"Vanishing bees” a problem for gardeners and farmers

“Pesky bees!”

If you’ve ever said that as you swat away some critter flying around your face, the chances are that it isn’t really a bee at all. In fact, it’s more likely to be a yellow jacket, a hornet or a wasp. Domestic honey bees are relatively non-aggressive and, most important, are vital to the successful pollination of the plants in our gardens and a great deal more.

But it seems the humble bee could be in danger, according to an article in the Summer 2006 edition of OnEarth, the environmental magazine published quarterly by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The article, by author Sharon Levy, suggests that domesticated honeybees and their native counterparts, on which the nation depends to pollinate billions of dollars worth of fruits, vegetable and other crops, are disappearing thanks to pesticide use on crops and gardens and the destruction of their habitats.

Experts interviewed for the OnEarth article (“The Vanishing Bee”) blame the widespread use of pesticides by farmers who unintentionally poison domesticated honeybee colonies. Non-native species of parasitic mites are also deadly to honeybees.

For these reasons, claims the author, native wild bees will become even more important as pollinators, but they too are threatened because their habitats—natural woodlands, shrubs and flowers—have been decimated by relentless sprawl and development and by modern agriculture’s poor land-management practices.

One-third of the food Americans eat comes from crops that are pollinated by bees or other creatures, including butterflies, birds and bats, according to the article.

Without bees, many of the foods we enjoy – tomatoes, squash, peppers, apples and pears, for example – could disappear from our tables. Domesticated honeybees, in particular, are in steep decline. In the 1940s, American beekeepers had about 5 million colonies. Today, their colonies number about 2.3 million – and falling – while the demand for their services is increasing.

If you’d like to know more about this subject, go to http://www.hrdc.org/OnEarth and find “The Vanishing Bee” header. You can also click on a direct link when you go to my Web site www.landsteward.org and find this column under The Plant Man heading.

Doug Barasch, editor in chief of OnEarth describes bees as “the canaries in the coal mines,” because their potential demise is a warning to farmers and gardeners. But all is not lost (at least not yet) and the article recommends a number of solutions. These include limiting the use of chemical pesticides and setting aside space for plants that nurture bees.

Regular readers of this column know that, wherever possible, I recommend the use of organic solutions to garden and landscape problems. The declining bee population is just one more indication that ‘going organic’ isn’t just something of interest to aging hippies and “tree huggers”!

By the way, if you’re concerned about the potential incursion of so-called “Africanized” aggressive bees, most experts believe that the continued maintenance of a thriving domestic honeybee population is our best defense.

But what about the real pests?

If you are having a problem with hornets and yellow jackets, you’d probably like some advice on what you should do about them. One highly practical article, written by the experts at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension can be found at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/horn-yj.htm and because it’s such a long address, you might prefer to click on a direct link from this column at my Web site.

Among the defensive suggestions: coat the landing areas of hummingbird feeders with petroleum jelly vapor chest rub to keep the yellow jackets away. Also, make sure trash cans are kept covered at all times.

The article describes how – as a last resort – you can destroy a colony, but suggests you might be better just to let the critters die out naturally in the late fall, unless the nest is dangerously close to your home or garden.

Your comments, suggestions and questions are always welcome, and I’m happy to offer personal suggestions for any landscape or garden problems you’re having... hopefully NOT bee stings!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

New Large Tree Roots Need Deep Watering

Many readers have contacted me regarding bug problems with their trees and I’ll get to a couple of recent bug-related questions in a minute. But first, a reader sent me an e-mail with a question about how best to water her new trees.

QUESTION: “HELP.....We have just planted some 12 foot Glory Maples and some 6 foot Norway Spruce. How much should water do they need? 2 gallons, 5 gallons, 15 gallons?? per day, every other day? per week? The trees are planted in Fairfax Virginia and our soil is clay and rocks...also how soon before we feed them and what do you suggest feeding them? Thank you for any help you can offer.” – Ann S.

ANSWER: I use a device called a Ross root feeder spike apparatus that you should be able to pick up at a garden center or hardware store. This is a spike that attaches to your hose and comes with watering instructions. I would deep water my trees every 2 to 3 weeks during this first season, using this Ross feeder.

Simply standing by your trees and spraying them with a hose or using a lawn sprinkler will not get down to the roots where the water is needed. If you deep water the roots every 2 to 3 weeks during this first season you will be fine until fall. Fertilizing these trees can be done at any time. If you’re using the feeder, you can buy fertilizer tabs that dissolve and go right to the roots through the feeder.

If you decide not to use a root feeder, try a time-release triple-13 fertilizer or something comparable. Use about ½ to 1 cup around the base of the tree but come out about 14 to 16” from the trunk.

QUESTION: Several years ago I bought 25 hybrid poplar. Within 1 and 1/2 years they grew 15 ft tall and were just beautiful, but this year they got holes going in a circle half way up looking like a woodpecker had got at them. They leaved out beautifully half way up the tree, however the rest of the buds on the tree did not open although they are not dead. We put some kind of
tree paint from our nursery that was black and the holes (which I think are due to some kind of borer) have stopped moving up.

My question is what do we do with the 5ft of bare tree in the middle? Do we cut it or leave for the tree to recover... or will it? Any help you can give us would be appreciated as we do not want to lose our beautiful trees as they line our 4 acre property. We live up in the middle of the mountains and people always stop to admire our trees. – Roberta W.

ANSWER: Don’t despair! This should be fairly simple. You need to cut out the dead section
down to the green wood. Once the dead is removed the tree will start a process of putting on more top growth. Send a picture through email if you can.

QUESTION: “What is the best what to rid my trees of bagworms?” – John D

ANSWER: The first thing you have to do when you see them is to clip them off the branches, put in a bag and take them somewhere to burn them. Afterwards you need to spray the plants with an insecticide, such as Monterey Garden Insect Spray, about once every 30 to 45 days. Usually, you’ll only need to do this two times per growing season. Follow the direction on the bottle to make sure your particular plants are okay with the chemical.

Turn wet land into spectacular bog garden

If a certain area of your landscape looks like the Okefenokee swamp, don’t throw in the towel (or anything else, either). Mother Nature has handed you a great opportunity: build your own bog garden!

Where to begin? Obviously, you’ll want to select a site that is low-lying so that moisture will naturally gravitate towards it. If you have a natural ‘basin’ with soil that consists mainly of clay, you probably won’t need much more than a trickle of water to maintain sufficient moisture. At last! A good reason for clay soil!

However, in most cases – particularly when the soil has fairly good drainage – you’ll want to excavate your site somewhat. The depth of the initial excavation should be between one and two feet.

As for the outline of the bog garden, use the old landscaper’s trick: lay a rope or a garden hose on the ground roughly in the desired shape, then move it in or out until you get the exact outline you want. Use a fork or spade to go around the perimeter making the initial cuts, following the rope or hose. Dig down to the soil to the desired depth, piling the soil on a tarp to protect the surrounding lawn.

Now this is where bog garden enthusiasts fall into two different camps: those who like to line the bottom of the excavated hole and those who prefer to use purely ‘natural’ materials.

One proponent of the ‘natural’ style suggests spreading a little clay as the base of your excavation. Over this, add a five-inch layer of rubble or large stones, then fill to a couple of inches below the adjacent grade level with a mixture of half loam and half leaf-mold or peat.

Most ‘liner’ advocates will tell you to line the hole with 4- to 6-mil plastic sheeting, preferably a single sheet, rather than two or more overlapping sheets. Center the liner and push it snugly all around the hole and up the sides, leaving a generous amount as a “collar” all around the edges. Punch some holes around the perimeter because, although the whole idea is to keep it moist, you don’t want a semi-pool of stagnant water.

Add a couple of inches of moist sand over the plastic sheeting. Then continue filling with a mixture of one part sand and three parts peat moss, well dampened, to within a couple of inches of the top of the hole. You can trim the liner collar, but leave about 12 inches all around to allow for further settling. You can cover the exposed liner with rocks, soil, pine needles or mulch if you wish.

So should you use a liner or not? It’s a personal choice, but much will be determined by your specific soil conditions and terrain. In either case, it’s hard to go terribly wrong, assuming you start with a natural basin that tends to collect moisture.

I’m happy to help you with any questions you might have, so feel free to send me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org You can also research online and here are two resource where you can begin: http://www.pitcherplant.com/bog_making.html and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden Web site http://www.bbg.org/ where you can type Bog Garden into the search window.

You can click on direct links to both sites when you find this column archived under the Plant Man heading at my Web site www.landsteward.org

What can you plant in your bog garden? Again you’ll find a lot of ideas online and there are literally hundreds of plants to choose from. Here are just a few ranging from tall to small: (approx mature height in inches)

Bamboo (150), Great Reed (100), Cow Parsnip (100), Pampas Grass (70), Goat’s Beard (50), Japanese Iris (36), Siberian Iris (20), Dwarf Knot Grass (15), Marsh Marigold (12), Bog Pimpernel (4), Moneywort/Creeping Jenny (4)... and SO many more!

Do some research and turn your mini-swamp into a delightful bog garden!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Landscape architect: a good investment for big projects

Landscape architect: a good investment for big projects

Designing your landscape can be a fun and rewarding project. But sometimes it makes sense to utilize the skill and experience of a professional, particularly when the project is quite extensive. The more you tell the architect about your vision, the better they will be able to design the landscape of your dreams.

