Current Tree Grower’s Diary Letters
Post your letters about trees here and I’ll do my best to help you find an answer!
Disclaimer: I am not a tree expert, just a novice who has been studying trees for quite some time now. If you require an expert opinion, I suggest the forums over at TreeHelp.com or the tree forum at GardenWeb.
If you leave a letter, please state in the letter where you’re writing from so that we have a general idea of your climate zone. THANKS for all your encouragement and support!
Don’t forget to let us know where you’re writing from! City, town, or even a climate zone number will help! Thanks!
I just love the pure emotion that oozes from your work. The kids and parents of EMS are... on 
on 
My family calls me "the mamarazzi."
will a dogwood tree grow in a sizable pot, or container? I’m in northern california…sf bay area
Hi Jules,
I wonder if you would help settle a controversy in tree planting methods. The issue is the infamous burlap bag. The guy from the nursery who sometimes does planting for me likes to leave the bag on the newly planted root ball, saying it will disintegrate with time. My girlfriend is in the anti-burlap bag camp, claiming that the tree will be stressed for the first year due to roots curling up against the bag. I have generally taken a middle course, easing my workman into cutting the top of the bag away, and I’ll sometimes go back later and cut away some more. If I left him to his own volition, I don’t even think he would take the twine off of the neck though. What’s your stand on this?
Jeff
Hi Julie,
I was so excited to find your site, it is fantastic! We live in Kansas City, MO and we have been at our house for almost 3 years. When we bought the house we were told we had a plum tree. It was small and has green leaves in the spring and dark purple leaves in the summer. We were so excited to see what we thought were a TON of plums starting to bud for the first time this year. They were a little smaller than grapes and a shiny purplish color. Anyway, just a week later I looked at the tree and every single one is gone! So my question is: is it a plum tree, and what happened to the fruit? If it was birds, which I have never noticed, what can be done. Could anything take out so much fruit, or is it natural for them to just go away if they are not ready to grow bigger (I read it can take 4-5 years)? Thanks for your time.
Ummm, you got me on this one. My plum tree is purple all the time, never green, except I have seen some that if they’re in total shade all the time, they’re green. Is yours in shade? Not sure about that fruit situation either. I wouldn’t think ALL the fruit would just disappear without some evidence of it having been there. Very weird. Post a reply with a link to a picture, if you can.
Hi there,
How do you fix a tree that’s been planted too deep? Im pretty sure that’s the trouble with my struggling tree, but I don’t want to kill it in an attempt to fix it. It has no leaves on the top and some of the lower branches have died. The tree is alive however, and even has new growth popping up from the very bottom. Thanks in advance for your help!
Christine
That doesn’t sound good. How big is the tree?
do dogwoods ever have what looks like fuzzy snow that comes off the tree?I live in western ny in a town called Albion.We have TONS of what looks like cotton floating all over the place and someone told me its from the dogwoods.Thanks much,janey
Hi Janey,
Those fluffy white things floating through the air are most likely from cottonwood trees, several species of the poplar family. I’ve not seen white fluffy things floating off dogwoods. Hope that helps.
Hello, I am trying to figure out what tree this nut came from. Thought it might be the purple beech and was hoping you might know. Here is a link to the picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/katealbright/3609253110/
Thanks!
Looks like a beech nut to me. Awesome macro shot! I love it!
hi julie-
i just replaced a damaged 75 year old ash tree with a 4″/ 15′ tall sunset maple- shes beutiful!! it has been a week since planting (philadelphia) and i have noticed the leaves seem as though they are wilting????? could you please respond as to why this may be occuring and is there anything i should do??
thanks
brett
It’s probably just transplant shock, Brett. Keep an eye on the tree, and make sure it’s getting a once a week slooooooow soak with the water hose if the soil is dry 6 inches down. Sorry about your ash tree.
Good luck with the new sunset maple.