Tree of the Week: Coral Bark Maple

The Coral Bark Maple 'Acer Palmatum' also known as Sangokaku Japanese Maple is a tree worth having!  It gives you three seasons of reasons to consider it a specimen in your landscape.


The Coral Bark Maple can grow up to 20-25' high and 15' wide and is best planted in full sun to part shade. It has a moderate to slow growth rate.

Common Uses:
Specimen planting
Feature plant

Requirements:
Sun to shade
Moist to well drained soils
Will tolerate heavy clay or sandy soil
Drought tolerant

Foliage:
Delicate yellowish green leaves tinged with red during spring
Lush green leaves during summer
Beautiful hues of reds, golds and apricot during fall

Winter Interest:
Coral red winter bark which intensifies in cold weather to almost salmon. To obtain the best bark color the Coral Bark Maple should be planted in full sun.

The Sangokaku "Coral Bark" maple is definitely a plant worth having in your landscape. Sangokaku means "coral tower or coral pillar" in Japanese. Avoid planting in windy locations.

Visit our online store for more information on the Coral Bark Maple

Are Deer Rubbing You the Wrong Way?

Are you noticing more deer in your yard lately? Do they seem less cautious than usual? Why? Because deer are mating right now. This season is called "Rutting". It is the time that male deer are marking their territory to attract females and warning other males to stay away. They typically mark their territory by rubbing on the bark of trees.  


Another reason deer will rub against trees is to remove the velvet from their antlers and even when the velvet is removed, they will still rub and scrape trees to polish their antlers.

Unfortunately, all this rubbing and scraping on trees can cause damage to the trees, especially to the bark. Trees favorable to deer can vary in size from just a little sapling to a mature tree 4" to 8" wide.

However, trees have a remarkable ability to naturally close the wound themselves. Once the tree is damaged it will form walls or calluses to slowly cover the damaged area.

Avoid the urge to apply any wound dressings as this will only seal in moisture which can promote further damage later or worse, encourage insects. It is much better that the tree has air and sun to heal on its own. If the damage is severe, gently cutting off the jagged pieces of bark around the edge will help the tree start to cover the wound.

Most often, if the damage has not gone to far into the "Cambium" layer of the tree it will survive by forming a callus over the damaged area thus, beginning to heal itself.

The cambium layer can be found just beneath the bark of the tree and it is responsible for the growth and physical structure that holds the tree up off the ground giving it its strength and flexibility.

What can you do to prevent deer damage on your trees? There are many options available.

- Install a vinyl or wire cage around the trunk of your trees. This method is highly recommended as it gives the trunk air and sunlight.

- Vinyl or gauze like tree wrap can be placed around the trunk of the tree.

- Deer spray can be applied.



In spring, the deer wrap can be removed as rutting season typically begins in November just as the days get shorter and lasts between 1-3 months. However, if you live in a very populated deer area, you may want to leave the tree protection on but check it every so often to make sure it is not hindering the growth habit of your tree. 

A Little TLC Goes A Long Way!

Winter conditions such as snow, sleet and icy winds can be harsh on landscape plants, especially those that have already been stressed by our recent drought.

The best time to protect your plants from harsh winter conditions is late fall. Give your plants a little extra TLC to ensure their health next spring!  Here are some ways you can protect your plants.

Desiccation

The results of desiccation is the browning leaves of broad leaf evergreens such as Rhododendrons, Skip Laurels, Hollies and Andromeda.


During the coldest months when the ground is frozen, water can not be absorbed and the leaves can dry out. Cold winds can damage the leaves as well thus apply an anti-desiccant such as Wilt Pruf to protect the leaves from such drying effects.

Winter Mulch

Applying a winter mulch such as wood chips, shredded bark, compost or leaves will prevent the soil from heaving during freezing and thawing and will reduce root breakage. It is best to spread winter mulch on the ground after the ground has frozen being careful to avoid putting it too close to the trunk or crowns of trees which can hamper air circulation. In spring, winter mulch should be removed.

