, the spread of the root system comes into play. Roots often grow great distances beyond the dripline (edge of the leaf canopy),Underground, roots can be growing near or around utilities. If it's necessary for the utilities to dig down and repair their infrastructure, roots may be severed in the process, increasing the tree's stress. Before digging the hole to plant a tree, it's necessary to call the local utility locator service. A representative will come to your property, locate the utilities and put little flags in the ground. If you don't have utilities flagged and cause damage, you may be responsible for the repair. To schedule flagging, you can phone 811 or contact your utility or town hall for the number of the service they use. To contact a utility locator service online, google utility locators and your Zip code.Proper tree selection and placement can reduce danger, reduce power outages, improve your landscape appearance and reduce costs for utilities and their customers. Trees that grow 60 feet or taller should be planted a minimum of 35 feet from a structure like a house or electric lines. Those that grow up to 40 feet should be planted at least 15 feet from structures or wires. Only trees growing 20 feet or less should be planted within 15 feet of wires.Local governments and utilities have been given an "easement" to enter your property to maintain their infrastructure. However, you are responsible for any necessary pruning of trees interfering with service lines coming from the pole to your home. That's why it behooves you to plant only low growing plants around utility wires.
We've been having a classic Great Lakes/Finger Lakes winter so far. Fluctuating temperatures, frequent freeze/thaw cycles, days with plowable snow and days with bare ground are typical of a Great Lakes winter. They’re also the perfect combination of conditions that cause winter burn on evergreens.I hope you had us spray your evergreens with antidesiccant. This wax like material keeps transpired water from photosynthesis from being blown from leaves and needles before it can be reabsorbed by the leaves and used again in the process. It's the most economical protections against winter burn that you can provide for these valuable trees and shrubs.
If you did have antidesiccant applied, it may need to be reapplied. Normally, the waxy material melts in spring when the weather warms up. If the weather warms up during the winter, the antidesiccant can melt early, in which case, it should be "touched-up."If you didn't have us protect your evergreens before winter arrived, there's plenty of winter left, and we can still apply antidesiccant for the first time. Our professionals will also inspect your plants and , if any are already suffering from winter burn, we’ll advise you of that. The only treatment is pruning out the dead branches.In addition to preventjng winter burn, antidesiccant is also good for the smooth bark of some deciduous trees like sycamore or cherry. Freeze/thaw cycles can cause frost cracks – cracks in the bark that run up and down the tree. They occur when water in the trunk thaws and begins flowing during a thaw, only to freeze again and expand, cracking the bark.Antidesiccant can be applied only when the temperatures are above freezing. For best results, we try to wait until the mercury soars above 40º F. The sooner you call the earlier we can get you on our schedule for when the weather breaks again.
How you plan your landscape can actually reduce your utility bill. Follow the tips below when planning spring planting and let Mother Nature help you save energy. Strategic placement of trees and shrubs can save you a substantial amount year round.
If you plant conifers like spruce and pine to the north and west of your home, they can help block, or more accurately deflect, cold winter winds, since north and west are the directions of our prevailing winds. For maximum savings, plant evergreens a distance from the house. They will then deflect the wind, sending it up and over the roof, rather than just trying to stop the wind. It’s the same concept as the airfoils you see on the roofs of tractor-trailer cabs. They deflect air over the trailer, which is higher than the cab.Planting deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) to the south and east of the house works in your favor year round. In the winter, sunlight can reach your house through the barren branches and provide some warmth. In summer, when the sun is hotter, the trees’ leaves can block the rays and help to keep it cool.Landscaping is a blend of science and art. The trees’ biology, the physics affecting heat and wind flow and aesthetics all have to be considered. You won’t be happy if the evergreen and deciduous trees don’t balance each other visually and the design makes your yard look off kilter. And, the trees won’t be happy if you don’t plant the right tree in the right place.If you want the energy saving results but don’t want to balance all the design elements with scientific reality, one of our professional designers will be happy to work with you to assure that all criteria are met. Starting the process now, in winter, can result in early spring installation, so you can begin enjoying your new landscape soon after winter departs.
