trees - Grow-How Blog

Control the Spread of Emerald Ash Borer

Apr 282012

By John Henning, Buyer, Dundee Nursery and Landscaping

Hello again! I hope the change to normal spring temps has not discouraged anyone from continuing to enjoy your yards and gardens.

Something we should remember to do again this spring is to try and control the spread of Emerald Ash Borer. We don’t hear much about it in the news during the winter, so we may tend to forget about it until we have more infestations reported. This borer is not going to go away. Just ask the people in states like Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and others who have lost millions of Ash trees since the discovery of the borer in 2002.

We here in Minnesota have been able to slow the spread so far, because we have been proactive on removal or treatment of infested trees. Preventive measures are a better and cheaper way to control the infestations. The cost of removal and replanting other varieties of trees is expensive, plus you lose the beautiful trees that you watched grow and shade your yard over the years.

Prevention Tip #1 We need to remember not to transport wood from one area to another even if it we intend to be burn it. This insect may have originally arrived in the USA in packing material from Asia. That tells me that the insect is willing to travel any way it can and as far as it can. State parks and many private campgrounds will not allow you to bring your own firewood anymore. Don’t take the wood “up north” to burn at the lake home. You may unwittingly be transporting the Emerald Ash Borer to a new location.

Prevention Tip #2 If you have not treated your Ash trees for the Emerald Ash Borer yet, or do not remember when you last applied treatments, it is time to get started. Once you do, mark it on your calendar to remind yourself to do this again next year. That’s right – just once a year is all it takes. With the new products on the market, home owners can treat their own tree in about 5 minutes with no spraying. Bayer, Bonide, Fertilome, Optrol and others package a concentrated formula that you only need to mix in one to two gallons of water and pour around the base of the tree. If you have rock, wood mulch and fabric at the base of the tree you will need to pull it back before applying the chemical treatment. Be sure to follow each product’s instructions to determine the proper amount to use, because each product may have different concentrations of the active chemical (imidacloprid).

Don’t be fooled by the cost, those with the heavier concentration require less actual product. In the long run, you use less and pay less per tree.

Hey, if you do not want to do it yourself, there are many companies out there that will do it for you with different techniques and some treatments only need to be done every 2 years.

I hope this helps you. For more information stop in and see me or other members of the staff. You can also learn more by checking out our Dundee Fact Sheet on Emerald Ash Borer.

Now get back to the your yard and enjoy what this spring has to offer.

Combat Drought with Spring Watering

Garden Center 1 Response »

Apr 052012

By Vicki Trattar, Social Media/Website/Graphics, Dundee Nursery and Landscaping

I saw the sprinklers going at a local business while I was on my way to work today. April 5 and we already need the sprinkler systems up and running in Plymouth, Minnesota. What an amazing spring. It doesn’t look like we’re in a drought situation, but we are.

We had been in a long term drought before last spring. Spring 2011 was incredibly wet and all that moisture relieved the drought problem and brought us up to normal. So much for normalcy. Late summer and fall were again exceptionally dry. On top of that was our nowhere-near-normal accumulation of snow last winter. All that combined has set us back in a moderate to severe drought situation in the Twin Cities metro area.

Our unusual early spring has brought us some rain along with the warm temperatures, but not enough. Everything is greening up nicely but plants breaking dormancy require warm temperatures, sunlight, and moisture. All this growth activity is using moisture in the soil.

What do you need to do? Bring the hoses out, turn on the outside water, find the sprinklers, and get ready to water. Your lawn and the plants in your landscape generally require an inch of water per week. If we are lucky, nature will provide. If not, it’s up to us. If you aren’t sure how you will know when you have given your lawn or plants an inch of water from the sprinkler, check out our Dundee Fact Sheet on Lawn Watering. The Fact Sheet will tell you how to measure it, plus some other useful watering information.

A long, slow soak is always best. Two days straight of gentle rain might put a crimp in your outdoor activities, but it’s the best thing you can ask for when it comes to your plants. The ground gets saturated, water percolates down, and more water is stored at a greater depth. Torrential downpours mostly run off into the storm sewers. When you water, make sure you go for the long soak and not the quick sprinkle.

If you weren’t watering your plants last fall until the deciduous plants went dormant or the ground froze for your evergreens, you should be out there now making sure your plants get that one inch per week. Everyone else should monitor the precipitation we’re getting and be prepared to combat drought with spring watering. April showers bring May flowers, but there aren’t many chances of rain forecast anytime soon.

