Arboretum director tells about tree care

Trees add beauty and character and break up the lines of a building or home, says Travis Stokes, director of the Northwest Missouri Arboretum, who spoke recently at the Maryville Garden Club about tree care.

But trees require maintenance. A pin oak tree has 1.5 million leaves. In addition, it drops acorns which attract squirrels. Hemlocks are everygreens don't require a lot of meaintence, but they need to be decandelled in the spring by cutting back new shoots so that the foliage is thick. The Craig Myrtle is the one tree that they have had trouble growing.

At the Northwest Missouri Aboretum, he says they don't add a lot of amendments, but rather allow the trees to grow abd adapt to their surroundings.

The Arboretum, located on the Northwest Missouri State University campus, has over 1700 trees of 134 different varieties from 22 countries. The Arboretum has been named Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Recently, 100 people gathered to celebrate its 20th anniversary by planting 20 new trees. The Arboretum has a goal of adding 50 new trees a year.

Visitors can take three tree tours around the campus and soon they will be able to use a cell phone app to provide information about the trees and showing pcitures in different seasons. Each tree will be mapped by GIS.

The Northwest Missouri Arboretum has over 1700 trees of 134 varieties.

Stokes says the "best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best is today." However, fall is the best time when trees are going into dormancy.

Nursery stock usually comes in a container or as a root ball in burlap.  In the early spring they can be planted as bare roots.  Young trees have a root flare that is used to determine how deep to plant. Trees should not be planted too deep, says Stokes. Rather the hole should be dug wider so that it is three times the size of the root ball. "The wide hole makes its so the tree doesn't have to work too hard."

Remove the wire basket, rope or burlap when planting.  providing enough room and spreading of the roots prevents gridling. Girdling can cause a tree to die overtime. You don't need to stake the tree unless it needs to be stabilized. Satbilization allows the tree to stand up to wind.  The tree needs to be stablized for usually only a year. If you do stabilize, remove the wire or hose before the tree grows too big.

At the Northwest Missouri Arboretum, Stokes says they don't usually fertilize trees, but if you do add fertilizer add it around the drip line of the tree.

Two to four inches of mulch acts as a blanket and keeeps the trees cooler. Avoid creating a volcano with the mulch.  It could lead to girdling. You can extend the mulch as far out as the drip line. Pine needles that drop make a good mulch.  Hostas are a good plant to grow under the trees in the mulch, although it is hard to plant them around a walnut tree.

Mulch keeps mowers away from the trees. Mulch can be put on top of the soil or grass cuttings can be used as a base before adding the mulch.  Some people also use newspapers or cardboard.

After planting new trees need slow watering of 2-4 gallons a day for two weeks. Then they may need less frequent watering throughout the hot summer months. Watering is not generally needed in the fall.

The best time for pruning is in the fall when the trees are dormant. Cutting in the summer could lead to stress, but don't hesitate to cut a limb or branch off it is is endangering the roof.  A beautiful tree has a central leader.  Prune other leaders and branches that cross. Good pruning leads to well placed scaffold branches and a strong trunk. Fuel oil or horticultural oil can be used around the cut off.

While moving trees is not always successfl, it is should also occur in the fall. Tree spades are often not big enough.  Whenever moving a tre, lots of waterings is needed.

Students choose the campus because of its beauty.

It's a bad idea to top trees. It causes lots of suckers that weaken the main branch of the tree. During the ice storm of 2007 many trees were destroyed when co-domiant branches broke off from the weight of the ice.

Espaliating a tree is the process of training a fruit tree onto a wire or trellis, allowing it to grow in a structured way along a fence or wall. In this case you would clip off the leader.

Northwest Missouri State University has 21 full-time grounds employees and 18 part-time. The Arboretum is supported by state appropriations. The first and last impression prospective students get is of the beauty of the campus.

The site for the Arboretum is nwmissouri.edu/arboretum.

Weeder is quick and easy

With the Garant weeder you can easily uproot any weed. And it seems to be true.

• Insert the weeder straight down on the weed.
• Remove the weed by slightly twisting the tool.
• Then eject the weed with a single shot of the sliding handle. 

It is effective in all soil types.  I found that it worked best with thistle and dandelions on my lawn but didn't work so well on tree roots. It was quick and easy - a tool I would recommend for a

ny gardener. One feature I found particularly helpful was a ratchet in the hanlde. When I attacked weeds next to a wall and could only turn the hanlde half way, i could ratchet it back so that I could go at the weed again.

I liked the fact that I could dig out a weed and not have to lean over and pick it up.  This made the job at lot easier and faster.
 
The YouTube demonstration says a weed digger is just as effective, but I don't find it nearly as easy to work with.