Salt Damage

Avoid using an excessive amount of ice melt that contains sodium or calcium chloride around your landscape plants, especially around walkways. Salt can damage plants in two ways. First by the spray of salt that it receives which kills dormant buds by penetrating leaf scars and second, in the soil where it breaks down into sodium and chlorine.

To learn more about salt damage and salt-resistant plants click here to read our "Salt Damage to Landscape Plants" blog post.

Ice and Snow Damage

There is no denying how beautiful freshly fallen snow can look on plants and trees however the weight of ice and snow can often break off branches of plants. While snow is an excellent insulator, this is primarily true only on perennials and low-growing plants, thus carefully brushing snow off larger plants, evergreens and trees will prevent breakage. 

Rose Care

At Rutgers Nursery, we often receive questions regarding winter care of roses. Winter in our Zone 6 can often challenge rose bushes, but primarily only in hybrid tea forms of roses. Shrub roses are a much hardier plant and can survive winter with little maintenance other than cleaning up the leaves around the base of the plant. If you have hybrid tea roses, consider a little extra TLC this fall by protecting the graft of the rose. Protect the roots and the graft which should be at or just below the soil surface. Mound 6-12 inches of compost or mulch around the crown of the plant.  Another method of protection would be circling the rose with wire and filling it with leaves or mulch. Avoid using soil to use as mulch as moving it in spring could disturb the root system.

Winter protection is a matter of common sense. By giving your plants a little TLC this fall, you'll reap the benefits next spring!

Today in the Gardeners Journal - November 14

What a beautiful fall day! Temperatures in the 60's made it the perfect day to get more yard work done. More leaves needed to be picked up and blown away and by the looks of it, I'm far from finishing this task. Last year every leaf was down by Thanksgiving.

Judging from the amount of leaves that are still hanging on, it'll be December by the time the last leaf will fall.

I couldn't help but admire though the beauty that some of my shade trees are exhibiting this year. This maple, for example, is displaying the brightest red it has ever shown. It looks awesome and I can't get enough of it.

Isn't it amazing how the smallest of plants can surprise you! This pansy suddenly appeared within a brick patio standing tall and beautiful waiting for someone to say, "Wow.. look at you!"

I finally had the chance to plant the five heads of garlic I've been wanting to do for weeks. I was amazed that five heads = 80 cloves!  Slow and steady she goes digging each hole. Yes, I could have made the job easier by digging a trench and planting them, but realizing that this would be the last opportunity to get my hands in the soil, I forged ahead and dug each hole. 80 cloves of garlic.. that's a lot of garlic you know! All the while I was thinking of the benefits I will reap next year, let alone the extra deer protection the foliage will provide next year. 

If you notice, I dug the holes at least three inches or more deep and set the clove bottom side down and secured it into the soil.  After I was done planting them, I covered the holes with a great layer of mulched leaves for winter.  I will be patiently waiting for them next spring.

While digging each hole I couldn't help but gain a little satisfaction from the number of earthworms I found.  Since this was the first year I've used this area for a vegetable garden and it is very sandy soil, I have been adding organic material monthly to further enrich the area. Seeing the earthworms I realized I must be doing something right!


To my surprise, the herb troughs I planted earlier in spring were still producing some last sprigs of parsley and oregano.



Indeed I snipped them and mulched them in well with leaves as well as the strawberry plants that were a late addition to my garden this year.



I gave my compost bin another stir and realized that these will be the final weeks for this endeavor.


The benefits the composter will serve next year will be welcomed, especially with the compost that will surely be ready for adding to the garden.

Just as I thought my day was complete, I was heading towards my house when I suddenly saw this surprise. It's the first time I've seen this friend in my yard and quickly snapped  a picture of him. Low and behold it was a male pheasant! How stunning he was to look at and how funny it was to see him scamper away.. He must be camera shy!  I'll consider his visit a special part of my day since pheasants may be wild on the outside, but quite tender-hearted and conservative on the inside. The pheasant asks that we honor our genuine selves, and not pretend to be something we are not. This incorporates the symbolism of protection of ourselves and our loved ones.

