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."
I have a purple leaf plum tree and it is covered with the fungus looking bugs. You talk about an oil spray to kill them. Where/how can I get it and how do I treat the tree with it. It is full bloom and is dying FAST!!!!! Thanks!!!
Lisa
Hi Lisa — Julie here. Any progress? Sorry it took me so long to respond. As for my oil spray, it’s a homemade concoction. Coupla drops of cooking oil, with a coupla drops of detergent mixed in a big water can sprayed all over every surface of the tree. Not sure if that will help your situation though. Have you figured out what it is yet?
Hi Julie (and all),
I’ve been planting several trees and shrubs this year, and one could say that I now have enough.
Still, a few weeks ago, I saw this tree in Clark during a run. It has a terrific exfoliating bark in a clump of three and nice leaf canopy. I’m pretty sure it’s a River Birch, but not one of the common type. I would guess either “Heritage” or “Dura-Heat”. I’ve walked around all of the Cranford nurseries and while they’re loaded with river birch trees, they just aren’t the same. Most of them look like bushes with sparse leaves. So, I’m thinking of ordering from Nursery Hills and planting a 4 footer. Have you (or others) had much success by this route? Is there a nursery in Central NJ that’s a good source for less common species.
I’ve got to have that tree!
Thanks a lot!
Jeff
Hi Jeff — Julie here. My nursery days are pretty much over now that I have no more space to plant anything, so I’m not sure if there’s a good one around anymore. As far as ordering from a catalog though, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Forest Farm. Good luck. Keep me posted!
Hi Julie,
Perhaps you would know if it is normal for my maple tree to start turning red (n June). I live in the far northern suburbs of Chicago. It’s a fairly young tree (4″ dia.) and for the two years it’s been with me it would be green this time of the year. I’m afraid it’s dying. Do you have any answers.
Thank you,
Carol
Hi Carol, Julie here — A tree that changes to fall color this early is clearly stressed about something. Has there been any changes in the environment in the last year? Any digging? Construction? Bugs? Major pruning?
Hi Julie,
I am having the same problem as Ed above. I had a Linden (not sure if it’s a little leaf or greenspire, etc.) but the leaves look wilted from a distance, but fairly normal up close. Several are starting to die, become yellow, but there are little buds sprouting in many places. One small branch died after being hit by a larger branch that broke off in a storm. The leaves on the small dying branch turned brown rather than yellow. When you planted your Linden could you differentiate between overwatering versus underwatering? I live in northern Illinois a bit NW of Chicago.
Thanks, John
Julie,
I recently planted 2 Greenspire Lindens in Troy, Illinois. I’ve noticed that the trees have leaves that are yellowing. Have the trees received too much water? Right after they were planted, we had a lot of rain. I have not over watered them.
Oh by the way, I’m not refering to the little yellow flowers, but the actual leaves.
Any advice would be welcome.
Ed
We just had to take down a failing 30-year-old Norway maple with girdled roots. Half the tree had died and it was only a few feet from the house. It used to shade our whole backyard. Now our whole family feels down because the backyard has been transformed from into a desert plain. Can you recommend some fast-growing trees that might add a little bit of shade by end of summer? We have to plant within the next week or two. We live in PA.
Hi Erin,
Hmm, not sure what to say about your royal red maple. Can you send me a picture? Has anything changed around the tree in the last year? Any digging or construction? Any new pesticides being applied on the lawn or fertilizers? Did it get proper water last summer and fall? See any bugs? Enjoy your son’s nap time. It won’t last forever!
Hi Jodie,
I’m really not sure what’s going on with your Acer Liquidamber. You might try posting your question at the tree forums at TreeHelp.com
Hi Grant,
Regarding your red sunset trees, the first one with the leaves gone at the top — I wouldn’t worry too much about that one. Just make sure you water it this summer using the slow soak method. The second one that never lost its leaves in winter and hasn’t sprouted anything yet this spring sounds like a goner to me. You might call the builder because there’s always the chance they’ll replace it. The third one, the one that’s doing great, YAY!
Hi Julie I am from Central New York. my youngest son is napping so I have little time to enjoy the internet and use it to its potential. I have a Royal Red Maple Planted on September 13th 2005. I know very little about trees but I would say the tree was probably about 5-6 yrs old when it was planted. last spring we didnt have any concerns with it. This spring there are little to no leaves on it. It is a memorial tree planted on my sons first birthday and now Im afraid it wont see his third. Any ideas on what to do would be greatly appreciated.
thank you
Erin Gray
Hi Julie, Bradley & Gregory
I have just noticed my Acer Liquidamber that I planted in my garden in spring has brown spots all over alot of its leaves.
I love trees but am a novice and have no idea what this is or what to do. The tree stands with two other maples and a cherry so are they safe and what should I do?
I live in Northampton UK, please, please help!!!
Thanks you very much
Jodie Smith
Hi Julie,
How did you water your October Glory Red Maple in the early years? I’ve gotten contradictory advice for my new one (about 12-15 feet tall).
The guy at the nursery said to let a hose slowly drip on it for about an hour once per week. My landscaper said to have a hose (without nozzle) set on a medium flow and water it three times a week for about a minute. I’ve been setting the hose at a rate that doesn’t disrupt the mulch, and holding it around the root bed for 10 minutes once per week. It seems to get fairly drenched. I don’t want to water it too much though and “kill it with kindness” as the nursery guy said.
Thanks for your help.
Jeff in Linden
I have three red sunset maples, two the builder planted when we moved in 2.5 years ago and I planted the third last May. They were all 2.5-3 inch trees.
We live in Kansas City and had a late freeze in March. After the freeze the leaves have not come back on the top couple of feet of the tree. This was one of the trees that that the builder planted 2.5 years ago.
The red sunset maple that I planted last May, was doing fine through out the summer and never dropped its leaves in the winter and they have not come back this spring. I don’t have a warranty and may not have watered it enough over the summer. Any thoughts.
The third one is doing great. Thanks.
Hi Pam,
Just wanted to let you know my linden seems fine, though it still has girdling roots that need to be taken care of. Can’t seem to get an arborist out here. Ugh!
Hi Julie,
I do believe the tree of which you speak is a forest pansy redbud. It is a cultivar of the eastern species, I think I’m saying that right.
Hi Julie,
I live in a suburb about an hour west of Chicago. I have been searching for the names of the bright, bold purple trees I fall in love with in the spring. It took a long time, but I believe they are redbuds. I am considering a couple of them for the front corners of my house. I have been doing some research on the net about them because I want to make sure I get the ones with the vivid purple spring flowers that seem to glow, not the pink ones. Is the Forest Pansy the same tree as the Eastern Redbud, or are they different?
Thanks, Julie (too!)