Phlox are hardy flowers, large with brilliant colors

Phlox is now blooming in my garden. It will bloom throughout the summer. It's one of my favorites because of its brilliant colors, size, and hardiness. We've had a drought for four weeks, but the flowers still are beautiful. 

Phlox paniculata 'Eva Cullum'

Clear pink flowers with a darker pink eye are displayed in large pyramidal panicles atop stiff, erect stems with abundant foliage. Especially remarkable when planted en masse, 'Eva Cullum' will bloom nearly all summer long. Its sweetly fragrant blossoms attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Phlox paniculata 'David'

 'David' was named the 2002 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.  What sets this Phlox apart from other non-award winning Phlox is the exceptionally large flower heads of pure white and mildew resistant green foliage.

Phlox paniculata 'Andre'

Phlox paniculata "Andre" is a blue violet flowers atop green, mildew resistant foliage.

For more information go to:
http://www.daytonnursery.com/Encyclopedia/Perennials/Phlox%20paniculata.htm

Grape leafroll or curled leaf

White grape with leafroll or curled leaves

Neptune seedless grapes are the largest white grape. These grapes grow over an arbor in the back of our garden. They should ripen in August or early September. 

This relatively new variety produces big, juicy, highly flavorful grapes that resist cracking, even in adverse conditions. In conical clusters, they make beautiful additions to fruit baskets or centerpieces. Disease-resistant and cold-tolerant. Self-pollinating.

Grape leafroll disease

by Sara Ipatenco, Demand Media

Wine grapevines, Vitis vinifera L., are susceptible to many pests and diseases, but grape leafroll disease is one of the most devastating. Healthy grapevine leaves are vividly colored and flat. When grape leafroll disease attacks a healthy grapevine, it leaves behind curled and unsightly leaves. Several factors could be the cause of leafroll disease and must be identified before treatment can begin.

The symptoms of grape leafroll disease vary among different varieties, which makes it difficult to detect and diagnose early enough to save the plants and grapes. Visual symptoms are usually not detectable until late summer or early fall. In red-skinned varieties, leaf tissue turns dark red or purple and the leaves curl downward. In white-skinned varieties, the leaves turn yellow and curl downward. For both varieties, the veins of the leaves remain green. There is no way to cure grape leafroll disease, so management and prevention are essential.

Viruses

Ten different viruses can be responsible for the development of grape leafroll disease. The viruses, named GLRaV-1 through GLRaV-10, are often spread when grapevines are propagated or grafted. In some instances of grape leafroll disease, a single virus is responsible for the damage. In other cases, a grapevine might be infected with more than one virus, which leads to more extreme and devastating damage.

Pests

Two species of mealybugs, longtailed mealybug and citrus mealybug, are known to transmit grape leafroll viruses among grapevines in California vineyards. Scales are another type of pest that can cause grape leafroll disease. As the pests migrate from grapevine to grapevine to feed, they take the virus with them, spreading it to healthy vines.

Additional Causes

The use of certain herbicides can lead to leaf curling, though this is not considered true grape leafroll disease. Nutrient deficiencies can also cause grapevine leaves to curl. If the soil where the grapevines are planted is deficient in potassium and phosphorus, the leaves might begin to curl. Amending the soil can remedy the problem and restore the health of the grapevines.

Management and Prevention

Remove branches and vines that have evidence of grape leafroll disease and watch for the presence of pests to catch the problem early. Prevention is the only way to keep grapevine leafroll disease away because there is no cure once the vines are impacted. Because most instances of grape leafroll disease are caused by propagation and grafting, new cuttings should be tested for viruses before they are introduced to other grapevines. Purchasing certified cuttings ensures that new grapevines are virus free.

Source: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grapevines-leaf-curl-23399.html

Serviceberry, Shadbush or Saskatoon Berry - a member of Rose family

Damage looks like rust and poor water management

Four years ago we planted four serviceberry plants in hopes that they would serve as a barrier between two sections of the garden. We have not seen any significant growth nor have we gotten any berries.  This year their leaves are turning yellow long before fall.  They are also getting rust. 

Poor water management, poor drainage

Inappropriate watering commonly damages landscape plants. Inadequate water causes foliage to wilt, discolor, and drop. Prolonged moisture and poor drainage results in smaller leaves, dieback or limb drop, and susceptibility to root rots, mineral deficiencies or toxicities, wood-boring insects and other pests that eventually can kill plants. Excessive moisture smothers and kills roots. As roots die, discolored and dying foliage appears in the above ground portion of the plant.

Maintain adequate but not excessive water in the soil to ensure plant survival and good growth. Examine plants regularly for symptoms of water stress. Monitor soil moisture around the plant's root zone and adjust irrigation according to seasonal need. Soil around young plants during hot weather may need to be monitored daily; every few weeks may be adequate when monitoring around mature trees during more favorable weather.