Here’s a recent e-mail from a reader that brought that situation to my mind:

QUESTION: “I’m trying to figure out how to sculpture stairs on a hill in back of my house. This is a grassy hill that I don’t want to mow anymore. I have planted four apple trees so far but still have a lot of hill left. The stairs are what is bothering me: how to manage landscaping timbers or something that will look good and fit in. My house is set on rolling hills and the first hill is the problem I am thinking of a bird bath, flowers and ground cover. Can you help with ideas?” – Elizabeth Malloy

ANSWER: Stairs and graduated landing areas would provide much more interest than a rolling lawn. You might want to consider asking for professional advice from a landscape architect. It is not that expensive to get a plan drawn. However, it can get more expensive when you use them to execute the plan rather than treating it as a DIY project. We use the services of a landscape architect every time before we begin a project. If you plan to do the actual work yourself, be sure to tell the architect who can then fit the design to your skill level.

QUESTION: “Your column is a great resource. Thank you! I am trying to coordinate a small landscaping project for a woman at our church who has just finished chemotherapy (it worked, she is in remission). I have had the soil tested, and have done some research on the best native plants to put in. The soil doesn't appear to need much except compost. We want to dig new beds and plant three shrubs in one bed, ground cover in the second and decorative grasses in the third. What is the best way to get rid of the weeds in these new areas?

Also, would it be more efficient (because I'm working with a group of people and this garden has to be absolutely low-maintenance) to dig, improve or buy bags of garden soil. Thanks for your help.” – Debra Locke

ANSWER: There are a number of ways to get rid of the weeds. However, I would recommend the following. First of all, it’s important to check that you have good drainage in the beds. For the shrub bed, lay down a weed barrier mat that you can find at most garden centers. Cut an x in each location where you will plant the three shrubs. Dig the holes and plant shrubs per the supplier’s directions, then cover the weed mat with mulch.

For the ground cover bed, an alternative process would be to lay down the weed barrier mat, cover it with mulch and/or a layer of soil, then plant your ground cover directly in it. For the bed allocated to grasses, my advice would be to handle it like the shrub bed. However, of course, you’ll be cutting more x’s.

The mats are a good way to eliminate the need to deal with any of the old weeds. If the existing soil has been tested and appears to be of good quality, you can use that, possibly augmenting it with purchased topsoil. Good luck with your project!

QUESTION: “I have a Chinese Fringe Tree and this is the second year in the ground. Last year it bloomed but not this year. Do you have any suggestions. The tree is healthy and growing.” – Carolyn Sanders

ANSWER: I’m sorry to say that I do not have a really good answer for the question but will give a stab at it anyway! One possible cause could be fertilizing the tree too much, giving it all it wants and more. Reason: nitrogen produces lots of foliage but tends to cut down on the blooms. Another possibility could be that it set bud early and then went through a late freeze, killing the buds and not allowing blooms to form.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Damp soil? Here are seven plants with wet feet!

So you have soggy soil and everything you plant seems to sink in the mud or drown? Why fight Mother Nature when you can go with the flow? Instead of trying to force unsuitable plants to adapt to your damp conditions, pick plants that love getting their feet wet!

In the previous Plant Man column, I discussed plants that should be on your list if you have soil or weather conditions that is on the dry side. If you missed that one you can find it archived under the Plant Man heading at my Web site www.landsteward.org

Today we’re at the other end of the moisture scale: looking at plants that are singin’ in the rain!

Sedges and rushes You might not find Moses in your bulrushes, but if you’re familiar with the story, you remember that rushes can be found beside water so you know they like the environment. Sedges are similar to grasses but there’s a simple way to tell the difference: the stem of a grass is flat or round while the sedge stem is more triangular. Bulrushes are distinguished from other sedges by their substantial height and can make a spectacular statement adjacent to your water feature.

Weeping willow (Salix babylonica
There are few sights more tranquil than a graceful weeping willow with its many long, thin branches hanging to the ground in pendulous curtains, ruffled by a gentle breeze. The babylonica is very adaptable and thrives in moist soil as well as in its traditional location, beside lakes and rivers. It grows quickly to a mature height of around 50 ft with a matching spread.

Red Twig dogwood (Cornus sericea)
One of the few plants that remain colorful in the winter, due to the distinctive deep red branches, this dogwood also boasts delightful white blossoms in May and glowing red berries in the fall. It has high moisture needs, so the Red Twig could be a good choice for a location with consistently moist soil. Mass several as a shrub border in a residential landscape or utilize its soil-retention properties as bank cover. Red Twig grows quite quickly to a modest and manageable height of 3 ft to 6 ft.

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
You might have seen this majestic beauty alongside water hazards and lakes at golf courses and country clubs. You might also have cursed it when the little white ball ricocheted off the trunk to plop into the water. But keep the Bald Cypress in mind if you have a moderately wet area in need of a stately enhancement. It should mature between 50 and 75 ft and is fairly tolerant of salt and alkali soils.

Peve Minaret
This is the little cousin of the Bald Cypress. With its lush fern-like foliage (turning to yellow-orange in the fall) and its dwarf habit, the Peve Minaret is a real attention-getter. Because it thrives in regular to wet soils, it would be a good choice near a pond or as a foundation plant or as an unusual hedge. It’s an adaptable and low-maintenance dwarf tree (rising to around 8 ft at most) that isn’t easy to find but worth the search. Send me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org if you’re having trouble locating a source.

River Birch (Betula nigra)
This birch seems to adapt very well to urban and suburban environments. It is aptly named, doing well in “riparian (wet) zones” but also able to hang on through modest droughts. I love the texture of the peeling, flaky, cinnamon-brown bark. At maturity, it should reach 50 to 70 feet in height.

Lily of the Kings (Iris pseudacorus)
This really is an Iris of wet places... frequently found edging small ponds and streams or growing marshy areas. It is sometimes called Yellow Flag and is reputed to be inspiration for the fleur-de-lis heraldic symbol of French royalty. Some gardeners plant Lily of the Kings in a container of rich potting soil and place it directly into a shallow pond.

Wet soil... dry soil... there are trees and shrubs that look great, if you pick the ones that are best suited to your environment.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org




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Dry soil? Six plants that will brighten your landscape

For farmers, there are only two kinds of rainfall: too much and not enough. Those of us who are into gardening and landscaping can sympathize with that! However, unlike farmers, most of us don’t have thousands of acres to worry about. That means we can concentrate our efforts on finding plants that can withstand the prevailing weather conditions in our (relatively) small patch of soil.

The Plant Man’s simple rule of (green) thumb? Select trees and shrubs whose characteristics match the USDA plant hardiness zone where you live and the specific moisture conditions of your landscape.

However much you have your heart set on a plant you saw in Taos, New Mexico, it probably won’t thrive in your front yard if you live in the Pacific northwest. Similarly, plants that grow lush and verdant in high-precipitation areas are probably doomed in sun-baked Arizona.

In my next column, I’ll discuss some trees and shrubs that would be suitable for planting in soil that ranges from moist to swampy. But today, let’s think about plants that do just fine in dry soil conditions or can handle lower than average precipitation.

A word of caution: although they incline towards the dry side of the flora spectrum, none of the plants described here are truly “drought proof.”

Austrian Pine
If you have dry, rocky or windy conditions and soil that is anything from limestone to acidic, this is probably the tree for you. It looks good as a stand alone or you can plant them about 6 ft apart to form a screen or a windbreak. Even in poor, sandy soil, it grows quickly to 75 -100 ft.

Princeton Elm
Resistant to the dreaded Dutch Elm disease, the Princeton seems to do well in a wide range of weather conditions from the bitter cold of northern plains to the sweltering heat of Texas. A majestic, fast-growing shade tree.

Redbud “Don Egolf”
The horticulturist Don Shadow brought this new cultivar to my attention and he tells me that it tolerates many different soil types and is especially good in areas that tend to be dry. Don Egolf produces remarkable rosy-mauve blooms and is ideal for smaller gardens, maturing at a height of about 9 ft with a 9ft spread.

By the way, if you have trouble tracking down any of the plants I mention here, drop me an e-mail and I’ll see if I can help you.

Honeysuckle, Reynolds Red
This prized cultivar of tartarian honeysuckle puts out bright red blooms in the spring and makes a beautiful and fragrant natural hedge. It creates a delightful (and effective) windbreak and withstands drought and extreme temperatures, doing fine in salt or alkali soil.

Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’
This isn’t strictly drought resistant, but I’ve included it because it’s a low-growing plant that looks so good in a rock garden or between stones in a dry stone wall and does just fine in full sun and dryish, well-drained soil. It has brilliant magenta, clove-scented blooms and silvery-blue evergreen foliage.

Sedum Golden Carpet
If you want an attractive groundcover but are stuck with dry, sandy soil, look for Golden Carpet, one of the hardiest of the Sedums. The bright yellow blooms look great cascading over artfully placed rocks.

“Your results may vary,” as they say on TV, and when in doubt, opt for plants that are native to your geographic area rather than seeking out exotics. As always, send me an a-mail with a few details such as location, soil type and desired results and I will be happy to respond with some specific comments and suggestions.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Create a haven of privacy with the right trees and shrubs

Ah, privacy! If you live on a ranch in Wyoming or in a cabin in the wilds of Montana, that’s probably not a problem. But if you’re like most of us, you have neighbors quite close on each side of you and maybe overlooking the back of your lot as well.