Pruning Woody Plants

Garden Center, Landscape Design 1 Response »

Mar 292012

By Elise Eide

This wonderful March weather Minnesota is experiencing has everyone itching to get out into their yards for a little spring cleaning. When it comes to pruning woody plants there are a few things to keep in mind. First, what can you prune at this time? At this time of year plants you can/should be pruning are Barberry, Dogwood, Alpine Currant, Potentilla, Roses, Ninebark, Weigela, Raspberry, and Grape.

Plants that bloom early in the spring (Forsythia, flowering cherries/plums/pears, Lilacs, Magnolia, Azalea, Redbuds, Rhododendron, etc.) should be pruned after they are done flowering. Often these plants will have already set their buds and pruning them now would decrease the amount of flowers seen this season. If it is necessary to prune these plants, or the loss of flowers does not matter, it will not harm them to be pruned.

Another thing to consider involves shade trees like Maples, Oaks, Elms, Ashes, and Linden/Basswood, among others. Spring is not the best time to be pruning these plants. With the warm weather and soil temperatures we are seeing, the insects and fungi responsible for many serious tree diseases are becoming active a little earlier. Every pruning cut is a wound to the tree and also creates an entrance point for insects or fungal spores to get into the tree’s inner tissues. These wounds should be avoided if possible in the spring and during any wet weather. The best time to prune would be late fall after leaf drop or during the winter. There are exceptions to the rules of course. For example, the last storm we had damaged a lot of the plants in our landscapes. Broken branches should be removed and the detachment points cleaned up to make it easier for the tree to heal itself. It may be necessary to use a pruning paint for some trees, such as Oaks, to seal the wound and prevent insects from transmitting potentially deadly diseases.

Pruning woody plants should always be done with care. Make sure to sanitize your tools to prevent spreading disease. This can be done with a solution of water and bleach or even with a Lysol-type spray. Also, see the pruning diagram below for the best place on the branch to cut.

Please stop by our stores! We are always willing to answer further questions! You can also refer to our Dundee Fact Sheets. If you want to know when to prune a specific plant, see our Pruning Guide – Timing Fact Sheet. For more on pruning see the Pruning Techniques Guide Fact Sheet.

Why Hire a Landscape Designer?

Landscape Design No Responses »

Mar 222012

By Gill Landis, Sales and Marketing Manager Dundee Nursery and Landscaping

Hiring a landscape design professional allows you the opportunity to work with someone who has vast knowledge of plants and their needs, understands the construction of hardscape features, listens to your ideas, and has the creativity to pull it all together to craft your ideal exterior space. The designer should be knowledgeable about a broad range of plants and hard materials that are attractive and durable for our climate.

Planning is a crucial step in the landscape design process. A professional landscape designer will listen to you and examine your site for challenges in sun, shade, water, drainage, and space. The designer will take careful measurements and produce a design plan that creates an outdoor space that responds to your site conditions and needs. Your designer will suggest wonderful plants and structures that will perform in your yard for many years to come based on his or her knowledge of a wide range of hardy plants and construction materials appropriate for our climate. Structure, color, and texture combine to create the aesthetics of the project.

Once you and your designer have made final decisions on materials and plants, quantities are calculated, plants and materials are ordered, and installation is scheduled. Many companies employ experienced installers who will execute the design plan in a reasonable amount of time using the proper tools and methods. With an experienced designer and crew you will experience less stress and have more time to enjoy your new living space.

Aftercare is an important consideration in keeping your investment looking good for years to come. Reputable companies have warranties in place and often have an arborist and horticulturalist on staff to serve you if any issue arises. Over time plants will mature, grow, and need maintenance. A good designer will allow for plant growth and will choose plants that require minimal maintenance.

When hiring a landscape designer choose one who is trained in horticulture and design, can show you samples of previous work, is willing to provide references, and works for a known and reputable company. There are many one truck companies driving through neighborhoods and knocking on doors asking for business. These people generally have not been trained in design and have limited plant knowledge. Hire a landscape designer, follow these steps, and you will be happy with the results for years to come.

Intro to Dundee Nursery Garden Centers

Garden Center 3 Responses »

Mar 192012

By Kim Gaida, Store Manager, Dundee Plymouth Dundee Nursery and Landscaping is your local source for the best quality annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs. As a garden center we not only provide great plants, we offer you tools, home gifts, fountains, statuary, lawn and garden chemicals, fertilizers, and a full service floral department. All [...]