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May 27, 2004 Hortiscope
Q: I know someone that would like to replace some Canadian red cherry trees. The trees are on the boulevard in front of the house. She has access to spring snow crab and royalty crab but she does not want a messy tree with a lot of fruit. (Minnewaukan, N.D.)
Q: We have a 21-year-old white ash tree in our yard. Last year we noticed that several lower branches had died. Also, for the last few years there has been brown stuff hanging on the branches where leaves should be growing. This year it looks like the tree is dying. It has not leafed out and the brown stuff is everywhere. The branches still have green under the bark but the middle of the branch has a soft white center that seems spongy and dry. We really want to save this tree if at all possible. (E-mail reference)
Q: My red maple still has an abundance of last fall's leaves on it. During the winter, I assumed that it had died because of this; however, I now see that it has healthy buds. It's a small tree and I don’t know how old it is. Even odder, the year before, it was the first of my trees to loose its leaves. Is my tree about to die? (Canby, Minn.)
Q: We have had a croton in our office for a long time and it seems to be very happy. My manager, who loves plants, brought in a new one to add to our environment. Unfortunately the new plant isn’t so happy. It lost all but three of its gorgeous leaves within four or five days. Other than keeping it moist, I don’t know what to do. Right now it’s a bunch of sticks in a pot. It gets plenty of light from a big bay window and I mist it in the early afternoon. Do you have any advice or know why the leaves fell off? (E-mail reference)
Q: I brought back some hollyhock seeds from a friend in Wyoming. How do I plant them? I understand they are great for ground coverage which is exactly what I need. (E-mail reference)
Q: I inherited a jade plant last summer that was quite large. Unfortunately, the plant was promised to two people. I split the plant in two and surprisingly, it did well. My problem started when I moved my half outside. It did fine last summer but this year the leaves are falling off. The leaves are brown in the center. They are not rotting and are firm to the touch, but I don't know what to make of this or how to make it better. (E-mail reference)
Q: We have a Lombardy poplar right at the property line. The trunk is 2.5 feet in diameter and about 50 feet high. We obviously know this tree will be trouble, because there is a block property wall within two feet, a backyard sprinkler system, a house foundation (slab) within 30 feet and we have neighbors concerned about their children's safety. We are going to have the tree removed by a local tree trimming service, but I want to prevent any future root or sucker problems. I understand that after taking down the tree, we should treat the stump and roots. Should we treat the stump or have it removed? You have recommended using RoundUp, but we have dogs and are concerned about their health. I have heard of treating stumps with rock salt. If this is the case, how much of the stump should remain, how should we prepare the stump and how should we apply the rock salt or other sucker-stopper herbicide that will translocate into the vascular system? (E-mail reference)
Q: I recently planted a blue hydrangea. After planting, we had a cold snap and snow. Two of the three branches turned brown while the third is still a beautiful blue. How do I prune the brown without killing the plant? Will they blossom again? (E-mail reference)
Q: I have a red maple that was perfectly fine last year, but this spring has no leaves or buds. What could have happened? Can I save it? (E-mail reference)
Q: My husband and I are going to be planting five emerald green arborvitaes in our backyard. We have never planted trees like this before, so we are not sure what we need to do. Our soil is somewhat sandy, but while digging I found many huge earthworms, which makes me believe that the soil is good. Any information and help would be greatly appreciated. (E-mail reference)
Q: Part of my lawn was dormant seeded last fall. The grass is now two or more inches high. Should I try to water it now or wait for rain? When is the best time to apply a starter fertilizer? I'm hesitant to walk on the grass since it is so new. (Fargo, N.D.)
Q: I just planted a row of six foot emerald arborvitae trees. A few of the trees are turning brown at the top. Is this something to be worried about? The landscaper fertilized them and I water them once a week or so. (E-mail reference)
Q: When we moved here there were three lilacs in the yard which were pruned to a tree shape. Last year they all flowered beautifully and I only pruned the blossoms back after they finished flowering. This spring one of them has very small leaves and very small flower heads. It is planted in the southeast part of the garden in a sun/shade area. When we moved in we put rock mulch over the entire area. Could the rocks affect the tree or could the few suckers at the bottom retard the growth? (E-mail reference)
Do you have a gardening or houseplant question? Write to Hortiscope, Box 5051, NDSU Extension Service, Fargo, ND 58105 or e-mail to Ron Smith at ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu. Note to e-mail correspondents: please identify your location (city and state) for most accurate recommendations.
Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
