Posts

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Avoid Planting Fast Growing Trees When Possible | Or Should You?

Avoid Planting Fast Growing Trees

Here’s a contradiction, today I am telling you to avoid planting fast growing trees when possible. Yet in a previous article I recommended several fast growing trees you could plant in your yard. I know what you are thinking “come-on man, make up your mind!” Ok, you caught me, but the truth of the matter, like everything else in the landscaping world, there are pros and cons to anything you plant. Read more

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Watering Small Trees | Try the 5 Gallon Root Seeker Watering System

watering small trees

When it comes to watering small trees, there is a fine balance between too much water, and not enough water. Over-saturating the ground to the point that it stays wet all the time can lead to disease. Conversely, if you let the ground dry out, the newly planted trees will starve, and most likely die off in the first season. The trick to watering small trees is to target the roots directly. The 5-gallon Root Seeker watering system seems to do the trick. Read more

Tree Watering Ring | Slow Release Watering Bags for Newly Planted Trees

Tree Watering Ring

One way to avoid transplant shock for your newly planted trees is to utilize a tree watering ring or a slow release watering bag. The image above demonstrates the tree watering ring in use in a garden bed in front of a new home. The medium brown color of the device neatly conceals the bag from the street-view when placed on a bed of bark mulch. Pile the bark up about 6 inches deep around the perimeter of the bag and it will all but disappear. Read more

Fruit Trees that Thrive in Planting Zones 3 & 4 and Bear Fruit

Fruit Trees Apple Orchard

Several types of fruit trees thrive in planting zones 3 & 4. While the temperatures are relatively cool in zones 3 & 4, both zones are well suited for growing a variety of fruit trees. The extreme winter temperatures in Zone 4 is can range from minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 30 degrees. The winter lows in zone 3 can be even colder reaching temperatures as cold as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. These extreme low temperatures can simply be too cold for many tree species, while others will flourish. Read more

Zone 2 Trees | Selection Guide for Planting Trees in Zones 1 & 2

Zone 2 Trees

The extreme cold temperatures found in planting zones 1 & 2 are less than ideal conditions for planting most trees. In fact, the list of Zone 2 Trees is quite limited. The number of trees that can survive in Zone 1 is even shorter. Only the hardiest of trees can endure the cold winter temperatures of minus 40 to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit found in Zone 2. The winter temperatures of Zone 1 are even colder reaching minus 50 to minus 60 degrees in some areas. Read more

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Removing Tree Stakes | Determining When it is Safe to Remove Tree Stakes

Removing Tree Stakes

You may be wondering how to determine the best time for removing tree stakes. If you have recently planted trees in your yard, chances are you have installed tree stakes to support your seedlings or young trees. Most newly planted trees require tree stakes and guy wires to keep them healthy and upright until they take hold in their new home. This is especially true in certain planting conditions. These scenarios include: a tree that has a small root ball relative to its overall size, trees that are planted in windy climates, and young trees that may have heavy foliage. Read more

Tree Planting Zones in the USA | List of Popular Species for Each Zone

Tree Planting Zones

The map above depicts the various tree planting zones in the USA. When selecting new trees to plant in your yard it is important to choose trees that are suitable for the specific zone that you live in. The USDA has published this chart to help you determine the zone number for your area of the country. Read more

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Best Trees for Attracting Deer | How to Plant a Deer Orchard

Best Trees for Attracting Deer

Some of the best trees for attracting deer to your property are fruit trees. To make your property stand out from neighboring land, entice the deer with something sweet like fall fruit. The most common fruit trees planted for this purpose are Apple Trees, Pear Trees, and Persimmons. If you plant either of these trees in your yard, the White Tail Deer will flock to your plot of land. Deer love to feast on nutritious food sources such as fruit which provides them the energy to frolic in the forest. Read more

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Bracing Palm Trees | How to Properly Secure a Newly Planted Palm Tree

Bracing Palm Trees

Properly bracing palm trees is a critical step, not only to the survival of the trees but also to ensure the trees maintain their vertical position as they grow. Large, mature Palm Trees are often transplanted as a quick and easy way to create a stunning landscape in tropical climates. Planting these over-sized trees can instantly produce an established landscape, but at the same time the towing height of these trees presents unusual challenges for home owners. These problems are further exacerbated in coastal areas which tend to have strong and steady winds. Read more

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Evergreen Trees | Hearty Trees that Stay Green Year Round

By definition, evergreen trees retain their leaves or needles throughout all four seasons. As the name implies, they are always green. Conversely, a deciduous tree will completely shed all of its foliage in the winter. Evergreens are very popular since they provide year-round beauty to your landscape as well as ongoing privacy. Read more