Leaning Tree

I noticed the other day that a witch hazel we planted last year has started to lean severely. We are going to have to stake it. In general, you only want to leave a tree staked for a year, otherwise, the tree starts to grow into the guide wires and it is really quite a mess.

However, this little guy is struggling, and I think a stake will help straighten him out.

Roses!

If you haven't heard enough about my knock-out roses this season, let me give you one more post. The bushes are still blooming and the flowers are so delicate and breathtaking. (Mostly breathtaking due to the minimal amount of care they take to look fabulous.)

They have also had a surge in growth over the last few weeks.

Seeing them looking so good kind of has me sad for fall.

Dig Up Caladiums

My caladiums are starting to look a little worse for wear.

Like cannas, caladiums need to be dug up in the fall and replanted in the spring. However, unlike cannas, it is better to dig up the caladiums before the first frost.

If possible, allow the leaves to dry up and fall off naturally. This will ensure the bulbs have time to absorb nutrients.

Ideally, caladiums should be stored at 70 degrees or warmer, so avoid storing them in an unheated garage or in the basement. (Cannas should be stored in a cool, dark place.)

Apple Picking

My parents come to visit over the weekend. Before they arrived, they stopped at an apple orchard to pick apples. There were only two varieties left to pick, as the season is coming to a close, but they had a good time.

They left some apples for me to enjoy:


I can't wait to give them a try!

What to Do With Cannas

If you have cannas in your landscape, you need to dig them up after the first frost to enjoy them again next spring/summer.

After frost kills the foliage, trim the plant off short to about four inches. Dig it up in the next week or two, any time before the ground freezes.

Use a garden fork or spade to dig up the root. Be careful not to damage it. The root will have grown over the season, so start digging a foot or more away from the stem. If pieces break off, save them, too.

Gently brush off excess soil. Rinse clean with a garden hose if you wish. Air dry at room temperature for a few days before storing.

Every year you will have more cannas to plant the following spring!

Mums in Bloom

The mums we planted a few weeks ago are in full bloom.

So pretty.

A Different Approach to Planting Trees

When most people plant a tree, they plant one tree, singular, in its own space. The tree may be planted for shade, or just to add interest to the landscape. Most of the time, the tree is a lone reed.

Why do we do this? (I have done this, in fact, a previous homeowner planted a singular Sycamore tree in the front yard, that is now HUGE. It may even predate the house, which was built around it.)

If you visit a forest, what do you see? Trees of all shapes and sizes growing right next to each other. Sure, they are competing for nutrients, water and other elements to survive, but they are tightly knit.

If this is how trees grow in nature, why do we plant a new tree far from any other tree in our urban landscapes?

This fall, experiment. Try planting two or three trees in a group in a corner of your yard--a mini-forest if you will. Just have fun with it!*

*And send me a picture of the results!