Even if you’re smack in the middle of suburbia surrounded by other homes, there IS some good news. You don’t have to build a 15 foot brick wall around your perimeter just to secure your privacy. After all, who wants to live in Fort Knox without the gold?

In the previous Plant Man column, I described ways that trees and shrubs can help to insulate your home and garden from noise pollution, wind and heat, making your life more comfortable and your utility bills less demanding. If you missed that column you can find it archived under the Plant Man heading at my Web site www.landsteward.org

But as modern homes are being built closer and closer together, concerns about privacy become even more pressing for many of us. Fortunately, there are a number of “green” solutions that can provide the private haven you want without taking the ugly route.

The following e-mail is a case in point. It was fielded by my wife Cheryl.

QUESTION: “I live in a lovely cul de sac neighborhood, but I live on the corner and my whole yard is exposed, mainly the whole backyard. The lot is 3/4 acres and the house faces north. So rather than putting up an ugly wood fence, I was wondering if I could create some type of natural fence when I came across an article at your Web site.

“I mainly want to close in the backyard on the northeast side and half way across the back property line. The rest opens to neighbors whose kids play with my kids, and to forest in the back. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear about them.” – Barry Preising

ANSWER: If the house across from yours has landscaping on the exposed area along the street, you may want to do something similar to keep a balanced look in the neighborhood. Should there be no house there or if they don’t have any landscaping, here are a couple of thoughts.

Rather than the straight uniform look of a hedge, plant in groupings of plants (trees, shrubs and perennials) or a graduated hedge with breaks along the way. Beginning toward the front part of the property, plant a low growing hedge (rosa rugosa, burning bush or even ornamental grasses) along the first 1/3 of the length breaking up the plants every 20 to 30 feet with a green giant or another evergreen tree. For the next 1/3, plant a taller growing hedge such as hibiscus, clumping bamboo, or Canadian hemlock (kept at about 8 feet tall). Along the back 1/3, plant a tall growing evergreen hedge of cedar green giants or similar.
Planting a hedge in S-form in an interesting way to create a hedge without it being completely straight. When planting using this method, add smaller growing shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses in the indented areas. Using a partial fence area works great as well. The fence blocks the area you want to keep most private and then landscape with varied plants on each end as far as necessary to carry out the visual of the fence. I hope you can use one of these suggestions.

I believe the column that Barry referred to was titled “Use trees and shrubs to define your landscape.” You can find it at http://www.landsteward.org/page.cfm/6613 if you need more information on this subject. Alternatively, drop me an e-mail, like Barry did, with some specifics about the problem you’re wrestling with. I’ll respond personally and your question might appear in a future column or in my newsletter.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Three ways trees make your life easier, more comfortable

Trees. Do you plant them on your property so you can enjoy their growing beauty over many years while adding to the value of your home in the future real estate market? Nothing wrong with that! But in addition to aesthetics, trees provide three very practical benefits that add to your comfort and well-being... and even save you some of your hard-earned money.

Trees create a sound barrier
Living close to persistent noise can make you sick. In addition to the possibility of hearing loss, noise has been shown to cause stress, tension and anxiety. If your home is close to a noise source, such as a highway or an industrial complex, planting a “noise buffer” consisting of trees and shrubs can reduce noise by 5 to 10 decibels, effectively reducing the sound by up to 50% to the human ear.

According to an excellent Web site hosted by Agroforestry, the best results are obtained when the noise buffer is planted as close as possible to the source of the noise (rather than close to the area you wish to protect).

The Agroforestry site also recommends planting the trees and shrubs as close together as the species will allow. Additionally, choose plants with dense foliage, preferably foliage that is growing all the way to the ground. As you might guess, evergreen trees provide better year-round noise reduction.

If noise is giving you a migraine, I recommend a visit to http://www.agroforestry.net/overstory-back-issues/20-overstory-236-using-agroforestry-to-buffer-noise where you can find more detailed planting information to various noise pollution problems.

Trees provide wind protection
If you are troubled by blowing dust and debris around your home, thoughtfully planted trees can reduce the problem. But reducing the effect of wind on your home can also keep some dollars in your pocket.

Research conducted on the Great Plains has shown that up to 25 percent energy savings for heating is possible from windbreaks. An evergreen, properly placed, can divert cold winds away from the home. Locate the windbreak upwind from the home, according to advice from the Colorado State University Co-operative extension. http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/landscaping-for-energy-conservation-7-225/ 

To reduce wind velocity, the recommended distance from your house is between and three times tree height (at maturity) but you’ll still reap wind-reducing benefits from trees planted at a distance of up to six tree heights.

Trees provide shade
Before you say “Duh,” I’m not just referring to the shade you enjoy while sipping lemonade in your hammock. Your home benefits from being shaded from the heat of the sun, and trees are a natural sunshade.

Carefully positioned shade trees can save up to 25% of a household's energy consumption for heating and cooling, according to computer models created by the U.S. Department of Energy. They estimate that the proper placement of only three trees would save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually.

While you’re at it, create some shade for that air-conditioning unit that’s chugging away under the broiling summer sun.

In a nutshell, trees can reduce the headache-inducing effects of noise, the nuisance of wind and the size of your utility bills.

Which specific trees and shrubs should you plant to achieve one or more of these results? In many cases, this will depend on your geographic location and any unique contributing factors that affect your landscape. If you’re unsure about what would work best for your particular situation, send some of your details in an e-mail to info@greenwoodnursery.com and we’ll do our best to reply with some suggestions.

Another benefit of trees? Privacy! And that’s the subject of next week’s Plant Man column!

This article was also featured in the Plant Man Column.

Dogwoods, cedars or shrubs: spouses have different ideas!

Sometimes, the questions I receive are more concerned with “domestic relationships” than with the specific landscape problems they describe. Two people who agree on most everything can have very differing opinions concerning what to plant around the home they share...

QUESTION: “We have a 1/4 acre lot our house sets on, two neighbors to the side, a busy road directly behind us with only a berm to separate us, and a brand new below ground pool we just had put in right in the middle of our backyard.

“At first, I wanted to put dogwoods along the berm, but have since then noticed they don't stay the size we need to get the privacy we want. Then I found these Thuja Green Giants we could put along two sides of our yard; the berm to hide the road, and the neighbor without a fence. With
that formal of a backyard, there is no way I can feel out of place playing badminton in my white pole shirt and pants on a sunny day drinking lemonade, right?

“But now I have another problem, and no it's not that my wife hates playing badminton. She doesn't like the thought of the Thuja Green Giants for some reason. She's thinking tall grasses and short deciduous trees of some sort, with small shrubs and flowers beneath them across the entire berm. So now what? Back to square one, huh?

“Could you give us some pointers and perhaps guide us in the right direction on how we should handle our privacy issue? We've been reading up on what things we could do for quite a while, but have not yet come to a solution. Thanks for all your help. It is greatly appreciated.” – Nathan

ANSWER: Well, at the risk of sounding as if I’m “sitting on the fence,” you both could be correct. Yours an easy solution – planting the Green Giants – but her solution has more variety and texture. Grasses are good; maybe some of the flowering shrubs such as Knockout roses. Another thought would be to mix in some Bamboo. Use these mostly as background plants and then put in a host of perennials for investment-type landscaping. The perennials come back larger and stronger year after year while providing different seasons of blooms. If you wish to put in some ornamental smaller trees you may want to look at the Velma's Delight dwarf crape myrtle. I hope this helps you agree on a solution!

QUESTION: “I have some burning bushes in the front of my home. They no longer have any leaves on the bottom of the bush. If I trim them will they come back again, or will I harm them? I thought maybe you could help me out.” – Sandra Shinkey

ANSWER: You don’t mention the age of your shrubs, but burning bush plants become leggy as they age. Trimming doesn’t generally help this situation. They may have fulfilled their purpose in the landscape and may need to be replaced.

If age isn’t it, a few other common problems of this plant variety are disease, pests and nutritional deficiencies.

Due to the heat last spring/summer, spider mites were a huge pest causing many customers with burning bushes in their landscapes to become concerned. Once they leaf out, you can hold a white sheet of paper under some of the leaves and tap the branch lightly. If spider mites are the cause, they will fall onto the paper. Then, visit your local hardware store for their recommendation on a pesticide to treat the plants.

Burning bush prefer full sun, but will grow in other situations. The more sun they receive, the deeper red the leaves in late summer/early fall.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Small spaces can bask in colorful trees, too

Color, it seems, is high on the list of priorities for gardening and landscaping enthusiasts. After last week’s column about vividly colorful flowering trees, I received a lot of e-mails from readers essentially saying, “Tell me more!”

Because not everyone has a yard the size of Central Park, my suggestions today focus on trees that work well in smaller-scale areas.

Red Bud Forest Pansy

If you’re searching for a colorful tree that wouldn’t overpower a smaller garden, take a look at the Forest Pansy. The tiny, delicate leaves emerge in spring and suddenly you see a brilliant display of deep maroon-red ‘confetti’ that will last all through summer, turning to yellow in the fall.

Because the Red Bud Forest Pansy will only attain a height of 20 ft or so at maturity, with a spread of around 15 ft, it has the right scale for a modestly-sized area. It has a moderate growth rate and prefers sun to partial sun and well-drained soil.

