Why I Oughta...

Last week, I talked about being a "Fall Gardener" and shared a photo of the Butterscotch Amsonia that was/is popping off in our backyard right now.  The front yard has a different early November - Fall Show - star:  this combination of Saratoga Ginkgo and Little Henry Sweetspire.  You can see them contrasting each other below - with the Little Henry popping off in Fall red and the Saratoga Ginkgo's strap-y leaves turning a bright yellow.  The Saratoga Ginkgo is sort-of 'tucked in' amongst the Little Henry, but it is starting to put on some height (finally) after being planted in May of 2022 .  This is the 3rd full growing season for this tree and it (now) requires to be formally staked - something I should do this Winter.   I posted a similar photo exactly one-year-ago showing this combo .  The leader growth on the Saratoga Ginkgo is noticeable when you look back.  The Little Henry Sweetspire is FAR MORE red this year, too.   In fro...

Posting this a little bit late, but I checked-off a new (to me) seasonal activity:  feeding our ginkgos with lime.   I had a bag of Organic Garden Lime from Espoma that (on the bag) bills itself as being able to change color of Hydrangea blooms - "Turns Hydrangeas Pink".    I took the bag and sprinkled a heavy hand at the base of the Spring Grove Ginkgos on either side of our stoop.  I also fed the Saratoga Ginkgo in the front yard , the Ginkgo tree that arrived cracked-in-half that I planted in the backyard and the same variety that the online nursery sent as a replacement that is IB2DWs extended (now in the conifer garden).   5 Ginkgo trees, two of which are dwarfs - all (according to this post from Mr. Maple) want alkaline soil : One great tip with Ginkgo that is different from a lot of other trees is that Ginkgo love a more alkaline soil, so by giving them lime when you're planting them and lime throughout the season, you help this plant ge...