Current Tree Grower’s Diary Letters
Post your letters about trees here and I’ll do my best to help you find an answer! Keep in mind that I do not reply via email. I post my responses HERE in the hopes of SHARING with people who might have similar questions.
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!
Their innocence and simplicity really get... on 
My family calls me "the mamarazzi."
Hi Jules,
I just noticed my October Glory has red blotches over a good portion of the leaves already. I don’t think it happened this early last year. Did we have the kind of Fall that would promote a long season of color? Thanks.
Jeff
Hey Jeff — My OG started slowly turning a couple of weeks ago, just on a few leaves here and there — the whole tree still looks green from a distance. But yes, I think we might have a great long season this year, and it’s starting a couple of weeks earlier than last year, which was started quite late. — jws
Dear julie– I am a retired forester and recently lost a 44 yr. old sugar maple in the “gahanna” (ohio) hurricane.i planted it 44 yrs. ago.. i got the idea of planting a a. rubrum red sunset and put it in the ground today in the same place.. it’s c. 13 ft. and came in a 15 gal pot. your pics were a big help and i can still look forward to the fall color since it’s still mostly green. at 83 yrs i need instant gratification!! Thanks for the pics showing the color and height!! pic of yours today??
Hi Bob — jules here — I’ll work on that! Mine is still totally green though. Well, almost totally. There is a little twinge of red on some of the leaves near the top of the tree. Check the blog Monday and I’ll post one up for you! — jws
We have a Red Sunset Maple (Acer rubum). We had it planted 5 years ago, just about now. The leafs are always limp looking. It does not drop them early but it never looks healthy. My husband fertilizes it every spring. Is there anything we can do to make them look healthy?
Hi Leatryce — (great name, by the way!) — I really have no idea what could be causing that. Are the leaves normal-sized? — jws
Hi Julie, I live in southern Iowa and planted several 1-2†diameter bare root trees this past spring. Most are doing well with the exception of three. Two are sugar maples that have very few leaves on them. The leaves are very small and really do not look healthy. The other is a northern red oak that initially leafed out, but the leaves have since dried up and fallen off. There have been no leaves on it for the past couple months but if I scratch under the bark it is still green and moist.
Being the wonderful horticulturist that I am I researched the proper way to plant a tree after the fact and realized that I should have dug a much larger hole for the roots than I did. I am contemplating digging these trees up, making a much larger hole, adding some good soil, and then replanting the trees. Could this cause more harm than good for my trees?
Also, something I should probably note is that I was actually pretty late in getting them into the ground; it was the last part of May I believe. And, I didn’t take the greatest care in keeping the roots moist, though I don’t think they ever completely dried out, when planting them; could this be my problem? Thanks a million.
-Matt Roe
Hi Matt — jules here — I would dig the holes wider, but I wouldn’t replant in “good” soil. The best soil for any tree is the soil it will grow in eventually. So, right tree, right location is the rule. But, since you can’t ammend the soil for the entire yard, it’s best to let the new trees adapt to the soil they’re in. You can do that slowly, giving the roots a fighting chance to get adjusted by giving them a wide circle of loose soil to reach out in while they get established. Oh, and yes, not watering properly in those critical first few months of summer can be a problem. You should do the slow, deep root watering method once a week or so (ideally whenever the soil dries out at 6 inches depth) at least until all the leaves have fallen off, and then start back up again once the spring growing season begins around February or March. Hope that helps — jws
Ah, thank you for the correction. Sorry to clog your blog, lass.
Take care
Thank you Julie, will continue to search for something reddish that flowers but has a little more dense foliage. The saga goes on…
Oooh, sorry, I meant to say I think it WOULD be the perfect tree you’re looking for. The leaves are very large and quite dense! — jws
Hello Julie,
I found your website(s) today while researching a replacement tree for our backyard. Your pictures are incredible!!
The previous tree was a thundercloud plum, but it had gone un-pruned and in a week of poor weather it was toppled. I was hoping you may have suggestions on a replacement.
The scenario:
1. Northern Virginia, slightly acidic clay soil.
2. The location is behind a solid wood fence, but seems to be a minor wind tunnel between two houses. The location is full sun and well drained.
3. The previous tree provided enough foliage to obscure line of sight from our elevated deck to our neighbor’s elevated deck. I would like the new tree to provide enough foliage to conceal the deck area.
4. We really like flowering trees with bright red (or burgundy) leaves.
We were looking at replacing our downed tree with another flowering plum, but we’re concerned with the hassle you went through with the insects and worrying about loosing the new tree to a thunderstorm or ice storm due to the wind tunnel and poor root structure.
We also looked at Forest Pansy Redbud (also called Eastern Redbud?) — our local nursery recommended this for the better root structure. I don’t know if the foliage is dense enough to conceal the deck area, and I don’t know how I feel about the green leaves, I would like red.
Do you have any thoughts? Are there other things we should be considering?
Thank you so much, best wishes.
–Sean
Hi Sean — Julie here — in my neck of the woods, the forest pansy has red leaves until around late July or August, when they turn green. Very pretty deep red leaves in the spring and early summer. And really pretty bright yellow in fall. The blossoms are an interesting shade of dark pink, so this tree is probably one of the most colorful there is! Problem is this tree needs protection from weed eaters and other sorts of things that might damage the bark. The bark is very thin! But the foliage is large, and quite dense. I don’t think it would be a perfect tree to provide the line-of-sight protection you’re looking for. I love redbud trees! My photo logo is a redbud leaf! I would avoid another plum like I’d avoid setting up camp in a red ant farm. Hope that helps! –jws
EDIT: Yikes! I meant to say I think it WOULD be the perfect tree you’re looking for! — jws
We have the hugest purple beech anyone has ever seen. We’d love to share photos (I have no clue how to do to this on your site)
Seeing the pics of the one cut down was very sad.
