You can reduce the risk of some common problems next year by getting rid of leftover plant debris in vegetable, flower and fruit gardening areas this fall.
Several disease-causing fungi and bacteria spend the winter on plant debris, and can cause diseases the following growing season. Proper garden sanitation can combat such diseases as early blight, mildews, gray mold fungus and various root rot and wilt problems. Continue reading
Trees and shrubs add beauty and value to a home’s landscape. But as few as 50% of planted trees do not survive beyond one or two years. Why? Improper installation is the leading cause of failure of newly planted trees. You can grow trees successfully if you are aware of a few important planting guidelines. Continue reading
If the leaves of your trees or shrubs are turning pale green, yellow, or white, but have much darker green veins, they may be experiencing iron chlorosis. Iron is a necessary element for the development of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what gives leaves their green color and is the source for the plant’s food and energy. When iron is insufficient for normal growth, yellowing leaves may occur. These symptoms may appear over the entire tree, on one side only, or be limited to an individual branch. Iron chlorosis is common in pin oak, white oak, silver maple, crabapple, white pine, magnolia, holly, sweet gum, dogwood, azalea and rhododendron. Continue reading
As I looked out at my yard this past week and saw the grass grow at lightning speeds, I decided that I need a few more trees in the space. With Earth Day and Arbor Day just past, I doubt I’m the only one thinking about planting a few more of those beautiful wood sculptures in my yard. While we are looking for the just the right tree, we should be thinking down the road a bit and consider if the tree is going to fit the space. Continue reading
Blue spruce and Norway spruce are popular landscape plants in Kentucky. However, many factors can cause spruce trees to cast (shed) needles. Casting may be the result of environmental stresses (heavy soil, poor drainage) or fungal diseases. In Kentucky, Rhizosphaera needle cast is the most common disease of spruce. This disease causes needle drop on lower branches, resulting in a distinct thinned appearance. Stigmina needle cast is a less common disease of spruce, but also causes symptoms similar to Rhizosphaera needle cast. Management options for both diseases include reduction of plant stress, good sanitation practices, and timely use of fungicides. Continue reading
Generally speaking, people tend to be impatient. We like fast food, we like TV on-demand, some even like instant mashed potatoes. When it comes to landscaping, we expect newly planted to trees to become big shade trees in just a year or two. And while
a few trees are rapid growers, they often come with problems that are not fully considered. Continue reading
There is a saying that the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago and the second best time is as soon as possible. If you have been thinking about a tree planting project, consider using seedlings from one of Kentucky’s state-run tree seedling nurseries. The Kentucky Division of Forestry (http://forestry.ky.gov) in addition to providing foresters to help woodland owners manage their wooded property, fighting wildfires, and inspecting timber harvest operations also maintains two tree seedling nurseries in Kentucky: one in the east (Morgan County) and one in the west (Marshall County). Continue reading
Primarily known as a source of summer color flowering June through August — long after most shrubs have finished. Hydrangeas’ interesting bark and flower heads can also provide winter texture when left untrimmed until spring. Four species are commonly used in Kentucky landscape plantings. Continue reading
Fire blight is a highly destructive disease of apple and pear that can occur in commercial orchards and home plantings. Many landscape trees and shrubs in the rose family are also susceptible to this disease. Fire blight can cause severe damage in a very short period of time. Because precise conditions are needed for infection, disease appearance is erratic from year to year. Continue reading
Tired of that unsightly tree stump in the landscape? Here’s a summary of the many ways to remove a stump. Continue reading
Kentucky Hort News 