With winter in full swing and the recent snow melt, you may be starting to get that itch to be out working in the yard. Punxsutawney Phil said we have about six more weeks of winter so there will most like be more snow shoveling but I don't think that's the kind of outdoor work you are hoping for. While I can't make spring get here any faster, I can offer some suggestions for staying occupied – you can make sure your outdoor tools are in good working order.If you have a heated work area, you can get a head start on spring by servicing the tools that weren’t serviced in the fall before you put them away for the winter. Some of the projects you could do while waiting for spring include:• Servicing your lawnmower according to the owner's manual. At the very least the oil, spark plug and air filter should be changed.• Cleaning the underside of the mowing deck.• Sharpening the blade.• Servicing your handheld power equipment like blowers and string trimmers according to the owner’s manual. What service is required depends on the type of engine the tool is equipped with. All internal combustion engines require changing the spark plug and air filter. If equipped with a 4 cycle engine you should also change the oil. A 2 cycle engine uses an oil gas mix so it doesn’t require an oil change.• Making sure the fuel is fresh• Making an appointment now if you prefer to take your power equipment to a dealer for service. They get very busy closer to spring.• Sharpening shovels, iron rakes, pruning shears and other tools that are used to cut or penetrate.• Starting to shop for new hand tools if yours are getting worn out. Newer models are being made with lighter weight material and stronger, sharper blades.• If replacing outdoor power equipment is planned for this season. Be sure to be an educated consumer. Start by researching now and be sure to keep an eye out for sales. There are both commercial and consumer grade equipment. Commercial grade is typically heavier duty and sold through power equipment dealers. Consumer grade machines are designed for homeowner use and are available through power equipment dealers but can also be found at big box stores.Here in our area, spring doesn't creep up on us. It tends to arrive rather suddenly. Follow these tips and you'll be ready when it arrives, rather than having to scurry around doing maintenance when you should be out mowing.
It may seem a bit early to think about next spring’s landscape renovations, but I assure you it’s not. Planning a beautiful landscape takes time, and you don’t typically have landscaping chores in the winter, so using that time to plan will allow you to hit the ground running, come spring.All good plans begin with objectives, and your landscape renovation plan is no exception. One objective that many property owners put right at the top of the list is lower maintenance. People today are so busy they have to budget their time, and landscapes often don’t get the TLC they need and deserve.
There are a number of design considerations that can lead to reduced maintenance. Planting the right plant in the right place should be number one. This may seem basic, and it appears in every garden story but people often forget this axiom when visiting a nursery. You may find a plant that you absolutely fall in love with. If it’s not suitable for the site you have planned, I recommend resisting the temptation to buy it and plant it in that spot anyway.If you just must have it, consider whether you have a more suitable site on your property for your newfound botanic love. If you don’t, ask one of the horticulturists at your garden center if there is a similar plant that’s better suited for the site you have in mind. Planting the wrong plant in the wrong place will, inevitably, sour your love affair with that plant very quickly, and it will cost you more to keep it alive. Since stressed plants are more attractive targets for pests, you’ll spend more on pest control. The plant’s dissatisfaction with its new home will increase its need for fertilizer. If it grows too big for the site, you’ll have to pay for frequent pruning. And the list goes on.Selecting native plants or nativars (cultivars of native plants) can also decrease maintenance requirements. Native plants have grown here for many years so they have adapted to our growing conditions. There are also many introduced plants that have adapted well to our environment. Making sure you buy only plants that have adapted successfully requires a little research.Some of the negative factors you’ll experience from planting non-natives or introduced plants that haven’t adapted well is that they may become invasive. This will require them to be cut back constantly. Plants that haven’t adapted well are also preferred targets for many insects and diseases, increasing the need for pest control.Starting on your design now will give you plenty of time to do your due diligence to be sure you are doing everything humanly possible to assure that the plants you choose will live a long, healthy life with minimal care.If you aren’t into plant research, or are concerned about the accuracy of your data, you can turn to one of our landscape designers. They already have the answers to those questions that you’ll spend time researching. And, they spend their winters designing landscapes and landscape renovations for early spring installation.
Plant Health Care (PHC) professionals are our industry’s doctors. It’s their job to examine plants, diagnose any insect or disease problems and treat the plant in the most environmentally friendly way. This is a pretty tall order, and I thank them for taking on this task.Like doctors who treat humans, PHC professionals have to diagnose accurately and treat safely. It would be an easy job if there were only a few pests but that’s not the case. There are hundreds of pests that could be causing your plants to decline. Most insects are adventitious creatures. This means they like to attack plants that have already been weakened by disease, environmental factors or by human activity, such as planting the wrong plant in the wrong place. Our PHC professional has to diagnose and take care of the cause of decline, while also controlling the insect.How many insects are there? Below, I’ve listed just some of the insects our PHC professionals are working to control in the Rochester, NY area.• Emerald ash borer is still at the top of the list. This native of Asia has killed millions of ash trees east of the Mississippi (including in our area), and is now working its way west. If you have ash trees in your yard, you should have us treat with a preventive. This pest is not adventitious. It will attack any ash tree, regardless of whether it’s healthy or stressed.• Gypsy moth, one the scourges of the whole northeast, including Rochester and Monroe County, is pretty well under control here. Over the past 30 years, entomologists have discovered natural enemies, as well as chemical controls and even adhesive tree bands. However, the gypsy moth does make an occasional appearance in our area, usually when a reckless camper brings firewood home from an infested area or the gypsy moth hitches a ride on a vehicle coming to Rochester.