I don’t think I could even have taken photos of that.
“tom
Hi Julie! You’re website is quite amazing. I noticed that you have not planted trees on your parkway. I have just moved to a new neighborhood and am looking forward to planting trees. Most of our neighbors have planted trees on their parkways. It looks nice now, but I’m not sure about the future when the trees mature. Is there a problem with planting on the parkway? Will they damage the sidewalk or road?
Hi Natalie — Julie here — Our parkway is actually a bit narrow for trees, so I was glad when the borough planted our street trees in our yard instead of within the parkway. It’s really too narrow for trees anyway at only about 3 feet wide. Plus, all along the street where trees were planted a hundred years ago within that narrow strip, the sidewalk is dangerously uneven from root upheaval. Hope that answers your question. Thanks for writing! — jws
Came across your website googling new trees for my backyard. What a joy! The docu-drama about the European Purple Beech had me in tears. Such a shame. There is a fabulous tree that I wonder if you’ve heard about. It’s in Arlington Cemetery (THE Arlington Cemetery where famous military are buried) in Arlington VA. There is a house on the property at the top of the hill, Arlington House, and there in the driveway is the most beautiful tree I’ve ever seen. They have a photo gallery on their website and I tried to find a photo of the tree but didn’t see one. In any event, any tree lover should visit Arlington Cemetery. It is truly a sight to behold. Check out the photo gallery on their website
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/photo_gallery/index_surroundings.html
You will enjoy it! Thank you for your wonderful treeblog.
I live in the northeast and we have a October Glory
Maple planted in the front yard, facing the west.
When I bought the tree three years ago it was 8 ft.
and now it is probably 14 ft. high. We also have another tree planted in the north side of the house.
I would like to move the existing tree in the front yard, and transplant it to our back yard.
When is it a better time to transplant this October Glory?
I’m afraid to move it from its current location, because it is doing so well there.
The reason we want to move it is for privacy in the back yard which faces the south east.
Can you recommend what we should do?
I still think we should keep where it is now, and purchase another one instead.
I’m open or any suggestions.
Thank you and I love your website!!!!
Hey C. — julie here — I suggest buying another one. They grow fast! Transplanting the front yard one to the back is risky and costly. Root system would be quite extensive by now, and major care would need to be the goal in digging it up. Not going to be easy without professional help. Just make sure you have plenty of room and patience for both trees. (Surface roots, lots of grass-eating shade, baby trees from helicopter seeds.) Good luck!
this was such a delightful site I stumbled upon. My sis and I viewed it together- she in Pasadena, CA and I am in DC. I thought we were obsessedWITH TREES. You, delightfully expand upon obsession. I felt a ’sisterly” kinship with your point of view.
Hi Lynn, You’re cracking me up! My server is OUT OF SPACE so I’m having trouble adding new tree pictures to the Tree Grower’s Diary. I really need to figure that one out! Thanks for the nice comment and say hi to your Pasadena sister for me! — jws
I grew up with redbud trees in Tulsa Oklahoma and have always admired their beauty. In April, I planted 10 redbud baby saplings from ArborDay Foundation in a large pot in my back yard. This was ok until they are big enough to plant in the ground, I thought. 6 survived but are now are 3 feet long, drooping over with large leaves and touch the ground. They are not growing upright. Should I prune them and tie them to a stick or just prune? Is it time to transplant them? It is 115 degrees now in Las Vegas and I don’t want to shock them by planting them now. What do you recommend? Thanks, Madeline
I wouldn’t replant until the weather cools. I think the stick idea sounds like a winner! — jws
Thank you for your site, more of a comment then a question.
I have finally decided to research the big ole black cherry tree in our back yard and came across your site. I thought I was looking at my own monster.
Unfortunately for me last night the storms came through and the tree decided to remind us that he was here first and took out my clothes line-with clothes still trying to dry on it!
Thank you for you information and understanding on the trees, it has helped me emensely.
Take Care
Kaiti, Alloway NJ
I am having a home built and will have a septic system and a well. I purchased 2 of the Red Sunset Maples. My home backs up against the woods and I plan on placing these trees in the front/side area of the house. My question is how far from the water sources should these trees be located? Will the roots seek out the well and septic? I’ve heard that to help prevent this I should deep-water them to encourage the roots to grow downward. Is there any truth to this? I know these are substantial trees and will require at least 50 feet between them and other structures. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Linda
The thing about red maples is that they naturally have a shallow root system. There’s really not much you can do about nature. And an alternate word for “red maple” is “swamp maple.” Hmmm, see, thing is, they LOVE water. Unfortunately, the more you provide water from unnatural sources, the more of a problem you will create for somebody down the line. Because if YOU deep water the trees, let’s say, for 5 years or 10 years, and then you move away, then the trees will have adapted to that watering scheme, and what if the new home owner doesn’t continue what you started? I think it’s always best to plant THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT SPOT. I’d say in general that you’d want to plant a red maple a bare MINIMUM of 40 feet away from the well and septic. No, the roots won’t “seek out the well” but they really will have shallow roots because that’s what red maples have. Want a deep-rooted maple? Try sugar. — jws