It’s Pruning Time!

Posted on by AdminAD

Is everybody cozy?

To some, spending hours outside in below freezing temps may sound unappealing, but this is when I get excited!  Every tree I see, I can’t help but imagine which limbs I would remove, how that will cause the tree to respond, and what I can get the tree to do for the greater good.  That said, I apologize to people behind me at stoplights.

Here are some good reasons to prune now:

When plants are dormant, they don’t feel the stress of it like they do when they are pumping juices and making food.  Also, you are not removing food producing leaves with every cut.

Pruning now prevents infestations of many insects and diseases that take advantage of open wounds during the growing season.

Seeing branch structure is easier with no leaves on the trees, and it’s easier to clean up.  And because you’re all covered up, even sticky evergreens are fun to play with.

Here are some objectives to be achieved that you may not have thought of:

For a tight hedge that has become leggy, this is the best time to carefully prune to encourage fast regrowth of inside, and fluffy lower foliage.

Correction of unfortunate pruning mistakes made by well-meaning folks which cause the plant to misbehave, resulting in more maintenance and a plant that doesn’t live up to it’s full aesthetic potential, (in other words, is ugly)

Before
Before

Now, here is a 25 plus year old Japanese maple allowed to grow with little pruning,  The owners loved the tree, but were afraid of making a wrong move.  Her attachment to the tree (they had planted as a tiny investment  when they bought the house)  spurred her to call me.

After!
After!

 

 

Once the dead branches and limbs that were growing mischievously were removed, the majestic structure that is a Japanese maple, was allowed to fulfill its destiny.

Disclaimer alert!  There are some trees and occasions that prefer summer pruning.  Please be advised.

What Everyone Should Know About Planting A Tree

Posted on by AdminAD

shade treeThere was a client who hired a reputable landscape company to plant a live screen between himself and his neighbors.  Spruce were chosen for the spot and they looked great.  But they died, one by one. The company came out and replaced them with more spruce, with the same result.  Fortunately, the client asked around, then contacted a friend of mine who is known for his reputation of tree knowledge. The trees were planted in a swale, which is a low place in the property that collects water.  Dave told the client he needed to plant to the swale.

“What does that mean?” he asked.  Dave said, “Let’s plant something that likes the conditions in a swale.”

More important than size, appearance and growth habit, and what is often overlooked, is preferred growing conditions.  Different plants have different needs, and when not met, the results are certain to be a disappointment, to say the least.  A spruce will not tolerate wet feet for extended periods, while a bald cypress will love you for many years for putting it there.  And while not fatal, siting a tri-color beech where it receives hot afternoon sun can turn its beautiful pink leaves’ margins to a “What’s wrong with my tree?” tan.

A tree planted in the wrong place will not maintain the qualities you selected it for.  In other words, you are not getting what you wanted.  

Yeah, we’re all in a hurry, we all want to save money, but fast-forward to 5 or 10 years from now.  When you are looking at the plant that has not given you the shade you hoped for, or the flowers, fall color or screen you wanted, (fill in the blank here), what price would you put on having gotten it right in the first place?

The easiest way is to start with a professional who is passionate about what you want.  Make sure what you choose is planted correctly by someone who is passionate about that.  Then, nurture your investment by following the care instructions to make sure your perfect choice gets the love it needs to love you back like nobody’s business!

We can give you all that, plus referrals for others who are as passionate as we are.

So if you choose not to consult,  at least consider doing this.  Before making a final decision on a plant, go to your favorite search engine and type “Growing conditions for _______”.  If you know the botanical name, it can weed out unuseful results.  (Pun intended, as usual) Choose a source from a university or arboretum for the best information.  If your planting site does not meet all of the criteria, keep looking.

We really do want you to be happy.  The more people who are happy, makes the world a better place!

Makeover- Japanese Maple

Posted on by lovemyyardcolumbus

This Japanese Maple looks heavy, like The Blob attempting to eat the formal boxwood hedge that has been assigned to contain it.

The client called it 'cousin it'
The client called it ‘cousin it’

Weeping Japanese Maples are meant to look like they are wearing a beaded curtain, revealing the silhouette of the structure beneath unique to their species.

