Why I Oughta...

Last Spring, I put in a TINY Saratoga Ginkgo tree in amongst the Little Henry Sweetspire out front .  The height of the Ginkgo was *below* the height of the shrub, so I thought the tree would be allowed to sort-of grow-up in the shadow of the shrub.  The Saratoga is a unique Ginkgo that has longer leaves that most normal/traditional Ginkgo trees.  I didn't pay this tree too much attention over the last year, but it was watered with the sprinkler out front that was hitting the front porch beds, so I think it was watered enough to survive.  But, how does it look like one year later?  It has put on about six inches of new height.  See below for a photo showing the current state of the Saratoga Ginkgo tree.  It is now emerged above the full height of the Little Henry Sweetspire - by about eight-to-ten inches.    The American Conifer Society suggests that this tree will get to between 12-to-24-feet tall in ten years.  Lets suggest this is the third growing season and I bought a two-ye

This is the third and final Japanese Maple that I'm planting in our backyard that I bought online and had shipped from Mr. Maple.  This is another Acer palmatum, but it is different - and unique.  It is green, upright and has desiccated foliage.  Love all of those characteristics - and it appears that it is the *only* Japanese Maple that checks all three of those boxes .  The listing from Mr. Maple tells the full story : ‘Seiryu’ is a fantastic upright green dissectum Japanese maple. This Japanese maple tree is very unusual because it has amazing dissectum leaves yet it is a vigorous upright grower. In the early spring it leafs out with a lush bright green. The fall color of 'Seiryu' encompasses shades of light to deep scarlet red. This Japanese maple tree is a very vigorous grower and can grow up to 12-14 inches a year once it is established. The height of Seiryu can reach up to 20-22 ft over time. ‘Seiryu’ is unmatched in the acer world as a brilliant upright laceleaf. Se

That right there is the question that I'm trying to find an answer to:  Can a Coral Bark Japanese Maple survive Winter in USDA Growing Zone 5.  And, for me...specifically Zone 5b.   Why am I even wondering that?  Because...of what I saw at the orange big box store recently.  A small, unknown Coral Bark variety Japanese Maple tree in a five gallon container for under $50.  With the 11% rebate that we get in our area, that gets this tree under $45.  See below for the label: History has told me that Home Depot will - on occassion - sell something that isn't fit for our Zone 5B weather.   But, Coral Bark Japanese Maples are a bit of a quandary.  Why?  Because the 'named' Coral Bark maples that have historically been sold at Home Depot are called Sango Kaku Japanese Maples.   I see them every year.  This is what their labels look like below:  with a tree named Sango Kaku". Why do I bring up Sango Kaku?  Because....depending on your source, you'll see different infor

Yesterday, I posted some photos and details of the first of three Japanese Maples that I bought from Mr. Maple - Acer palmatum 'Firefly' .    This post is about the second of three Japanese Maples from Mr. Maple - another Acer palmatum.  This one is part of the 'ghost series' - First Ghost.  This JM is larger than the Firefly tree - although both are in one-gallon containers.   Below are a few photos showing the First Ghost Japanese Maple one-gallon trees: Mr. Maple's description of First Ghost includes these details : 'First Ghost' is the first and one of the best of the Ghost series of Japanese maples. 'First Ghost' leafs out in the early spring with bright white to cream sharply divided leaves which are accented by deep green veining to the leaf on the inside while the outside of the leaf is edged in a red purple. Mid-summer this reticulated variegation on 'First Ghost' may fade to a dark green veining on a lighter green background. For be

A few days ago, I posted some photos showing off three Japanese Maples that I bought from Mr. Maple and they shipped out .  All three are small one-gallon trees and arrived in good shape.  The first one of these three trees that I planted is Acer palmatum 'Firefly'.  Below are some photos showing off the foliage of Firefly and you can quickly tell that this tree is a beauty.  Of note, the rootball wasn't totally filled out in the small one-gallon nursery container, so when I took it out, the soil and roots sort of 'fell part'.  I quickly packed it back together and stuck it in a five-dollar hole. Here's what Mr. Maple has to say about Firefly Japanese Maple : 'Firefly' is a Japanese maple with superb reticulated variegation. The deep lime green veining, along with a brighter fiery red spring color distinguish this variegated selection by Paul Holden of Harstein Island Nursery. The habit is fairly upright , with less spreading than other ghost type varieg

Back in Fall of 2021, I bought a small Pagoda Dogwood tree from a local non-profit (Conservation Foundation) and planted it in the back by the firepit and the row of Hicks Yews.   And I just left it alone.  It has come back each Spring ( here's the first one ) and it grew out as much as it grew up.   At some point last year, I talked about maybe transplanting this tree - because of the horizontal - fat-boy - branching.  Ultimately...I've decided to leave it in place; transplanting a couple-year-old tree is dicey.   But, as a result of NOT transplanting it, I've decided to do something that I've leaned pretty hard AGAINST:  pruning a young tree.  Over the years, I've learned that you just leave trees alone.  Forget limb'ing them up, forget pruning.  Except (maybe) for when there's no clear apical meristem or leader, I just don't touch trees for a number of years after I plant them.   This Pagoda Dogwood has a bunch of young, healthy, horizontal branchin