Red Bud Lavender Twist

While we’re thinking about Red Buds, let’s not forget this unusual variety. The good news is that it’s easy to grow. The bad news? It’s not easy to find. Essentially, the Lavender Twist is a weeping form of the native Red Bud with contorted stems and shoots arching to produce an umbrella-shaped crown.

When it comes to color, the lavender-pink flowers stand out in bright contrast against the dark stems in spring before the leaves emerge. Even after the flowers have gone, the blueish-green foliage is very pleasing to the eye. If you have a spot that gets the early sun then partial shade for the rest of the day, you have the perfect location for a Lavender Twist, particularly if the soil is somewhat moist but well drained. Again, a good candidate for modest-sized lots, topping out between 6 and 10 ft with the gnarled limbs spreading 5 to 8 ft wide.

Sourwood tree

This is one of our favorites. Cheryl and I enjoy the sight of the drooping panicles of brilliant white flowers that begin around the middle of summer and persist into autumn. Sourwood’s foliage puts on one of the most spectacular fall displays of any tree, often transitioning from orange to brick red to flaming scarlet!

A Sourwood looks good as a specimen and works well in small groupings, too. Select a lightly-shaded location that has moist, acid, well-drained soil and incorporate some organic material to give it a good start.

Cherry “Akebono”

In the previous column, I described the cherry known as “First Lady.” If you missed that column, you can find it archived at my Web site. Go to www.landsteward.org and find the “flowering trees” column under the Plant Man heading. The Akebono is another of my favorites.

In the spring, the Akebono sports fluffy clouds of delicate pink flowers that are even more brightly tinted than the better known Yoshino variety, famous for the annual blossom display in Washington, DC. A good choice for admirers of spectacular cherry blossoms.

Tree-form Persian Lilac

Plant a pair of these tree-form Persian Lilacs to accent the entrance to your garden or to frame a walkway and you might find your landscape drawing admiring glances from neighbors and passers-by.

Good things certainly can come in small packages and this little fellow will probably not exceed 6 ft in height at maturity. I really like the abundant blooms with their pale lilac color and distinctive fragrance. This one is quite rare. If you can’t find it, try Googling “tree form Persian Lilac” or send me an e-mail and I’ll send you some shopping information.

Whatever the size of your landscape, from tiny to vast, you can enjoy colors that go beyond green!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Flowering trees add vivid bursts of color

For me, at this time of year, nothing lifts my spirits quite like the sight of the beautiful flowering trees that Cheryl and I have planted over the years as part of our landscape. And it’s not just our trees. Driving around the neighborhood I can see splashes of crimson, pink and snow white where, only a few weeks ago there were only greys and muted browns.

Maybe you’ve seen some colorful trees that really delighted you, but you weren’t sure what they were exactly and so you couldn’t your own specimens or even investigate them online.

Here is a quick glance at some of the most spectacular and breathtaking flowering trees (at least in my opinion!) that should help you identify your favorites as you plan some eye-popping color for your own landscape!

Crape Myrtle “Dynamite”

Let’s start with a bang: This thing really does look like an explosion, the vivid red blooms bursting outwards as if caught in a freeze-frame by an action movie director. As you can tell, I really like this one!

I first saw this particular Myrtle variety while leaving a drive-through restaurant and immediately circled back to take a photo. With some detective work, I tracked down the plant to a nearby nursery wholesaler and just had to buy a few for our own landscape!

It grows quickly, is fairly mildew-resistant and reaches a mature height of between 10 and 20 feet. You can use it as a colorful border or screen, but I like to see them planted in groups of three, about 15 ft apart.

Cherry “First Lady” (Prunus campanulata okame x)

The name “First Lady” makes sense as soon as you see this cherry tree. It is slim, elegant and regal, reminding me of Jackie Kennedy or Nancy Reagan in front of the White House. The upright shape makes it a good choice where “spread” is an issue: expect a mature height of maybe 20 ft and a spread of 15 ft.

The bell-shaped flowers appear in mid April with a vibrant hue somewhere between deep pink and red. The blooms look stunning against the glossy, dark green leaves (which will turn to a warm yellow in the fall). First Lady grows quite quickly and does fine in full or partial sun or shade.

Venus Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa nuttalli)

This is a rare one but definitely worth seeking out, particularly if you like a dogwood with large (as in HUGE) flowers. A single creamy white bloom can entirely cover a man’s hand. It grows to about 20 ft tall and appears to be resistant to dogwood anthracnose and mildew.

The Venus was produced by Dr. Elwin Orton, Jr, a plant breeder at Rutgers University. It’s new and not easy to find. Try typing dogwood kousa venus into Google or send me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll help you.

Magnolia Sweetbay

This is probably my favorite magnolia because of the creamy white blossoms nestled in the vibrant, glossy green foliage. The blossoms give off a distinctive, almost lemony scent that seems evocative of an earlier, less hurried era.

Cheryl and I planted a Sweetbay near our mailbox so we could enjoy the fragrance and sight of the blossoms every morning from spring through late summer as we went out to pick up our mail. Sweetbay is evergreen to semi-evergreen and is tolerant of most soil from moist to wet in zones 5 through 9. Expect a mature height of 30 to 50 ft.

Those are just four of my personal flowering favorites. In a future column, I’ll review some more to help you add a vivid splash of color to your own outdoors. Meanwhile, drop me an e-mail if you need some personal suggestions for brightening up your landscape.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Turn so-so soil into loam and plants will thrive

From 'The Plant Man' Newspaper Column
by Steve Jones


Turn so-so soil into loam and plants will thrive


Spring is here at last and landscape lovers are happily getting soil under their fingernails as they get back to planting their new shrubs and trees.

It’s an enjoyable and creative activity that can involve the entire family. Watching plants grow and bloom as a result of your horticultural endeavors is highly satisfying. But seeing trees and shrubs wither and die can be very depressing!

You can’t absolutely guarantee success, but you can put the odds in your favor by paying close attention to these two important factors: Good soil and correct planting procedures.

If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with perfect loamy soil, give thanks to St. Fiacre, the patron saint of gardeners. Fiacre was a monk who lived in Ireland about fourteen hundred years ago and was renowned for his beautiful gardens and for developing herbs with healing properties.

How well do you know your soil? There are three basic types of soil: sand, silt and clay.

Sandy soil has fairly large particles that don’t stick together. Water, air and plant roots easily penetrate sandy soil.

Silt, as you might guess from the name, is smooth and slippery. It can hold water better than sand when wet.

Clay consists of very small particles than bind together easily. Squeeze a handful of predominantly clay soil when wet, and you can mold it into a clump. Water, air and plant roots have trouble penetrating clay. Dry clay can be as hard as a rock!

The ideal soil contains moderate amounts of all three elements and can then be described as “loam.” As a rule of (green) thumb, loam has less than 52% sand, between 28% and 52% silt and 7% to 27% clay. Get your soil to that kind of ratio and you’re definitely putting the odds in your favor!

It’s not easy to determine the state of your soil just by looking at it. Rather than waste money by trying to grow plants that always seem to die or look sickly, invest a little time and money in a soil test. There are DIY soil test kits on the market or you can get a professional soil evaluation at a very reasonable price.

As you know, I’m a strong advocate of organic solutions to garden and landscape problems, and that is definitely the case when it comes to improving your soil! I believe that chemical fertilizers, aside from being potentially toxic, are short-term plant boosters that can leave behind a salty residue in the soil, preventing some plants from absorbing necessary nutrients.

So I encourage you to seek out organic solutions when you need to improve the quality of your soil. There are a number of organic products on the market and I’ve been getting good results from some of them. If you need some more information on organic solutions or shopping information, send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a personal reply.

Next time, I’ll discuss some planting tips that will help you get the best results from bareroot, balled-and-burlapped and container-grown plants.

Meanwhile, a comment from a reader...

Jeff from Brooksville, FL, sent me an e-mail after reading a recent column about growing a variety of bamboo named Fargesia robusta. Jeff said that, several years ago, he had tried growing Fargesia but the plants died, presumably due to the hot, humid summers in his area.

Individual results can vary, of course, and Fargesia rufa (Sunset Glow Bamboo) does well in Zones 6 - 9 on the USDA Plant Hardiness map, something I didn't specify in that column. Brooksville, FL, is in Zone 10, and excessively hot and humid conditions such as you'll find around Miami are not recommended for Fargesia. Thanks for your comment, Jeff.

These big bloomers you’ll be proud to own!

Perennials, it seems, really are a perennial favorite with readers of this column. And no wonder. Perennials provide years of pleasure and a sense of continuity in your landscape as you see familiar friends returning season after season.

In the past few days, I have received via e-mail at steve@landsteward.org numerous questions and requests for information on perennials that might be a little out of the ordinary. Rather than include all those questions here, I’ll pass along some of the information that I sent to those folks who contacted me.

Scabiosa Grand Stone
Think really big bloomers – and I don’t mean oversized pantaloons – and you’re describing Grand Stone. It has the biggest flowers I have seen on a Scabiosa: about 3 inches across with bold, blue petals. Unlike plants that spread out in a wide pattern, Grand Stone seems to concentrate all its energy into producing flowers, sometimes a hundred or more in a single season from one plant no more than 20 inches wide.

