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!
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My family calls me "the mamarazzi."
i have a purple plum tree, i planted it about 5yrs ago this year it has plums on it, i didn;t think it produced fruit, but it has, what i need to know is can you eat it?
I have a ‘Thundercloud’ purple leaf plum and the fruit is edible on mine. What cultivar is yours?
Hi Julie,
I planted my first eastern redbud tree about 10 days ago. I followed the planting suggestions and we had lots of rain after. Now all my leaves have died but the tree appears to still be alive. Is this just shock or will it not survive?
Thanks,
Mary
Be patient. It’s probably just shock.
Hi
I have a Ornamental Flowering plum Tree that bloomed beautifully this year but now the leaves are wilting and falling off.Do you know whats wrong with it? My trees name is Baby Gregs Tree. It was planted the day he passed away. Please help if you can. Thank you.
“Baby Gregs Tree” is totally breaking my heart. So sorry for your loss. I’m wondering a few things. First, how much water does the tree get? My first guess would be that it’s been getting too much. Also, these trees are quite susceptible to disease. Look at this for information on various diseases. I know the tree is very special to you, but please don’t hesitate to plant something else in honor of your son if this tree doesn’t make it. Trees are just trees. Try planting something that is hardy, drought tolerant and disease-resistant, like maybe a white-flowering serviceberry.
Hi Julie,
I have a beautiful Thundercloud fruitless Plum tree in my front yard. I don’t know how or where to start pruning the tree. I know this is the growing season and the time to do it. It is so top heavy and when it rains droops to the ground. Last November I thinned it out with help. Is there somewhere I can go to find a picture to show me how to do it?
Hi Priscilla — Julie here — Prune that plum tree without worry, just cut away! Thinning will help get more light inside the tree anyway, decreasing the chance of plum scales. Thing about these trees is — they grow back. A lot. But if you’re still wondering just how to do it, here’s a picture: Click here. Good luck. — jws
Hi, I have a question about dogwood trees. I have a lot of dogwood trees. These dogwood trees this year have something on them, they are a white bug/worm that is almost flat and they are killing my dogwood trees, can you help me? I have went to a feed store and we have sprayed them but I still see the small white thing crawling on the trees. When you try to pull them off it is like pulling off gum… I don’t know what to do. Linda
Hi Linda – Julie here — It’s hard to say what that is. I suggest cutting off a small twig with the bugs on it, putting it into a little baggie and taking it to a nursery or to your local extension office. They should be able to tell you what it is and what sort of treatment to provide. Good luck. Sorry I’m not more help than that. — jws
just looking for more advice on my ‘Emerald Green’ Arborvitae i planted 20 to make a privacy screen(about 2months ago) i have them 3 feet apart… now i live in noprthern utah should i wrape the limb the next couple of years in the winter time ….. and what about firtalizer what kind and how often…. me trees are 4 feet tall now…
Hi Mike — Julie here — I have no experience with Utah climates so it’s really hard for me to tell you the right thing to do. Maybe you could seek the advice of a local garden club or a local garden forum. I imagine GardenWeb.com has a local group for Utah. Don’t they have local groups everywhere? Oh… I looked it up for you. Here’s a link to the Utah gardening forum on Garden Web. Click here. Good luck! –jws
Hi again Jules,
What do you think about Stewartias? Would they have dense leaves similar to my fetish tree (European Hornbeams)?
Thanks,
Jeff
P.S. I can’t see the typing for my name and E-mail using Firefox, so it may look funny.
Hey Jeff — Jules here — I’m in Tokyo right now! Awesome because I spent all day in a park that had all the trees LABELED! I was in heaven! As far as stewartias, hm, I’ll have to get back to you. Don’t know much about them. Saw a planch (?) today for the first time ever. That was cool! And REAL Japanese maples and Japanese zelkovas.
My heart skipped a beat.