Do not water established trees and shrubs near the trunk; this promotes root and crown disease. Water plants when needed around the drip line and beyond. Adjust sprinklers or install deflectors to prevent wetting of trunks. Move drip emitters away from the base of the trunk after plants are established. Read more at the UC Davis website here.

Serviceberry plant

Rusts

Rusts are fungal diseases that infect many hosts, including birch, cottonwood, cypress, false cypress, fuchsia, hawthorn, juniper, pine, poplar, rhododendron, rose, and spruce. Dry reddish, yellowish, or orange spore masses or pustules form on infected tissue, especially on the lower surface of leaves. The upper surface of heavily infested leaves turns yellow or brown and infected leaves may drop prematurely. Orange, gelatinous masses appear on some infected evergreen hosts. Some species cause tissue swellings or galls, colorful spots on plants, or cankers on bark. These can cause branch dieback and occasionally kill the entire plant. Some rusts may cause leaves and shoots to become distorted, dwarfed, and discolored, forming "witches' brooms."

Avoid overhead watering, which favors spore germination. Rake infected leaves or needles and clip and dispose of infected shoots and branches as soon as they appear. Fungicides applied in the spring can reduce some rust diseases, but the frequent applications required to provide good control are generally not warranted in landscapes. Read more from UC Davis website.

Leaf spot may also be present 
Entomosporium leaf spot is a fungal disease that spots the leaves of plants in the Pomoideae group of the rose family, including apple, flowering crab apple, evergreen pear, hawthorn, pear, photinia, pyracantha, quince, Rhaphiolepis, and toyon. And in this case serviceberries. Tiny reddish spots, sometimes surrounded by a yellow halo, appear on the leaves of infected plants, usually on older growth. These spots darken and enlarge as the leaves mature. Spore-forming bodies eventually appear in the center of the spots; these dark fruiting bodies may appear to be covered with a glossy membrane, beneath which white masses of spores may be visible. Infected plants may prematurely drop many leaves.

Remove and dispose of spotted leaves that are on plants or have fallen. Do not water overhead as this spreads the fungus spores and favors infection. Reduce humidity around plants by providing adequate space between them and by pruning lower branches. Consider removing groundcovers beneath shrubs and mulching or maintaining bare soil instead. In very severe or special cases, copper compounds or chlorothalonil may be used as a preventative treatment. Read more here.

About serviceberries

Serviceberries are deciduous shrubs or small trees.  New leaves in spring are purplish and turn dark green in the summer.  Leaves become yellow, orange, or red in the fall.  Clusters of white or pink flowers bloom in spring followed by production of small berries that attract birds.  Berries are often used in pies and jams. 

Serviceberries do best in areas with full sun or partial shade.  Plant in a site where fruit drop won’t be a problem.  Provide moderate to regular amounts of water.  Prune after bloom to remove old, damaged, or crossing branches. Read more here. 

Hollyhock with rust

Hollyhock leaf covered with rust

Hollyhocks get a fungal disease called rust, which produces reddish colored pustules (spots) on the upper and lower surfaces of leaves, stems, and green flower parts and causes early leaf drop. Hollyhock rust attacks only hollyhocks and other members of the hollyhock family (Malvaeceae), including albutilon, hibiscus, lavatera, and malva. 

You can take a few easy steps to prevent the disease from recurring and spreading. Rust, like most fungi, needs water to germinate and grow. So it's important to keep your hollyhocks' foliage and flowers as dry as possible, though this can be difficult in very humid climates. Hand water at the base of the plants, or use soaker hoses to keep leaves dry when watering. Space plants farther apart to ensure good air circulation, and avoid working around plants when they are wet. Don't plant hollyhocks by other susceptible host plants, and be sure to pull any weeds in the mallow family.

If your plants do become infected, remove affected leaves immediately and burn or dispose of them in the garbage. Don't place affected plants in your compost pile. Spores overwinter in infected leaves and stems. Most hollyhocks are biennial, which means that once they produce seed, they die. In late summer, when you see the rosettes of foliage that will provide next year's display, promptly pull up any finished stalks and dispose of them. At the end of the season, be sure to remove any dead plant matter remaining in the bed, because it harbors rust spores and perpetuates the problem. In spring, mulch around the base of the hollyhocks.

Click here to read more.

Yellow hollyhock

Hollyhock plant with rust

Save banana peels for gardens

Banana peels add nutrients and nitrogen to the soil as they decompose. Banana peels are particularly effective for use as a natural fertilizer. They rot quickly if you bury them, offering rich stores for vital nutrients to the soil, including potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium. You can dry and grind peels to use as mulch, or apply them directly to planting areas.

Read here for more information.