Often, homeowners never prune them for fear ruining them, or worse, hack them back in an effort to keep them small, leaving unsightly stubs, disfiguring and smothering their amazing potential.

IMG_2743

 

 

The owner crawled under the canopy with me and we thoughtfully removed branches until it became a light cloud hovering delicately over the hedge.

 

IMG_2748

 

Many mature plants can be reinvented with a little strategic pruning.  Turn a crazy forsythia into a graceful small tree.  That wild viburnum that is screening your neighbors’ junk pile can be tamed and still do it’s job while providing a habitat for wildlife.  When pruned correctly, your overgrown plants can work for you instead of making more work.  The possibilities are endless!

Gift Ideas For Gardeners (My favorite tools!)

Posted on by lovemyyardcolumbus

First, let me say that I am not getting any kickbacks for promoting these items!  I simply want to share things that make my life easier.
I can’t list them in order of importance, because they are essential as far as I’m concerned.

A good tool belt.
IMG_2669 It holds so many of my favorite things.  When I was a manager at Oakland Nursery, I ordered this brand for employees from Kaddy Products in Utah.  Great folks, it’s a small family business that makes a durable product. http://www.kaddyproducts.com/   There are many color choices and all kinds of things geared to gardeners. No more walking back to the garage to fetch a tool, or worse, improvising with what you have in your hand, it’s all right there with you.  When you are done in the garden, you hang it up, and it’s all ready for you the next time.

Tool belt contents:IMG_2673
Quality pruners: When they are sharp and feel good in your hand, you search for things to prune!  This is one time to splurge.  They will last a lifetime, and may become an heirloom.
A small folding saw: Nice because the moment you see a branch too big for pruners that needs to come off, you can spontaneously take care of it without going after your loppers.
A soil knife: Talk about multi-purpose!  It plants annuals, digs weeds, cuts open a bag of mulch, cuts an edge along a sidewalk, and so many things that will fun figuring out yourself!
Plastic stretch tie tape: So many times I didn’t think I was going to need to tie something up, like tomatoes, a stray branch on a vine, etc. but because this is always with me, I am always ready.  I like the stretchy plastic because you can tear it with your hands.
IMG_2648

This is the coolest bud vase ever!  A flower frog in the bottom of a beautiful piece of art supports something as small as single pansy, to sunflowers.  IMG_2782 And this glass float has a hook for a weight to be attached so it will stay put in your pond where you want it.  With a light weight, or no weight, your fish will have fun moving it around.  Get them one for Christmas!  The hook can also be used to hang the glass sphere from a tree or where ever else you want to add shiny color to cheer up the winter.
Contact the artist, Robert Coleman at ipunty@yahoo.com, or 740-393-4336.
Perfect, but cheap gloves: Gardeners tend to be frugal, not fancy. For less than $10, your gardener will be thankful for gloves that feel good, protect fingers from thorns, and still are flexible enough to let you feel and find the weeds that needs to be pulled fingers!  Many brands and colors available, even tie-dye.
Gift cards gardeners will actually use and love you for:
Sharpening On Site- mobile sharpening service www.sharpeningonsite.com
Garden Stores- You can usually purchase online and have them shipped to you or your givee.

I’ll keep adding to this post, so come back!

Get a Professional in your yard for the best, most relevant advice!

Posted on by lovemyyardcolumbus

I don’t work on electric or plumbing at my house. I call a professional to avoid costly and time-wasting mistakes. Same goes for your yard. We offer consults for lawns, tree and shrub problems, time saving tips on maintenance for everything from vegetable gardens, perennials, weed control, soil amending, corrective and maintenance pruning and more. Most of the time we can cover all these categories with one visit. And every time, we point out things that never crossed your mind. For the cost of a plant or two, we make sure you get it right the first time. Mistakes cost money and more important where plants are concerned, mistakes cost time!

We tailor consults to the individual. So before your consult, we recommend the following steps:
Keep a list and continue adding to it, questions about everything in your yard.
Take pictures while walking or visiting other gardens of things you like.
Record past difficulties, problem sites, plants that don’t do well, and so on.
Also list your aspirations, what your dream yard would be like, the sky is the limit!
We can put everything in perspective, solve your problems and make life easier. Sounds simple, and it is if you decide to invest one to two hours in a consultation!
Please contact us for a consult!