One reader wanted suggestions for plants suitable for cut flower arrangements and I immediately thought of Grand Stone. Cut off a few stems and it just seems to bloom even more, often all the way until really cold weather arrives in the fall. You can buy them in flats, but, in my opinion, you are better served looking for plants like these that are somewhat more mature, with an expanded root system. Those are usually shipped in two-quart containers and give you something of a head start.

Green Screen Bamboo (Fargesia robusta)
After a brief mention here of bamboo, I received requests from readers for more information on different bamboo varieties. Here’s one you can look for if you want something fast-growing and sun-tolerant. In fact, I bought a few to plant in my own landscape.

Fargesia robusta is large-clumping bamboo that will quickly reach a height of 15 to 18 feet with approximately a one inch diameter. It makes a pretty impressive hedge and also looks good in a container, either indoors or out. As always, let me know if you need some shopping information about this or any of the other “out of the ordinary” plants I mention.

Salvia x sylvestris “Snow Hill”
Speaking of containers, here’s a perennial that makes for an ideal container plant, although it also works well amidst roses or even in a vegetable garden. It has delightfully aromatic foliage and is a definite attraction for both bees and butterflies. But what makes it special for me is the sight of its glowing purple stems and the mass of clear white flowers that bloom from June to October. Snow Hill is a fast-growing perennial that is deer-resistant and prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil.

Clethra alnifolia Sixteen Candles
Remember the 80's movie “Sixteen Candles?” Or the hit record of the same name by The Crests? Of course, you’re not THAT old! But this nostalgically named plant certainly does look like a cake decorated with stiffly-upright glowing white candles. Actually, rather than a mere sixteen, it can produce hundreds of 4 to 6 inch candle-like spikes in a single season.

These “candles” have a delightful scent, too! They’ll do well in full sun, partial sun or shade. Again for best results, my advice is to search out plants that are shipped in containers that are one or one-and-a-half gallon, letting you enjoy a mature, thriving plant more quickly.

> From Grand Stones to Sixteen Candles... evocative names that add to the

delight of planning and developing your own unique landscape!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Reader needs help with forlorn lawn

The Plant Man column
for publication week of 03/19/06 - 03/25/06
(742 words)
###

The Plant Man
by Steve Jones


Reader needs help with forlorn lawn

QUESTION: “My husband and I ripped up our yard a year ago, put in a sprinkler system and put down sod. It looked great for a few months and then in August we went away for a week and didn't water the grass. When we returned, our yard looked fried. I must say that we were not the most diligent about watering except for the first month or so after putting the sod down.

“Nor were we great about cutting the grass. It got pretty high at times so that when we would cut it, it looked brown after the mowing. So here we are a year later with a yard that looks worse than last year. I read your article about seeding this time of year and realize that we should have attempted to fix it last fall. Is there anyway to salvage the sod now or do we need to start over?

“I should tell you we have quite a few oak trees in our yard but it still gets tons of sun. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.” – Laura

ANSWER: Frequent watering, such as daily to every other day, doesn’t grow a deep rooted lawn. Plants, including grass, need to stress a bit to develop deeper growing roots for survival, which is probably why it looked bad when you returned from your trip. Once a week or every 4-5 days is certainly enough to water. The blade setting on you mower should cut no shorter than 3 inches. Many people set their mower blades at 2 inches and less which scalps a lawn and doesn’t give any shading to the grass to protect it from the heat.

Even sod needs to be reseeded seasonally (at least annually) to keep it thick. You aren’t too late to seed over your lawn. Use a rake to scratch up the soil in any bald areas and then reseed. If you don’t have rainfall within following few days, you will definitely want to run the sprinklers on it and then continue watering every 4-5 days or so. There may always be problems with the grass near the oak trees, but that is normal. If it continues to look bad, you may want to think about groundcovers or other alternatives. Good luck!

QUESTION: “Hi, we are looking to landscape our yard this year. We have a half-acre of land and are looking to plant some fast growing trees and evergreens. Do you have any suggestions? We would like trees that have beautiful fall color.” – M. Wood

ANSWER: There are many factors that enter into landscaping. Overhead utilities, existing plants, and the color of the house’s exterior (red brick, yellow vinyl, etc) are a few things that can affect a selection of taller growing trees. Most of the extremely fast growing trees will still grow quite tall and wide as well, even though some are short lived.

On a half-acre lot you may want to consider trees that are tall and slim such as slender silhouette sweetgum, first lady cherry, Japanese red maples, bald cypress peve minaret, lavender twist red bud, weeping higan, crape myrtles, sourwood, kwanzan cherry, emerald green arborvitae, jane magnolia, and degroots spire arborvitae.

Some of these plants are faster growing, but those like the arborvitae are only moderate growers. Select trees that compliment your house color. A white blooming tree in front of a white or cream vinyl will not be as striking as if you had a dark red brick home. Lots of shrubs and perennials with seasonal color can also add interest to your landscape.

QUESTION: “I am looking for a small shrub to make a thick row around a driveway to act as a border. I'm thinking maybe a boxwood might work. I want it to be thick but not too high, maybe 18" or so, in half sun and half shade, zone 9. Do you have any suggestions?” – Emmett Robichaux

ANSWER: Although boxwood is a nice plant, it is very slow growing. Here are a couple of other suggestions you could think about as alternatives: Crimson pygmy barberry, Forever Pink hydrangea, or perhaps a flowering quince. For an unusual option, consider bamboo.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Perennials reward your landscape investment

When you want a landscape that will come back – bigger and better – year after year, who are you gonna call? Perennials!

The landscape surrounding your home really is an investment in many different ways. As I’ve reminded you on many occasions, carefully planted trees and shrubs can provide shade to lower air-conditioning bills in the summer and act as a windbreak in the winter.

Additionally, attractive landscaping can add thousands of dollars to the value of your home when it comes time to sell and move on. Realtors will tell you how important "curb appeal" can be when potential buyers are comparing your home to others that they’ve seen.

I tend to think of three levels of investment when it comes to landscaping.

The first level will bring a fast return on your investment. This is as close as Nature gets to instant gratification: Annuals. Often, annuals are already blooming when you select them at the Garden Center. They add a delightful splash of color to the exterior of your home.

The third level is your long-term investment: Trees. Your investment gradually grows and increases over the years, creating an established and mature look to your landscape.

But there is a middle ground. The second level of landscape investment: Perennials.

With perennials, you’ll invest some time and patience, but your reward will be many seasons of attractive, blooming plants with a minimum of ongoing maintenance.

The perennials that you choose will depend on a number of factors, including the Plant Hardiness Zone in which you live. If you’re unsure of your zone, feel free to send an e-mail to me at steve@landsteward.org with your city and state and I’ll check it for you.

Here are three ideas for perennials that you might want to investigate. Some are easier to find than others, so I can send you shopping information if you care to drop me an e-mail.

Achillea millefolium Red Velvet

Achillea make ideal garden plants and seem to thrive under almost any conditions, which is good news if you haven’t had much luck with your planting in the past. Once established, the Red Velvet is fairly drought-resistant and deer-resistant, and tolerates a wide variety of soil types.

During the spring it forms rosettes of feathery foliage followed by hairy flower stalks topped by densely packed flat topped umbels of numerous florets. The plants are pleasantly aromatic and are very attractive to bees. If you like dried flowers, this is a good choice. Pick them in full bloom before the color starts to fade.

Red Velvet grows to about 30" tall and produces compact heads of deep velvety red florets which have a tiny conspicuous clear golden yellow center. It makes a fine showy border plant and long lasting cut flower.

Agastache "Black Adder"

This is a Hyssop that won’t swamp your garden in seedlings! This sterile, deer-resistant hybrid is a delightful new shade that produces no seeds and flowers until frost. The Black Adder has dark purple buds with lilac-like flowers and licorice scented foliage.

You’ll probably find that hummingbirds and butterflies will be attracted to its stunning violet-blue blooms. 'Black Adder' appreciates good winter drainage; in fact, it’s essential for winter survival. In full sun and well-drained soil, it will shrug off both summer heat and early frosts.

Anemone Honorine Jobert

Do you have some "problem areas?" You can plant Anemone Honorine Jobert in a spot that would be difficult for other plants to grow because this background plant will perform in spite of the hardships. This makes Honorine Jobert a great plant for dark corners, background nooks, and even a groundcover to mix with larger shrubs.

Discovered in France in 1858, this anemone gives a fine autumn display of pure white flowers with yellow centers and is excellent as a background plant, growing 30-36 inches tall. It is a vigorous branching perennial with robust foliage of deeply-divided, slightly-bristled, dark-green leaves.

Certainly, invest in your landscape at all three levels. But for many of us, the sight of these delightful perennials, coming back year after year, is all the return on investment we need! As always, contact me via e-mail if you’re looking for more selections or planting advice for your perennials.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

“Thinking green” adds beauty, saves money

When you think of St. Patrick’s Day, what color immediately springs to mind? The answer of course is green! For many of us, that date is also when we’re beginning to see “green” reclaiming our landscape that has languished in shades of gray and brown throughout the winter.

For those of us who love the outdoors – whether we’re gardeners, landscapers, hikers or cross-country bikers – the sight of that new green is a welcome one and a harbinger of sunnier days ahead.

St. Paddy’s Day is the ideal time to “think green.”

There are so many ways that “green” can enhance our lives and improve our environment at the same time. I was reminded of this when I visited the Web site hosted by Project Evergreen. "St. Patrick's day ushers in a perfect time to focus on the rewards of maintaining and enhancing the green space in our communities," says Den Gardner, Project Evergreen’s executive director.