Hi Jules, It’s that time for me to obsess about potential landscaping moves again
Last year, my best move was probably transplanting the October Glory to a spot with better “perspective”. It seems to have survived pretty well. The color wasn’t as intense last November compared with the previous one, but it was good, and the only tree on my block with leves left on Thanksgiving. For the rest of my stuff, it was kind of “hit” (dogwood, holly bush, burning bush), or “miss” (Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, Moonglow Juniper, Alaska Cedar). I’m the only one in my neighborhood interested in trees, but I tend to kill them off too often, particularly evergreens.
Well, the main focal point right now is the spot where the Serviceberry sits now. It seemed pretty good for one week in Appril last year (soon to repeat), but the leaves were somewhat on the skimpy side, and sector of the tree lost them early in the summer. The remnant leaves were pretty nice in October, but still too skimpy. They appear separated on long branches that appear “leggy”. It’s not really not a bad tree, but I have limited “prime spots” and this is taking up one. So, I hope to move it to a secondary spot soon. As for a replacement, I am somewhat obsessed with European Hornbeams. Someone told me about Barton’s in Edison, and they have very nice ones, but the combination of price + delivery + planting + dirt and we’re taling $500. I’d be willing to go $350, but more and I feel funny. Have you seen smaller hornbeams anywhere? I love the tree for the dense leaves, but they are very hard to find.
Wonderful site. I’m about to plant a redbud in Highland Park, NJ, down the road from Metuchen. It’s clay soil here and I’m wondering what sort of soil mixture I should be using. I’m planning on placing it in the shadow of a large pine facing west. The property looks south so I think it’ll be fine.
Thanks.
Peter
Hi Peter — jules here — see, in my vast (ha ha) tree growing experience, what I’ve now learned is this: don’t amend the soil. Instead, plant the right tree in the right place. Why? Because if you amend the clay soil with, what? rich brown dirt, the tree is going to have to grow out of your nest someday and if it’s too comfortable in the rich nest, the roots will never leave and the tree will become rootbound and die. Ok, that was deep and punny, but you get my meaning, right? If you do amend the soil at planting time, be sure to dig a wide hole — 3 times the width of the rootball at least and loosen up the clay soil for a very wide distance, adding little bits of rich soil mixed in with the clay. But don’t get rid of the clay altogether. That spells disaster. — jws
I have been reading about weeping redbuds any comment
Hey Sam — gorgeous little tree that needs a watchful eye overlooking its care. Things to watch for: bad guys with weed whackers and branches that grow errantly. (Prune those suckers quick.) Hope that helps. — jules
i just bought 10 Emerald Green Arborvitae about 4 feet tall and i am just trying to find out how far apart i should plant them
Hey Mike — if you want a screen, plant them about 3.5 feet apart. You’ll be tempted to plant them closer together, but they’ll grow better, longer and fuller if given more space. Good luck! — jws
I just stumbled across your website looking for information on trees. Great website and resource.
Julie, I’m in awe of your tree site, your photos and your prose. They’re wonderful. The fact that you also have a full-time career at The Times, a second career as a photographer, an active commitment to your church and choir, and still manage to be a wonderful mom to your two boys is incredibly impressive. Doing any one of these things well is an accomplishment. Doing them all well is amazing. Obviously you must have exceptional time management skills. My question, Julie, is: when do you sleep? Given that your job at The Times is a night-time thing, and considering the length of your New Jersey-Manhattan commute, maybe the question should be DO you sleep?
It’s a serious question, I found myself wondering.
All the best. Love your sites. You are SO good at what you do.
Gerry Gray, London, Ontario, Canada
LOL! What a sweet letter, Gerry! Thank you! To answer your question: I get a great power nap when I’m on the train! –jws
Hi julie – question: do you know anyone who would be interested in moving 5 or 6 adult trees from in front of the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter in Bridgewater, NJ? I don’t know what kind of trees they are – they have white blossoms in the spring, they may be some kind of decorative dogwood or pear. They belong to the township of Bridgewater, not the shelter, but I want to be able to go to the town council and plea for their lives before the construction (or deconstruction) occurs in the next few months. I have some pictures if anyone wants to see them. Thanks loads,Pat
Happy New Year!