• Hemlock wooley adelgid (Pictured) is attacking some of the many hemlocks in our area. They are easily identified by their cotton ball appearing egg masses. They are harder to control than to see, though.• There are a lot of less dangerous pests that we continue to search out and control. They include aphids, mites, scale, tent caterpillas, fall webworms, bagworms and Japanese beetles. The Japanese beetle attacks trees, shrubs AND lawns.• Our eyes are constantly on the look out for species-specific pests like boxelder bug, bronze birch borer, birch leaf miner and Cooley spruce gall aphid.• We also keep an eye out for new insects that are decimating trees in other parts of the state. The Asian longhorned beetle is active downstate and the spotted lanternfly was found in nearby Yates County.As you can see PHC professionals have to know the biology of all these insects, as well as those not mentioned here, and how to best control them. When an insect’s signs begin to appear to the lay person, the pest may already have such a foothold that it can’t be controlled. That’s why a PHC program is such inexpensive insurance for your valuable landscape plants.
It may be the middle of winter but that doesn't mean your trees and shrubs are free from insects. You may not see them at this time because both the insects and the plant are dormant. Come spring, though, the insects will be active again, feasting on the leaves of your trees and shrubs. And, after their long winter nap, they are going to be mighty hungry.This would be a good time to schedule an early spring dormant oil treatment to destroy overwintering insects in their sleep. Many insects "breathe" through their skin. Coating them with dormant oil while they sleep will clog their air intakes and smother them. Dormant oil is a highly refined oil, much like the petroleum jelly we put on wounds. However, dormant oil is diluted so that it flows through a hose and spray nozzle.Aphids, mites and scale are the leading targets for dormant oil treatment. Although they can hardly be seen, it's a safe bet that they are fast asleep in your trees and shrubs. Since properly applied dormant oil won't harm the plant, this treatment lets you get a leg up on the most common spring and summer pests. Dormant oil will also destroy overwintering egg masses, including gypsy moth and hemlock woolly adelgid (pictured). The oil coats the buff colored gypsy moth egg masses and the white, cotton like hemlock woolly adelgid egg masses by preventing air from penetrating.The window of opportunity to apply dormant oil is very small. We can't apply it until the temperature rises above 40º and stays there. Otherwise the oil will become too viscous (thick) to spread properly and coat the whole plant and the insects. However, it also has to be applied while the tree is still dormant, before the leaf buds break. Applying dormant oil after a plant leafs out can damage the leaves.
Mother Nature usually gives us one or more respites from winter in the form of nice January days. The temperatures warm a bit, the sun comes out and you itch to get outdoors and do something, Might I suggest a couple of landscaping ideas?What you can do during a “January thaw” depends on how much snow is on the ground, how high the temperature climbs and how much effort you want to put forth.
I recommend that you begin by inspecting your trees and shrubs to see if the winter winds, snow and ice have broken or weakened any branches. Weakened tree branches will sag. And, these weak and broken branches can be dangerous for people and property underneath.If you see broken branches hanging up in trees or sagging precariously, remember that our arborists work all winter. Also remember that the most dangerous job in the United States is that of an arborist. It is exponentially more dangerous for untrained people climbing ladders. So if you have a tree that needs pruning give us a call and we'll send out a team of professionals.Shrubs are a different story. If you feel a shrub needs pruning, it isn’t nearly as dangerous as pruning trees. Like trees, shrub branches should be pruned back to a fork or to the ground. Don’t leave stubs.I suggest that you limit your shrub pruning to removing broken branches, especially if it’s a flowering shrub. Otherwise you take a chance of cutting off flower buds, reducing the shrub’s attractiveness at bloom time in the spring. Most shrub branches are more flexible than tree branches. So, don’t be too quick to remove shrub branches that might be bent over to the ground, especially if the ends are covered with snow or ice. Chances are good that they’ll spring back when the weight melts off them or they have time to dry out a bit.If the lawn is free of snow and firm enough to support your weight, you can pick up twigs and other debris as you walk the yard. If there are big patches of leaves on the grass, raking them out and disposing of them will lessen your chance of winter lawn diseases. Hopefully, you can get the leaves out before disease fungi get a foothold.Should we be lucky enough that spring-like days are plentiful, your perennials may appreciate your fluffing up the mulch around them and adding additional mulch if necessary. If the ground isn’t frozen, they’d like a watering, too.January thaw days come with little warning and depart just as quickly. To be prepared for these days, why not take some time to map out a strategy and make a “To-do” list in descending order of priority? Then you can make it a productive, as well as an enjoyable, day when it arrives.