Invest some time now on lawn and landscape improvements and, as a homeowner, you’ll reap a host of benefits both short and long term. Here are some of Den’s observations:

Green for a cleaner environment:
Growing a thick, healthy lawn returns oxygen to the atmosphere while helping to filter out pollutants that might threaten groundwater. Plants, especially trees, improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

Green to reduce energy costs:
Proper placement and maintenance of trees for shade and shelter can reduce attic temperatures as much as 40 degrees in the summer and help reduce heat loss in the winter.

Green to add property value:
Studies continually show that investment in landscaping improvements can be more than recovered when a property is sold and even add profit when attention is paid to plant size, placement and design sophistication.

If you’re looking for more detailed information about lowering temperatures, reducing your utility bills, and increasing property values simply by planting trees and shrubs, you can read many relevant and helpful articles by going to my Web site www.landsteward.org and clicking on The Plant Man link. If you’d like me to suggest some suitable trees and plants for your specific situation, send me a few particulars and I’ll do my best to help. You can reach me at steve@landsteward.org

To find out more about Project Evergreen, visit http://www.projectevergreen.com/ Or you can click on a direct link when you find this column archived at my Web site.

> From time to time, Project Evergreen recognizes the achievement of groups

and individuals who create or preserve green spaces. At their site, you can find some before-and-after pictures showing how the city of Chicago, IL, has succeeded in creating some beautiful and environmentally beneficial landscaping projects.

There are some surprising facts that you might not be aware of, according to a downloadable brochure at Project Evergreen’s site. For example:

More oxygen
A patch of lawn, just 50 ft square, can produce enough oxygen for a family of four.

Cleaner water
When your turf is thick and healthy, it acts like a filter, cleaning water as it’s absorbed into the soil and the plant root zone, and reducing the likelihood of groundwater pollution

Cooler, cleaner air
The grass in your lawn can trap dust and smoke particles, absorbing heat as a sort of outdoor air conditioner.

Allergy reduction
A lush, dense turf crowds out weeds, reducing pollen in the air. A pleasant relief for allergy sufferers!

So raise a glass and salute St. Patrick. It’s not just the wearing o’ the green; it’s the THINKING of the green that can make the real difference!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Twisted and spiky or soft and sweet: more unusual spring planting ideas

The Plant Man column
for publication week of 02/26/06 - 03/04/06
(737 words)
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The Plant Man
by Steve Jones


Twisted and spiky or soft and sweet: more unusual spring planting ideas


"Tell me more!"

That's the reaction I've been getting in e-mail messages from readers of
recent columns about plant suggestions that are... well, off the beaten
path. So here are a few more "less-than-common" plants that you might want
to explore, if you're looking to add unique features to your landscape.

Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudana Tortuosa)
A fascinating tree with an unusual and descriptive name. I have long
admired this tree but I'm surprised that not a lot of people know about it,
so I'm pleased to spread the word. The twisted, contorted branches are
nonetheless elegant, as with all willows, and it is a tree that has a
distinctive look for each season.

As spring turns to summer, I enjoy the sight of the bright green,
narrow-leaved foliage. In the fall, the foliage slowly turns yellow, and
throughout the winter I frequently take time to look at the contorted,
claw-like limbs and twigs. In fact, another name for the Corkscrew Willow
is Dragon's Claw and I can certainly understand why.

It's a strong, hardy tree that's quite easy to grow and tolerates almost any

soil, including wet soil with poor drainage. For a really dramatic effect,
you can clump two or three together and watch the claw-like limbs
intertwine. Trim back to a single stem if you want to line a driveway or a
property boundary. Corkscrew Willows are modest in height - between 20 and
30 ft at maturity with a spread of around 15 ft.

Giant Pussy Willow (Salix chaenomeloides)
Unlike the Corkscrew, this one is, of course, a shrub. The "giant" version
is quite spectacular (if you're only familiar with its smaller cousins)
growing to about 10 ft high. It produces silver-gray foliage in the summer
and glowing red bark in the winter that sprouts red buds in the early spring

that turn into rabbit's foot-size furry catkins.

All of which gives me an excuse to pass along the folk-tale origin of the
pussy willow...

According to a Polish legend, a mother cat was crying by a river in which
her little kittens were drowning. Moved by the cat's plight, the willows
that lined the river bank bent over and trailed their long branches in the
water. The kittens clung to the branches and were lifted to safety. And
now, each spring, the branches of the Pussy Willow sprout fur-like buds
where the kittens had clung and been rescued. Aaaaaaah..!

If you missed any of the previous columns with unusual planting suggestions,

you can find them all at my Web site. Go to www.landsteward.org and click on

"The Plant Man" where you can scroll through the archives. Alternatively,
send me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org with a few details about your
landscape and the results you want to achieve and I'll give you some of my
personal recommendations.

Back to my "off the wall" plant ideas...

Flying Dragon (Poncirus trifoliata)
Thinking of the Dragon's Claw reminded me of this highly unusual plant,
Flying Dragon. This is another plant developed by the ingenious Don Shadow.

In fact I'm looking at one right now. Cheryl and I like this so much that

we potted one for the office! If you want to see a photo of it, drop me an
e-mail and I'll send you a picture.

Flying Dragon has dense, spiky limbs that can be very useful if you're
looking to plant a hedge that will deter people or animals from cutting
through and crossing your lawn! In fact, I've seen it used for just that
purpose on college campuses and public places such as zoos and parks.

In spring, Flying Dragon produces small white blooms that are very
attractive. It also produces a yellow fruit that is technically edible but,

frankly, far too sour for my taste! However, I'm happy to enjoy the
beautiful sight, both of the potted version and the hedge which will grow to

about 6 ft. It has extreme cold hardiness - to about 0 degrees Fahrenheit -

and has good blight resistance.

So... twisted, soft or spiky. The choice is yours. Don't settle for ho-hum

when you can let your landscape make a unique statement.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional
information, or to subscribe to Steve's free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go
to www.landsteward.org

New and useful plants from unique nurseryman, Don Shadow

There are some plants that just demand the description “unique.” They are remarkable, unlike anything you’ve seen before; as fascinating as they are unusual.

As rare as that description is for plants, it is even more uncommon to find a truly unique person. Fourth-generation nurseryman Don Shadow would strike most people as unique, but he doesn’t feel that description fits him or the many plant varietals that he has developed over the years.

Don describes these varietals not as unique but as “new and useful.” Several of Don’s plants are featured in the March 2006 edition of “Garden Design” magazine.

He has operated his own nursery in Winchester, Tennessee, since 1973, and it is there that many of these “new and useful” plants have first seen the light of day. In a moment I’ll describe a couple of my personal favorites from the Don Shadow repertoire that were spotlighted in “Garden Design,” but first more about this fascinating man...

Don’s interest and expertise extends beyond plants to the animal kingdom. There are more than 600 animals in 60 different species living and breeding under Don’s watchful eye.

He has 14 different species of deer and 46 camels, as well as antelope, zebras, tapirs, lemurs and many more.

Currently, Don is raising Chinese Red Panda babies, the first ever to be successfully bred by a private individual in the United States. Don works closely with zoos that regularly send him animals for breeding, based on his remarkable success record.

But whether it’s growing tender bamboo for his pandas or developing new varietals of fruit trees, Don’s first love remains in the realm of plants.

He dislikes calling his plants "unique" or "rare" as he believes words like that can be misleading and even create anxiety among amateur gardeners who might think that they wouldn’t have the necessary skill to grow such plants successfully.

"I focus on varietals that I describe as new and useful," Don told me recently. "These could be plants that are ideally suited to a particular location due to their color, form or habit."

Don travels extensively and has noticed that Americans are beginning to move towards planting styles already popular in countries such as Japan and England. "Smaller spaces need trees and shrubs that match the scale of those spaces," he points out. "Large, majestic trees just don’t work in the smaller landscapes we’re seeing now around newly-constructed homes."

Here are two of Don Shadow’s plants that were featured in “Garden Design” magazine:

Red Bud “Little Woody” The Little Woody is a very compact small grower with remarkably dark, gnarled and almost rubbery rugose green leaves. It can grow in full sun, partial sun or shade and will top out between 6 and 10 feet at maturity.

Red Bud “Ace of Hearts” Both the Ace of Hearts and the Little Woody bear the Latin name Cercis canadensis, and the Ace is reputed to be the first ever compact canadensis varietal. The name comes from the plant’s delightful heart-shaped leaves that are only half the size of “regular” Red Bud leaves, giving it a delightfully delicate appearance.

If you’re looking for something with spectacular color, try another Don Shadow Signature plant, the Red Bud Tennessee Pink. The name aptly describes the hot pink blooms that make a dramatic show in early spring. The pink looks particularly brilliant alongside another Shadow Red Bud, the Chinensis Alba. I would recommend all of these to gardeners who are “acreage-challenged” but still want unusual and delightful plants.

Be warned, they’re hard to find but well worth it and will have your neighbors asking, “Where did you find THAT?” Best bet: Go to www.google.com and type in Don Shadow Red Bud, or simply drop me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org.

I call them unique, even if Don insists they’re “new and useful.”

