Tag Archive | evergreens
Still Time For Anti-Desiccant
I’m a big fan of anti-desiccant. That’s why I post a reminder every fall. It’s clean, easy to apply and protects evergreens very well. Best of all you don’t have to wrap burlap around most trees and shrubs protected by anti-desiccant. Although it’s November already, you can still apply anti-desiccant. Just don’t pick a day […]
Check New Growth Before Pruning Evergreens
June and July are the best months in which to prune evergreens. That’s when new growth forms. However, like everything in nature, there are no absolutes, no definitive dates to start pruning. New growth forms at the ends of branches. When the new needles or leaves first appear, they are a lighter green than the […]
Keeping Evergreens Green
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. […]
Selecting Just The Right Christmas Tree
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 […]
Protect Your Evergreens From Winter Winds
We plant evergreens for their graceful beauty and magnificent color that breaks up winter’s white and drab brown. This beauty and color come with a price. In winter, evergreens are exposed to winds that can dry them out and cause branch dieback. The dieback appears as brown patches on an otherwise green tree or shrub. […]
Pruning Evergreens
Summer is the ideal time to prune most evergreens. This includes both conifers like pine and spruce and broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons and boxwoods. The reasons are twofold. First, the buds that produce new growth formed last fall on the old wood of many evergreens. New growth is the light green needles that appear at […]
Snow Shovels Are For Sidewalks, Not Trees
We just had our first significant snowfall and I had to cringe when I drove around the area. People were actually knocking snow off trees with snow shovels and brooms. Some were just shaking it off, which is just as bad. Brushing with your hands is the only technique that is not harmful to the […]
Snow Shovels Are For Sidewalks, Not Trees
While we haven’t had much snow again this winter, I want to forewarn you of a post snowstorm practice that is unsafe for you and your trees. I’m talking about knocking snow off the evergreen trees and shrubs in your yard. As I drive around after snowstorms, and see people doing this, I’m always tempted […]
Caring For Tender Plants In Winter
Plants are living things, just like us. Consequently, they may be adversely affected by the heat or cold, especially the cold. These plants need extra care to help them survive typical Rochester area winters. Although conifers look strong and hardy, and many come from the northern areas of the world, I still apply antidesiccant to […]
Prune Evergreens In June
Your evergreens, especially conifers (pines, spruce, etc.) have been taking full advantage of our early spring weather conditions. You can tell this by the amount of new growth they are sporting. New growth is the lighter colored, softer needles that appear on the branch tips in spring. Soon that tender foliage will darken to the […]
Keeping Our World Green 