If you’re planning to renovate your landscape in 2019, a must read is the “Annual Garden Trends Report,” published by the Garden Media Group. This report is used by landscape designers and other green industry professionals to create the most modern landscapes for their clients. Here are a few ideas that you may want to incorporate into your design for a truly trendy landscape.This year’s report leads off with the statement: “The Future of Gardening Looks Joyful.” And, that’s what landscaping and gardening is all about – giving us joy and making us feel good. And, one of the ways that’s being done is to bring Mother Nature back to her rightful place.
The 2019 report is as philosophical as it is specific. Interestingly, landscaping set sales records in 2018. In previous years, Millenials said they didn’t have time or interest in working in the garden, although they liked plants and nice landscaping, as long as someone else maintained it. Now, 29% of millenials consider themselves gardeners. Of course gardens can mean anything from a single houseplant to a complete landscape.A great deal of interest in the environment was expressed. This included…• Sustainable designs using native plants. This is the hottest trend, according to 83% of landscape architects.• Zero Waste. Composting has been around for years but zero waste gives people a goal of directing their organic waste to the compost heap and recyclables to the recycle bin. Composting can reduce household waste by nearly 40%., according to the report• Pollinators. People are concerned, and rightly so, by the reduced number of flying insects. The report says the UN warns that 40% of pollinators – especially bees and butterflies – risk global extinction. You can help turn this troublesome statistic around by including a pollinator garden in your landscape• Invasives. People are concerned about the rapid spread of invasive plants and insects. Species like the emerald ash borer and spotted lanternfly have no natural predators here so they spread fast. Then there are invasive plants like the poisonous giant hogweed.One finding that’s particularly disturbing is that indoors is the new outdoors. People are spending so much time indoors with their electronic devices that they are bringing their plants indoors, rather than putting their devices aside and going outdoors. The report says, “In the last few years, Millenials were responsible for 31% of houseplant sales, according to Garden Research. Com.” They are even referring to themselves as “plant parents.”Technology has led to “robogardening “ – planning, planting, watering and even weeding remotely. And, this is just the beginning. You can already buy a robotic mower and landscape professionals are making greater use of drones.I hope this information gives you food for thought as you think about the future of your landscape. Click this link if you would like to read to complete Garden Trends Report and click on the report at the top right.
Perennials are, arguably, the most popular landscape plants. One reason for their popularity is that they don’t have to be replanted every season like annuals do. Even if they are cut back to the ground, they’ll reappear in the spring. Another reason for perennials’ popularity is the number of varieties available in the nursery trade. There are both woody and herbaceous perennials and they are hybridized extensively. However, perennials are NOT known for is being low maintenance.
As we transition from fall into winter, there are still some perennial maintenance tasks that you should do before winter really sets in. Doing these jobs now, instead of waiting until spring, is good for the plants, as well as your time management.Many herbaceous perennials should be cut back in the fall. Wait until the leaves turn color and then cut the plants back to within a couple of inches of the ground. If you leave shoot stubs sticking up above the ground, you’ll always know where the perennials are in your landscape, as long as that bed is snow-free. The old shoot stubs will also help protect fresh shoots from animal damage in the spring.Leaving ornamental grass standing until spring will provide winter interest. It will also break up the drab of snow we are apt to experience. You can do the same thing with taller perennials like coneflowers or goldenrod. Besides adding interest in the bleak winter snow, spent flowers and seed heads above the snow provide hard-to-find food for birds.The second fall maintenance task for perennials is splitting them. This applies to both herbaceous and woody plants. Many perennials tend to spread and, if left unchecked, can take over a planting bed and smother the other plants. The way to keep them in check is to divide them. This is done by digging up the whole plant. Cut the root in half and each half in half again. Return one section to the hole from which you just took the plant, backfill and water. Plant the other three sections in other beds in your yard, give them to friends or “heel” them in (temporary planting method) until spring and then donate them to one of the many charity plant sales.Cutting back perennials and dividing them are relatively easy DIY tasks. However, if you don’t want to do it yourself, our landscape crews are available to do it for you. With snow threatening, the time to act is now.