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Creative plant names add fun to your landscape

The Plant Man column
for publication week of 02/12/06 - 02/18/06
(643 words)
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The Plant Man
by Steve Jones


Creative plant names add fun to your landscape


What’s in a name? Some plants have acquired names that boast fascinating back-stories, while others have monikers that are so descriptive, they’re irresistible! Here are two of my favorite examples.

Degroots Spire arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
It’s fascinating to discover how plants came to be given certain names. Take arborvitae as an example. Translated from the Latin, it means “tree of life.” One might assume there is a spiritual or religious reason for a plant to be blessed with that name. However, the origin is far more down to earth.

According to legend or history (take your pick) the plant was named by the 16th century French explorer Jacques Cartier who learned from Native Americans that its foliage could be used to treat scurvy because of the high content of what we now call Vitamin C.

Scurvy particularly affected sailors who spent months at sea without access to fruits and vegetables. You might recall that the British navy learned to carry limes on long sea voyages for the same purpose, allegedly giving rise to the nickname “Limeys.”

Cartier noted that the Native Americans used the leaves in various medicines and boiled the foliage to make a medicinal tea. When he realized the restorative powers of the plant, it seemed only natural for him to dub it “the tree of life.”

Arborvitae is a cedar that comes in many varieties. One of my favorites is Degroot’s Spire. It is the ideal tree if you have a small or narrow area that needs some enhancement but cannot accommodate a wide-spreading tree. Degroot’s Spire will climb to a height of about 20 feet but has a spread of only 3 feet, resembling an elegant church spire or steeple pointing skywards.

Degroot’s Spire tolerates shearing to create a stately tailored column. You might have seen it planted in narrow spaces between tall buildings such as office complexes. For the homeowner, an ideal location would be between the house and garage or other outbuildings. It can also be very effective as a screen hedge.

The foliage is a dense, medium-green that takes on a purplish tinge in the winter. It can grow in direct sun or partial shade and has moderate water requirements. If you can’t locate Degroot’s Spire arborvitae locally, send me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll give you some shopping information.

Robust Male Fern (Dryopteris filx-mas undulata “Robusta”)
In this case, it’s not the Latin name that I find fascinating – it’s almost too long to remember, anyway – it’s the common name: Robust Male Fern! Some plants have names that sound downright sissy, but not this one. It sounds like it might get up and kick your butt if you’re not careful!

If the name brings to mind visions of John Wayne-style heroes, you’re not far off. This fern is a tough guy that is fairly self-sufficient, grows fast and stands tall: around 4 feet at maturity.

I like the way this fern really enhances the more colorful characters in a large herbaceous border. It can also come to your rescue (as tough-guy heroes should) if you need to prevent erosion on steep hillsides or riverbanks. It works well as a low-maintenance and attractive groundcover in a woodland setting when you want a natural, rugged look.

Robust Male Ferns thrive in cool, moist, shaded locations, the long, leathery fronds unfurling in shades of yellow-green, maturing to a deep emerald.

If you like to mix and match, consider adding similar plants such as Japanese Holly Fern or Shield Fern. As always, let me know if you need help finding these plants.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Watering trees not always as simple as it seems!

The Plant Man column
for publication week of 02/05/06 - 02/11/06
(765 words)
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The Plant Man
by Steve Jones


Watering trees not always as simple as it seems!


Watering a tree sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? But trees, particularly new, young trees, can suffer irreparable damage when they are subjected to incorrect or insufficient watering. Here is a question from a reader about that very subject, as well as some ideas about removing the pesky stumps of a holly bush!

QUESTION: “I had planted two new trees in April, a redbud and an apple serviceberry. Neither came with any instructions about watering. The redbud has a circumference of 5 inches and the serviceberry 5 1/2 inches. Please give me an idea of how much and often to water them.

“Also, are new trees not to be fertilized for a couple years? Should I be doing root stimulator applications on them both and for how long? While on trees topic when is the best time to have Bradford trees pruned?” – a reader

ANSWER: The best rule of thumb for new trees is to make sure the root ball is moist until the tree or shrub grows through the first season. To do this you can purchase a product from a company called Jobe. They manufacture a tree spike that attaches to a regular garden hose. Directions come with the spike.

If you cannot find this product, take a 1 to 2 inch PVC pipe and hammer into the root ball but at the farthest point from the trunk of the tree. Be careful not to hammer into any large root of the new tree. Make sure the root ball is damp at least once a week during the first season.

A lot of folks think by watering the top of the ground that the roots of the tree are getting watered and that is simply not the case. To prove it to yourself, water the ground for a few minutes then dig down to see how far the water has traveled. You will be amazed at how short a distance the water has penetrated.

You can treat your new trees with a fertilizer that stimulates root growth. Ask for it at your local garden center.

The best time to trim trees is when they are dormant: late fall when they drop their leaves or early spring before the leaves appear.

QUESTION: “We recently removed some (old) holly bushes from the front of our house. My husband chain sawed them down. Well, now I have about 3" of stump remaining from the ground and I keep getting new holly growth all over. I have to keep clipping to control. We put a poison into the stumps (after drilling holes) but they are still there. I want to till up the whole area in front of house and replant some shrubs or flowers. How can I make sure I kill the root, stump and any other new growth?”– Ginnie Mercer

ANSWER: I know there are several products out there that you can purchase from your local garden store. However, in order for you to do this quickly you may have to dig them out. Since they are a three inch caliper you will have to back away from the stump about two feet with a spade and start digging. You use a spade to cut the roots all the way around the trunk then dig down and lift up. This is the fastest way to accomplish your task. It will take quite a while for poisons to kill and rot the stump enough to till the ground.

After that Q and A appeared in a recent edition of my weekly e-mailed newsletter, I received the following comment from a reader:

COMMENT: “About those stumps from the hollies, I have a suggestion that might help until it's warm enough to dig those stumps out... She can pour a big bag of high nitrogen fertilizer over the stumps and roots area, cover that with wet newspaper and then top it with plastic to keep it
moist. As you know, this will help rot and "soften" the stumps and roots for easier digging in spring.” – Teri

ANSWER: It would seem on the surface a great solution. I will post your comment on my Web site and share it with our readers. Do you have comments or suggestions to share with other readers of this column? Send your ideas to me via e-mail.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

These “shady characters” keep you cool and save some green

The Plant Man column
for publication week of 01/29/06 - 02/04/06
(642 words)
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The Plant Man
by Steve Jones


These “shady characters” keep you cool and save some green


Trees keep you cooler and reduce energy bills. And besides... trees are a beautiful part of your landscape!

Last week in this column, I described the Urban Heat Island Effect and what you and I can do to counteract it. Today, I will describe some ideal trees that will add beauty to your home and reduce the number of dollar bills flying out your wallet.

If you still need convincing that trees = lower temperatures, just ask NASA. Using aerial surveillance, they measured the temperatures in many locations across America. In one example, they looked at the Madison Square Mall in Huntsville, AL. In wooded areas surrounding the mall, the temperature was about 85 F, while the temperature of the blacktopped parking lot was a steamy 119.8 F. However, a "tree island", a small planter containing a couple of trees in the parking lot was only 88.8F. So, even a small area of tree coverage surrounded by a very hot parking lot reduced temperatures by a significant 31F.

So you don’t need a forest to make a difference. You can find the full report at NASA’s Web site http://www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/land/heatisl/heatisl.htm and you can click on a direct hot link from this column archived under the Plant Man heading at my Web site, www.landsteward.org where you can also read last week’s column if you missed it.

Not only can trees provide shade for your home, but thoughtfully planned trees can also shade driveways, parking area and garage roofs that would otherwise become “heat radiators.”

Which trees should you choose? Pick the wrong trees and you’ve created a long-term problem. You need to look at the height and spread of any tree you’re considering and also be aware of any overhead or underground utilities.

Here are a few quick suggestions, but as they say in TV commercials, “Your results may vary,” so I invite you to send a few details to steve@landsteward.org and I’ll offer some personal advice.

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
A great choice for large lawn areas, and you’ll often see it on golf courses. A slow grower, it’ll reach 75 - 100 ft and prefers well drained, moderately moist fertile soil.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
It’s hard to go wrong with this beauty, one of the most famous shade trees. Breathtaking crimson fall color! A good choice if your needs run to a smaller tree as this one tops out at around 30 - 50 ft.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsyulvanica)
If you need a faster grower, the Green Ash might be a good choice. It has moderate water requirements and tolerates salt and alkali soils, with a mature height between 50 and 75 ft.

White Oak (Quercus alba)
Be advised that these guys are massive, often soaring up to 140 ft. They are an investment that’ll be there for future generations to enjoy. The name comes from the whitish bark and grey-white branches.

Red Baron Willow hybrid
Can’t wait? The Red Baron is one of the fastest-growing trees you can find, shooting up about 6 ft a year to a maximum height of around 70 ft. It’s not easy to find, so search Google, or contact me via e-mail.

One last “off the wall” idea...

Bald Cypress Peve Minaret
Okay, it’s not a shade tree (topping out at around 8 ft) but an unusual and beautiful way to accent your landscape. The dense branching will highlight the entrance to a secret garden or around your foundation. Hard to find but worth it, so contact me if you can’t locate it!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

It’s official: Trees are GOOD for you!

Those of us who enjoy the outdoors have always known that being around trees somehow makes us feel better. The sound of the rustling leaves, the sight of the dappled sun light filtering through the gently swaying branches. The cooling shade from the summer’s heat...

Aha!

