Tree Care
The Science Of Fall Color
We all marvel at the fall colors in our region. That’s because we’ve been blessed with the right climatic conditions. However, there are a lot of explanations for this phenomenon, many of them wrong. Back in 2012, the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) posted a release on its treesaregood.org website explaining the science of autumn […]
Aerate Your Lawn This Fall
Aeration is one of the kindest things you can do for your lawn before putting it to bed for the winter, especially if you have the heavy clay soil that predominates our area. Fall is a good time to aerate your lawn, and I recommend that you do it before you do any overseeding. Plant […]
Bring Houseplants Back Indoors
As we get deeper into autumn, the nights are getting cooler, while the days continue to be warm. This is ideal weather for planting trees and shrubs but will soon be too cold for those tender houseplants that have been vacationing on your deck or patio all summer. The first step for your houseplant migration […]
Turn Fallen Leaves Into Next Spring’s Compost
The bane of fall can become the boom of spring. I’m talking about fallen leaves. They should be raked or blown from the lawn and flower beds, so why not put them to work helping maintain your landscape? Leaves that you rake or blow to the curb for the municipality to take away will be […]
Selecting A Quality Tree For Fall Planting
Fall doesn’t officially begin until later in September, but everyone considers Labor Day the unofficial start. Typically, the nighttime temperatures begin to fall while the daytime temperatures stay warm. It’s also when the rains return so new plantings will receive sufficient water without your having to supplement it with irrigation. And, that’s exactly why the […]
Time To Think About Fall Color
When you think about fall color in your landscape, what comes to mind? Colorful leaves that give trees and shrubs a moment of brilliance before falling to the ground for you to rake up? Or perhaps chrysanthemums (mums)? Colorful leaves are short lived and mums all by themselves are quite boring. This post gives you […]
Tree Selection & Placement
Fall is for planting, and that time will soon be upon us. Selecting a tree and a planting site should be no trivial matter. After all, many trees that are planted this fall may outlive their owners. You should prepare to plant with longevity in mind because it’ll only happen if you select the right […]
Check Your Lawn For Grubs
It’s already that time of year when I remind you to check your lawn for grubs. These pests have been destroying lawns for decades. We can’t eliminate them but we can manage them with a little diligent observation. During June and the first couple weeks in July, grubs in their adult stage have been flying […]
Boundary Trees May Not Make Good Neighbors
Poet Robert Frost’s statement about fences making good neighbors may not apply to trees planted on a boundary line. Boundary trees have been sources of contention between neighbors for centuries, and it has led to laws that govern who owns boundary line trees and who’s responsible for their care. A book, entitled Arboriculture and the […]
Take Stock – Where Do You Need Color?
The best time to know where you need more plants in your landscape is when the plants you have are in bloom, or recently bloomed. That time is now. So take photos and make notes so you’ll know exactly where you need more plants and what types of plants you need. Or better yet, try […]