As the holidays get closer and the shopping days fade away, I have some ideas for the gardeners on your list.
• A book on gardening from one of the online or brick and mortar booksellers. Of course, buying online relieves you of having to go to one more store.• A subscription to one of the gardening magazines. Just Google gardening magazines and you can order online.• You can also go shopping at the recipient’s favorite garden center. Consider a piece of statuary or some other hardscape item. You could also buy a gardening tool or a garden clothing item. If the person raises houseplants, they would surely appreciate a nice houseplant in a decorative container. And, when all else fails, there’s always a gift card from the garden center.• A Birchcrest Tree & Landscape gift certificate that can be redeemed for any of our services is always a favorite. Whether the recipient’s yard needs tree, shrub or lawn maintenance, mulch, a new tree or shrub or a whole new landscape, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you had a hand in making their dream a reality.Besides the practicality of one of the suggested gifts to a gardener, this gesture also shows that you are aware of their passion and thoughtful enough to give a gift they can really use. It can also take some of the stress off you as you rush around to tie-up those last minute loose ends.All of us here at Birchcrest wish you, your family and everyone on your gift list the happiest of holidays.
The twinkling lights and sound of jingling bells signal the arrival of the holiday season. The most festive time of the year is here. A time of joy, smiles, sounds, and holiday smells.On behalf of the 145 members of the Birchcrest family, I urge you to make the most of the season. Emblazon those sights, sounds and aromas in your mind so you can remember them long after the lights come down, the songs are put away for another year and the fragrant tree is recycled for mulch.It is our fervent wish that 2019 be a wonderful year for you and your loved ones. For our part, we pledge to help make your corner of the world your very own slice of paradise.Have a joyous holiday season…and a happy, prosperous new year.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday are both behind us, and Christmas tree lots have popped up all around. Friends and neighbors often ask me which variety is best. That’s difficult to answer because they’re all good, hardy species. It all depends on your taste, which, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
I can share with you information on each species of tree sold in our area, as well as how to test a tree for freshness and how to keep it fresh once you get it home. Then it’s up to you and your family to choose what’s best for you.The most common species in our area are:• Firs: Douglas, Fraser, Balsam. (All have soft, flat needles with rounded tips).• Spruces: White, Norway, Blue. (All have short, sharp needles that grow thickly on the branches.)• Pines: White (Long, soft needles that grow five to a cluster), Scotch or Scots (Stiff, short needles that grow two to a cluster).The best way to be sure you buy the freshest tree possible is to go to a local Christmas tree farm and either cut it yourself or accompany a staff member out to select the “perfect” tree and watch it being cut.Even pre-cut trees at a local Christmas tree farm are usually fresher than those sold on street corners or vacant lots. Those vendors buy their trees from growers who may be miles away and cut their trees months ago.Before finalizing the sale of any tree, do these three, easy field freshness tests:• Bend a few needles. Fresh firs snap, pines don’t.• Pull on a branch to be sure the needles are secure.• Rap the trunk butt on the ground to see if the needles fall.Even the freshest tree will be a sorry sight if it isn’t straight, so hold the butt flat on the ground and check the trunk to be sure it’s straight up and down. Otherwise, you’ll have to invest in a special tree stand that swivels to make the tree appear straight.Even a freshly cut tree can dry out if you don’t care for it properly between the time you get it home and Christmas. As soon as you get your tree home, cut a half-inch off the bottom and place the tree in a bucket of water. Keep it in a cool, sheltered place until you’re ready to take it indoors. Then put it in the garage a few days before you’re planning to take it inside so it can acclimate to the warmer interior environment. Don’t be too hasty to take the tree indoors. The warmer temperature could shorten its life.
Some of the smallest animals do some of the most serious damage to landscapes in the winter. That’s because their food sources are low to the ground, and their traditional food may be covered with snow.The animals I’m talking about are mice, voles and even rabbits. The tips here don’t apply to deer. They graze higher up on the plants.