One of the major issues confronting environmentalists (and thus, all of us) is a phenomenon known as Urban Heat Island Effect. We’ll call it UHIE to save space.

What is UHIE? In a nutshell, the air in urban areas can be 6 to 8 degrees warmer than in surrounding rural and suburban areas, particularly in the summer. Apart from being uncomfortable, UHIE increases pollution, reduces air quality and increases energy use (and cost) as we crank up the air conditioning as a counter-measure. So UHIE is bad for the environment, bad for our health and bad for our pocket book.

But there is some good news. This is one of those rare problems where we can all make a change for the better. Not just for the world at large, but also for the little piece of the world that we call home!

Causes of the Heat Island Effect include dark surfaces – that absorb heat from the sun – and a lack of sufficient vegetation.

Traditionally, roofing and pavement tend to be constructed of dark materials (think “blacktop”). An online report by the Heat Island Group suggests that cities would save enormous sums of money by changing what’s known as “roof reflectivity.” How much? Los Angeles would see a net energy saving of $35M and Phoenix would save $37M. But savings would also be seen in the cooler northern areas of the country: $16M for New York and $10M for Chicago.

Roads, sidewalks and driveways coated with dark asphalt can be as much as 70 degrees hotter than similar white or light-colored surfaces because sunlight is absorbed by the blacktop and converted to thermal energy.

Even though you, personally, can’t do much about Los Angeles or Phoenix, you CAN make a difference in your own back yard, literally, by replacing blacktop driveways and walkways with what is called “low albedo” pavement, and planning to switch to lighter-colored roofing when that project becomes due.

In addition to that hardscaping, you can make a major and noticeable improvement to your own environment by planting... trees! Research by leading academic institutions and government agencies continues to show that planting trees will lower the temperature in and around your home and, as a consequence, reduce your energy bills.

There is one very convincing reason to plant trees on your land: Evapotranspiration. Trees transpire water through their leaves, cooling the surrounding air. A single mature tree with a 30ft canopy can transpire as much as 40 gallons a day.

According to the Department of Energy, just three trees planted around a house can save between $100 and $250 annually in heating and cooling costs. (I would guess the savings would be even higher, given current energy costs.)

And here’s another interesting fact: Ambient temperatures are 3 to 6 degrees cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods. As well as being cooler, homes located on streets lined with mature trees are more attractive and have greater “curb appeal” when it’s time to sell.

If your hometown is woefully lacking in trees, you can do something about it. Find out if there’s a neighborhood tree project. If not, think about getting together with your neighbors and starting one. When you add up the benefits – lower energy costs, aesthetic enhancement, improved resale prices – your neighbors are likely to share your enthusiasm! You can find a lot of information online by going to Google and typing in “neighborhood tree projects.”

Which trees work best to provide shade, save you energy, enhance the environment and are pleasing to the eye? In the next Plant Man column, I will discuss some of my favorites that will provide a feeling of tranquility and keep more of your hard-earned money in the bank!

Meanwhile, here are two useful Web sites I referred to in this column: http://eetd.lbl.gov/HeatIsland/LEARN/ and
http://www.energy.gov/news/1652.htm You can click on a direct link to both those Web sites (and more) when you go to www.landsteward.org and find this column under “The Plant Man” heading.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Pandas and pygmies and kings, oh my! Some more new plant ideas

The trouble with “new” ideas is that they’ll always be “old” to anyone who already knew about them. I received quite a lot of e-mail from readers following my recent column that featured plant suggestions that were a little out of the ordinary. As I had guessed, some readers were already familiar with my recommendations. But even for the most knowledgeable horticulturist, it’s good to be reminded of plants we might not have considered for a while.

In fact, when Cheryl read that column, she reminded me of several other plants that have caught our interest recently, and today I’ll describe some of them in case you’re still looking at fresh ideas for spring planting.

But first, if you missed that previous column, you can find it archived at my Web site. Go to www.landsteward.org then click on “The Plant Man” and look for the column titled “Some new plant ideas for the new year.”

And now to this week’s planting ideas.


Crimson Pygmy (Berberis thunbergii)

As the name suggests, this is a dwarf variety of Japanese barberry. I am fascinated by this plant, mainly because of the leaves which will develop a hue of deep crimson in direct sunlight but will turn to a lighter red or even green as shade increases.

In spring you’ll just be able to see tiny gold-tinged flowers and in the fall small red berries will appear that will usually remain throughout most of the winter. At maturity, they grow to about three feet high with a three foot spread. Crimson Pygmy can be planted alone or grouped to make a low hedge or to surround a garden feature such as a birdbath.

Green Panda (Fargesia rufa)

If you lived in Western Sichuan province in China and you planted Fargesia rufa, you might have to find a way to keep pandas out of your back yard because they find this variety particularly succulent! However, that probably won’t be a problem for you if you live in the United States where this variety is a relative newcomer.

Green Panda is ideal if you’re looking for a screen or an unusual hedge that will grow to about eight feet in height. I like the way the orange-red sheaths are set off by the deep green leaves. This non-running evergreen could add a unique flair to your landscape, but might not be easy to find. If you’re having difficulty finding a supplier, drop me an e-mail.

Lily of the Kings (Iris pseudacorus)

Legend has it that this iris was the inspiration for the Fleur de Lys, the symbol found on the coat of arms of numerous French kings. Whether or not that’s true, this plant will certainly add a sense of nobility to your landscape particularly if you have a pond or a water feature.

Lily of the Kings thrives in wet areas and marshlands and I’ve seen some landscapers plant it, in containers, directly into a shallow pond. The heavy, grass-like blades will grow to a height of four to six feet, and the cut flowers make beautiful arrangements, both fresh and dried. If you have been wondering what to plant in that “wet” area, this might be your solution.

Royal Standard Hosta

Don’t quit reading just yet! Yes, I’m sure you’re familiar with the Hosta, perhaps the most popular perennial groundcover. However, there are many Hosta varieties and at least one might be just different enough to appeal to you. Take the Royal Standard, for example.

The deep green foliage will grow to about 24 inches high with a 30 inch spread. I really like the extra-fragrant funnel-shaped white flowers that bloom in July and August. Let it bask in morning sun and cool in evening shade and it will flourish. As a point of interest, the Royal Standard was the first ever patented Hosta and was introduced in 1965.

Need more personal suggestions for spring planting? Send me an e-mail and I’ll try to give you some specific ideas.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Prepare now for a lush, green, and fragrant spring

If you were ever in the Boy Scouts, or you have a son who is, then you’ll know the famous motto of that organization: “Be prepared.”

It’s a lesson I’ve sometimes had to learn the hard way. Perhaps, like me, you’ve waited until the last minute to make reservations at a restaurant or a hotel, only to find you’ve left it too late and you’re disappointed.

So today I am going to encourage you to take a leaf out of the Scouting Manual and... Be prepared!

With the Holidays behind us and spring still a few week away, this is the perfect time to prepare for the planting season ahead. Yes, it is tempting to wait until spring is almost upon us. But take some time now to prepare and you won’t be disappointed later. The good news is that much of this preparation can be done while you relax in your favorite armchair with a cup of cocoa (or something stronger) close at hand!

Plan your garden
Ready for a new look? Get a few sheets of 1/4 inch grid paper and roughly draw the shape of your landscape. Start by sketching in items that can’t be moved, such as large trees, walls, your garage and so on. Now sketch in areas where you might add new beds or change the shape or location of existing beds. Some new specimen trees? An evergreen privacy hedge? A water feature? Add ‘em in. Use a pencil, so you can erase and start over where necessary.

And remember: there’s no rule that says everything has to be planted in straight lines. An area of lawn curving between perennial beds and flowering trees can be a delightful change from a solid slab of grass. There are some helpful tips on landscape layout and planning in previous Plant Man columns archived at my Web site. Go to www.landsteward.org and scroll through the archived columns under The Plant Man heading.

Mouse through the flora
Get some inspiration online. Use Yahoo or Google to find information and pictures of plants you’ve heard about and find out if they’d fit in with your new plans. You can find enormous amounts of planting tips and independent advice, and you can check to see if a particular plant will thrive in your hardiness zone. And then you can place plant orders via the Internet without ever leaving home.

Keep a record
If you get those free calendars in the mail, take one of them and start writing down information that you’ll need every year, to save having to figure it out year after year. For example, it would be a good idea to note the projected dates for the first and last frosts, how much fertilizer you need each year for your lawn, and the date you spread it, and so on. You can also note the number of plants you buy for your container gardens, to avoid over- or under-buying next year.

Try something new
Tired of the same old, same old? Prepare now for something new and different. Because the unusual plants are often in short supply, you definitely want to prepare now by researching and ordering your”out of the ordinary” plants.

In my previous column, titled “Some new plant ideas for the new year,” I suggested some that you might find interesting. If you missed that column, you can find it saved at my Web site. As always, you’re welcome to contact me at steve@landsteward.org if you need any personal advice or suggestions.

Find fallen branches
At this time of year, the weather can often bring down anything from small twigs to large branches. When they’re left there all winter, they can traumatize your lawn, and may cause a tripping hazard to children or pets playing in the yard, particularly if hidden by snow or frost. Your lawn will benefit in the spring from your preparedness now, and you might end up with some kindling for your fireplace, too.

Think green!
Best of all, prepare mentally by imagining how lush, fragrant and beautiful your landscape will be, mere weeks from today!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org