Ever heard of a “mulch volcano? It is a load of mulch that is piled up around the base of a landscape shrub or tree. A common answer I get from homeowners guilty of this practice is that they see professional landscapers and city maintenance crews doing it. Volcano mulch can also cause tree roots […]
Archive for the ‘Disease prone’ Category
Avoid Mulch Volcanos
Posted by Hugh on June 22nd, 2021
Posted in Canker disease, Certified Arborist, compost, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Elms (Ulmus), Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Garden Maintenance, Garden Problems, Landscape ideas, Maples (Acer), Mulch Quality, mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Pests, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, winter injury 
Comments Off on Avoid Mulch VolcanosGarden Phlox Attract Pollinators
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2020
Phlox (Phlox spp.) are popular perennials that are also U.S. natives. A multitude of species and hybrids are available to landscapers and gardeners for almost any type of garden environment, including containers. Here is a list of the intermediate garden species: Border phlox (Phlox paniculata), Meadow phlox (P. maculata), Carolina phlox (P. carolina), Smooth phlox […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container garden, deadheading, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), Weed control, winter hardiness Comments Off on Garden Phlox Attract PollinatorsGolden Chain Tree
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2020
Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum anagyroides) is a small deciduous tree or large shrub. This small landscape tree is a member of the Bean Family (Fabaceae) and is native to central Europe (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7). It is rated as a short-lived tree that grows to 25 or 30 feet in height as a […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Fruits poisonous, Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum), Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Golden Chain TreeSome Conifers Don’t Like Summer Heat And Clay Soils
Posted by Hugh on February 16th, 2020
Most conifers are best grown in deep, moist, well-drained, acidic loamy soils and in full sun. In the deep South evergreen conifers are challenged by warm soils, poor soil drainage, and humidity. Humidity increases their susceptibility to diseases. Once established they are drought tolerant, but most fail in poorly drained wet soils. Many pine species […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bagworms, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Borers, Caterpillars, Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus), Cercopora leaf spot, Christmas tree, Container garden, Deer resistant, Deodara cedars (Cedrus), Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Firs (Abies), Heat Tolerance, Hemlock (Tsuga), Hemlock adelgid, Insect (Pest) Problems, Juniper, Korean fir (Abies koreana), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Norway spruce (Picea), Oriental spruce (Picea), Pine (Pinus spp.), Pines (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys), watering evergreens, Wildlife attractant, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Some Conifers Don’t Like Summer Heat And Clay SoilsPlant Disease Warning: Phytophthora ramorum
Posted by Hugh on January 16th, 2020
Known as “sudden oak death”, this serious plant disease (Phytophthora ramorum) (Pr) from the West Coast kills oak and other species of trees. It has caused devastating effects on the oak populations in California, Oregon, and Washington, and is also present in Europe. Symptoms include bleeding cankers on the tree’s trunk and dieback of foliage. […]
Posted in Camellia, Canker disease, Disease prone, Garden ecology, Garden Problems, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Lilac (Syringa), Magnolia, Maples (Acer), Mountain laurel (Kalmia), Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Phytophthora ramorum, Pieris japonica, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Sanitation, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Viburnums, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Plant Disease Warning: Phytophthora ramorumTrees That Age Gracefully
Posted by Hugh on November 21st, 2019
Trees transition from youth (seedling), middle age and old age (maturity) before requiring a chain saw and replacing. Some age gracefully, actually appreciating in $$ value. Many ginkgo, hickory, beeches, sugar maples, and Southern magnolias live 100 years plus. Oaks such as such as white (Q. alba) and live oak (Q. virginiana) mature in majesty over several hundred years. It’s […]
Posted in American Beech (F. grandifolia), American hornbeam, Atlas cedar (Cedrus), Bald cypress (Taxodium), Beech (Fagus spp.), Black gum (Nyssa), Camellia, Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus), Chamaecyparis, Deciduous, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, European beech (F. sylvatica), Evergreen, Flowering, Garden ecology, Heat Tolerance, Hickory (Carya spp.), Hornbeam (Carpinus), Insect (Pest) Problems, Japanese maple, Juniper, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Linden (Tilia), Magnolia grandiflora, mulching, Native Plant, Nootkatensis cedar, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Paperbark maple, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sycamore (Platanus), Three Flower Maple (A. triflorum), Trees & Shrubs, White oak (Quercus) Comments Off on Trees That Age Gracefully25 Trees For Autumn Leaf Color
Posted by Hugh on October 11th, 2019
Fall leaf colors of woodland and landscape trees vary from one year to the next. Foliage colors are determined by monthly weather conditions and several environmental factors. Rainfall amounts and daily temperature levels during August and September are key determining factors. Best autumn leaf colors develop as daytime hours are shortening, daytime hours are sunny and […]
Posted in American Beech (F. grandifolia), Amur maple (A. ginnala), Autumn foliage color, Birch (Betula spp.), Black gum (Nyssa), Disease prone, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Ginkgo biloba, Green ash (Fraxinus), Hawthorn (Crataegus), Hickory (Carya spp.), Insect (Pest) Problems, Japanese maple, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Kentucky coffeetree, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Maples (Acer), Medium sized Tree, Native Plant, Native Plant, Photoperiod (Daylength), plant nutrition, Purchasing Plants, Red oak (Quercus), Sassafras albidum, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Sourwood (Oxydendrum), Southern Appalachian Region, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Trees & Shrubs, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on 25 Trees For Autumn Leaf ColorUpdate On Boxwood Blight Disease
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2019
A decade ago, boxwoods (Buxus spp.) were the quintessential shrubs, particularly for formal hedges. Over the past half century, many new boxwood varieties have been introduced into nursery commerce, a boxwood variety that will work in most garden situations. Just five years ago, boxwood production at U.S. nurseries was greater than for azaleas, hollies, hydrangeas, and arborvitaes. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Boxwood (Buxus), Chlorosis (yellowing), Container garden, Disease prone, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Hedges, Landscape ideas, mulching, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, watering tips Comments Off on Update On Boxwood Blight DiseaseBeware Of Fast Growing Trees
Posted by Hugh on November 10th, 2018
Many property owners choose fast growing landscape trees. These large shade trees increase the value of your property. Their summer shade and wintry wind protection may reduce utility bills by 20 – 25% . Trees attract wild birds for nesting, protection, and as a food source. Some brighten up your landscape with dazzling fall color. However, we may pay a […]
Posted in Anthracnose, Attracting birds, Bacterial diseases, Borers, Box elder (Acer), Boxelder tree (Acer), Disease prone, Environmental issues, Garden ecology, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Native Plant, Paulownia (Empress tree), Poplar (Populus spp.), Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Scale, Silver maple (Acer saccharinum), Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sycamore (Platanus), Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus), Trees & Shrubs, Tulip tree (Liriodendron), Uncategorized, Weak branching, Weak wooded, Willows (Salix) Comments Off on Beware Of Fast Growing TreesWorking With Poorly Drained Soils
Posted by Hugh on September 8th, 2018
As a rule, yews (Taxus spp.), Japanese hollies (Ilex crenata), azaleas (Rhododendron spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), and roses (Rosa spp.) are common examples of landscape plants that fail in poorly drained soils. Holly cultivars like ‘Hoogendorn’ and ‘Soft Touch’ fair better in clay soils that most other Japanese hollies in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness […]
Posted in Azalea (deciduous), Azaleas (evergreen), Disease prone, Evergreen, Ilex (hollies), Native Plant, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, winter hardiness Comments Off on Working With Poorly Drained Soils