It’s important to blow or rake leaves. Leaving them where they fall provides rodents with hiding places. If the leaves are piled against a tree trunk or shrub stem, rodents love to hide under them and chew away at the tree or shrub. If they are piled against the foundation of your house, mice can hide there while they find a way into your house, where it’s warm and they can find food scraps.Leaves left on the ground can also hide harmful insects who are overwintering under them. But that’s a two-edge sword. Fallen leaves can also provide a hiding place for beneficial insects. Unfortunately, you can’t decide which insects take up residence under your leaves. A good compromise is to retain a few leaves for the insects but keep them away from the plants to discourage rodents.Besides removing leaves from around plants there are several other steps you can take to discourage bolder rodents who don’t mind dining in the open. The easiest is to wrap tree trunks with hardware cloth. Hardware cloth is a durable, plastic screening material. A rodent would have to be very determined or very hungry to try to eat through this material. You can also buy plastic tree guards or make them from plastic drain pipes. Be sure you don’t install tree guards tightly around the trunk. They should also be buried into the soil a couple of inches. And remember to remove the hardware cloth or tree guards in the spring.Protecting your valuable plants from winter foragers is relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Repairing the damage these creatures can cause is just the opposite.
The confidence you place in our staff has, once again, earned us the honor of being named one of Rochester’s Top 100 fastest growing, privately owned companies. I thank each of you who placed your valuable landscape in the hands of the more than 130 professionals who are part of the Birchcrest family. We also thank Rochester Business Alliance and KPMG, LLP for sponsoring this recognition.We have enjoyed steady growth through our 37 years. Qualifying for the Top 100 list three times reminds me of the old adage: “Slow and steady wins the race.”Much of the credit for the company’s success can be attributed to the dedication, education and creativity of our staff. Birchcrest employs 13 ISA Certified Arborists, an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, eight New York State Certified Pesticide Applicators and nine NYS Certified Nursery & Landscape Professionals.On behalf of the whole Birchcrest family, thank you for your business, and we look forward to serving even more of you in 2019.
We live in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 and have some Zone 6 pockets. This means that, although we aren’t in the coldest zone, many of our trees and shrubs need extra protection from winter’s extremes.Tender trees and shrubs, especially young trees that you just planted this year, may need a burlap coat. Wrappings are easy to install. Just drive poles into the ground around the perimeter of the tree or shrub, wrap with burlap and staple it to the poles. Be sure to keep the top open to moisture and sunlight. Wrapping may also be needed for evergreens planted close to the road to protect them from road salt spray.
Besides protecting your trees and shrubs from desiccation and salt spray, wrapping can reduce the chance of deer damage since deer will have a tough time getting to the tree.Deciduous trees with thin, smooth bark can be damaged by sunscald and frost cracking in the winter. Sunscald is caused by the winter sun heating the trunks to the point that the sap begins to flow. When the sun disappears and the temperature plummets, the sap freezes quickly, killing the surrounding tissue, or causing long vertical cracks in the bark. The bark can be kept at a more constant temperature by installing tree wrap or plastic tree guards that you can buy at your garden center or home store.As long as you are wrapping trees, you might consider wrapping tree trunks with hardware cloth to cut down on critter damage. While deer like to browse on tender branches, mice, rabbits and voles prefer to chew the bark on the lower parts of the trunk. Hardware cloth is a flexible screening that you can buy at hardware stores and home centers. It can be attached to the same posts as burlap or to its own posts. It works best if it isn’t touching the tree bark.
An enemy may lurk high in your beautiful trees, undetected until it comes crashing down on you. No, it’s not a wild animal. It’s the tree itself.When people reach a certain age, health care professionals advise having a physical each year. Early detection of problems can result in more positive outcomes with less aggressive treatment.Arborists recommend the same for your mature trees, except that we call it a tree hazard inspection instead of a physical exam. The purpose is the same – to diagnose any problems early so they can be taken care of before they cause any injury or damage.Some of the problems we encounter include…• Broken branches that are just hanging and could break and fall any minute;• Weak branches that could break from just a little wind;• Insects like emerald ash borer, mites, aphids and hemlock woolley adelgid;• Fungus, disease and rot;• Girdling roots that are strangling and killing the tree.
Hazard tree inspections aren’t DIY diagnoses. Many problems occur high up in the tree. Our arborists need to climb up or go up in a bucket to see them. They’re trained to identify such problems as weak branches. When diagnosing girdling root, they have to excavate the soil around the base. Digging through the tangle of roots manually can be backbreaking work. Our arborists use an “air spade” that removes the soil without disturbing the roots. They then use great care to surgically remove the offending root.An annual tree hazard inspection is an investment, not an expense. Your trees are valuable living organisms that add monetary, as well as aesthetic, value to your property. Letting problems progress to the point that the tree dies results in a costly removal plus another expense to buy a new tree and have it planted. The bottom line is that an annual inspection is very inexpensive insurance.
Colder weather and higher winds keep reminding us that Ol’ Man Winter is just around the corner. Winter winds can cause your evergreen leaves and needles to dry out and die. You don’t have to experience this reality every season. Make this the year that you protect your evergreens.Unlike deciduous trees and shrubs that go dormant in the winter, evergreens’ bodily functions simply slow down. Photosynthesis continues, just at a slower rate. However, water is necessary for photosynthesis to take place. During the growing season, plant roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil. In winter, when the ground is frozen, the plant roots can’t absorb water. But transpiration – the loss of water through the leaves/needles – continues. Losing too much water through transpiration causes affected branches to die and turn brown.
Under normal winter conditions, the leaves/needles reabsorb the transpired water and reuse it. Wind across leaves/needles, blows the transpired water off, leaving them high and dry. With no water for the photosynthetic reaction, the leaves dry out and die. In spring, you’ll see brown patches on your plants.My favorite protection is to spray evergreens with an antidesiccant. This is a harmless, wax-like material that coats the leaves/needles, holding the water on them so the plants can reabsorb it and reuse it for photosynthesis.I’ve used the term leaves/needles throughout to emphasize the need to apply antidesiccant to broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons, as well as needled conifers. In fact, broadleaf evergreens may need antidesiccant even more than conifers. Leaves have more surface area than needles, and conifers have adapted better to the effects of winter winds.Antidesiccant is available at garden centers in spray bottles. The leading brand is Wilt-Pruf. Hand spraying works fine for a couple of small shrubs but your hand gets tired quickly. An easier, more economical way to apply antidesiccant to a number of plants, especially tall conifers, is to have one of our Plant Health Care professionals apply it. They use a powerful backpack sprayer that reaches the top of most trees.
With their bright hues, tree leaves let us know that they will soon go dormant for the winter. That also tells us it’s a good time to have your deciduous trees and shrubs pruned.
The plants have stored all the food they’ll need to sustain them trough the winter. The chlorophyll has disappeared from the leaves so that they show their true colors. Nature is now blocking the flow of nutrients and water into the leaves, causing them to fall to the ground. This lightens the weight of the branches to better protect against ice, snow and winter wind damage.Pruning can further lighten the weight on limbs and open up the tree canopies so that the wind resistance is less. But don’t prune just because the leaves dropped. Prune with a purpose – an objective. That objective may be to…• Remove dead, dying, crossing or rubbing branches and thin out the crown.• Raise the crown by removing the lower limbs to open a view or for aesthetic or safety reasons.• Repair or rehabilitate a tree that has been compromised by topping or other bad practices.• Reduce the size of the tree using industry acceptable practices.• Reduce limb weight to reduce hazards from winter winds.Shrubs need pruning most often to remove dead or dying branches or to reduce their height, spread or both. Evergreens should not be pruned in fall, except in emergency situations. They are best pruned in June, after they’ve set new growth.The most important pruning advice I can give is to keep your feet on the ground. If you can prune from the ground, go for it if you want. But don’t leave the ground, even on a ladder. It’s unsafe. Leave the job to our arborists. They know woody plant biology and are trained to climb and use sharp equipment safely. Even so, their work is still dangerous. So, leave the high spots to the pros.
With fall upon us, you may think that your landscaping work is done for the season. Sorry; there are still some jobs left that we lump under “Fall Clean-Up.” They include weeding, mulching and removing any debris.
Weeding needs to continue until the plants go dormant. It behooves you to keep up with it because weeds are dropping seeds now. If you don’t remove the plants before they drop their seeds, pulling weeds will be your first job next spring. Not only will you have to remove the dead weeds from this season, you’ll have to remove new weeds that overwintered in the ground and germinated first thing in spring. Weeds appear before most of your desired plants.After weeding, your next task should be mulching. Mulch provides a number of benefits. It suppresses weed growth and moderates the soil temperature and moisture. A winter layer of 3 or 4 inches will smother many weed seeds. Mulch also insulates the soil, reducing the amount of cold air reaching plant roots. And, it holds moisture, releasing it over time so your soil doesn’t become saturated in a heavy rainstorm or fast snow melt.If you add mulch for winter, don’t forget to remove an inch or so in spring to bring the depth to 2 or 3 inches. That’s all you need for the spring and summer.Even if you’ve kept your yard clear of debris all summer, there could be an accumulation during the fall. The wind begins picking up as the weather declines, and it often brings debris with it. Debris from the street and neighborhood may end up in your yard. If you don’t pick it up and dispose of it now, it will still be there when the snow melts in spring.While you’re in the fall cleanup spirit, you might as well do the other tasks to prepare for winter, including getting rid of fallen leaves, putting your deck or patio furniture in storage, and critter-proofing trees and shrubs.With all of these task behind you, the arrival of winter weather won’t have you fretting about all the work left to do.
You’d be surprised at what’s lurking in your firewood. It won’t be a pleasant surprise, however, if these hitchhikers turn out to be one of the increasing number of invasive pests that have been assaulting our trees. Most of these insects “sneak” into the country by hiding in the packing material of shipments from foreign countries. Once here, they get a foothold before being discovered. Because they come from other countries, controlling them may be more difficult.
Insect immigrants like gypsy moths like to lay their eggs in any out of the way place. Hiding places include the underside of vehicles, camping gear and firewood. The vehicles, camping gear or firewood is moved to a new place, where the eggs hatch and the insect establishes a new beachhead. Some other hitchhiking alien insects include the emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, hemlock woolley adelgid, spring and fall cankerworm, winter moth and a newly identified pest called the spotted lanternfly.The spotted lanternfly first reached our shores and began its destruction in eastern Pennsylvania. It has now jumped to other states like Maine, and Yates and Albany Counties in New York. While the other insects listed above all attack trees, the spotted lanternfly also likes fruit plants like grapevines, hops and blueberries.The best way to be sure you don’t contribute to the spread of these insects is to check the underside of your camper and tow vehicle before leaving a campground and scrape off any egg cases. When you get home, carefully check all your camping gear before stowing it away. Don’t bring any firewood home with you, and know where the firewood you buy for your woodstove, fireplace or fire pit originated.Every state has wood products quarantines. In New York, wood can’t be transported and sold more than 50 miles from where it was cut, except with a permit. Permits are issued only when the transporter can certify that the wood has undergone an accepted process to sanitize it and that it is definitely free of pests.As with all things, there are always bad apples who think the law doesn’t apply to them, and buyers who fail to realize that, if a deal sounds too good to be true it probably is. Don’t contribute to this scourge. Buy wood only from local sellers or those with permits.
After Labor Day, we begin thinking that it’s fall already. But, the calendar says autumn doesn’t officially arrive until later in the month. Even after that, summer-like weather can linger, so don’t put the lawn mower away too quickly.
Your grass is enjoying our typical fall weather with its warm days and cool nights. At the same time, weeds are also enjoying this ideal weather, and would like nothing better than to take over your lawn. During this time, your lawn should continue to be mowed at a height of 3 to 4 inches. The longer, thicker grass will discourage weeds. Weeds are lazy or, more appropriately, adventitious plants. They want to grow without putting in any effort. So they look for sunny breaks in the lawn cover. That’s easier than fighting the grass plants for sunlight, water and space.As we get further into fall, the daytime temperatures begin to drop, the days get shorter and the grass slows down its growth. As that happens, fewer and fewer clippings will come out of the chute. For the last few mowings of the season, lower the mower deck down to 2 ½ to 3 inches.Over the winter, the snow pack can cause long grass to mat down, and this makes it easier for winter fungal diseases to attack your lawn. The shorter blades of grass stay more upright under the snow, and this doesn’t provide optimum conditions for fungal diseases. That’s not to say that you won’t have any fungal disease problems next spring. It simply means that the risk will be less.When the grass stops growing for the season, you may not need the mower any more. But you can repurpose it as a leaf mulcher. How well that works depends on how many leaves you have. If you have big piles of leaves, or they are spread over your lawn so densely that you can’t see green grass showing through, it would be better if you rake or blow. If there are fewer leaves, you can save time and energy by setting the mower deck in its mulch position and driving over the grass. The mower will chop up the leaves very finely and drop them on to the lawn. As the leaves decompose, they’ll become compost, returning nutrients to the soil. This will give your lawn a head start next spring as the grass plants work to green up.Maintaining your lawn is, arguably, the most labor-intensive task that faces you each growing season. I can’t blame you for wanting to get that mower into storage. But, giving your lawn those final, lower cuts and mulching leaves in place will save you a lot of work in the end.