The pheasant animal symbolism also speaks to us about the value of balance in areas of spirituality. Being an air animal, the pheasant deals with thought, dreams, aspiration, spirituality, and things that lift us into higher states of consciousness.

Three Needles with Character

There are three trees that are looked upon with distinction especially this time of the year.

They are White Pine, Norway Spruce and Colorado Blue Spruce. 




All of these trees are in the conifer family and are capable of producing cones.

Conifers are planted for a variety of reasons including:

Windbreaks
Wildlife habitat
Erosion control
Screening
Specimen plantings

White Pine

White pine is a fast growing evergreen tree reaching 50-80' in height by 3-5' wide. Its fibrous root system does best in well drained to slightly moist soils and will tolerate most soil conditions including clay. Has beautiful long soft needles that range from 2-4" long.  White pines are known to be long lived trees and will produce cones that peak in their production every 3 to 5 years.  Are easily sheared to help maintain a more compact, dense like tree. Best grown in full sun.

Norway Spruce

Norway Spruces are moderate growing evergreens. They have strong branches covered with dark green  needles 1/2" to 1" long. Mature trees reach 60-90' in height . Thrives in clay to loam soils. Prefers moisture in soil to maintain deep green color. They are noted for being one of the most disease resistant evergreens and while not as formal as other spruces, they have a beauty and character that makes them very noteworthy aside from being long lived trees.  They are one of the favorite trees picked for Rockefeller Center's Christmas display in New York City. This conifer makes an excellent windbreak. Best grown in full sun to light shade. Deer resistant. 

Colorado Blue Spruce

Colorado Blue Spruces are nicely shaped, moderately large trees. They are slow growing spruces, growing 6-12" per year reaching 50-80' tall. They have silvery, blue-green needles 1" to 1 1/2" long. Prefers rich, moist soils and is the least shade tolerant of all the spruces. Rated one of the most popular evergreens, they make beautiful specimen trees, windbreaks or screens. The pyramidal shape of this noted tree makes them a classic Christmas tree. Grows best if full sun and is deer resistant.

Image via Wikipedia

Why not consider one of these trees that will surely add character and distinction to your landscape. It's the perfect time as we are offering them at a wonderful discount of 50% off regular price! Visit our webstore for more information.

Today in the Gardeners Journal - November 8

I've always considered November to be the 'transitional' month. Although it's still considered fall, there are mornings where frost can be seen on the grass, yet warm enough in the afternoon to still dig in the soil and be planting for next spring!

It's the month when we clean up our gardens, prepare for next years garden and learn from this years gardening experience and plan ideas for next spring.

What do you think about the fall foliage this year? Has the fall color show excited you or disappointed you?

For me, I believe the fall foliage has not been as lush. After doing some research I found that many experts believe the sun-filled, rain-free and long hot days from mid-June to early August weathered the leaves in the state before they could change to their brilliant orange, yellow and red hues. There's always next year!

Now that more than half of the leaves in my yard have fallen I'm noticing the yard art more that I've got scattered around.  When my landscape is in full color, the art I have around seems to take second stage, however, now it seems they have their time to shine again. Do you have "yard art" in your landscape?

Yard art can mean anything from statuary, to antique objects, pieces of wood that have intrigued you to just being completely creative.  For example, this CD hanging from the limb of this tree. When the CD is turning in the wind and it catches the sunlight it's just beautiful! 

Yard Art may not be for everyone, but tastefully placed it can add some flavor, some pizazz and creativity in your yard.

November Gardening Tips!

Take advantage of the cool weather to prepare your garden for next Spring! Here are a few tips for you to do in the garden during the month of November:

- Adjust soil pH

- Rake leaves off lawn before snow

- Spray broad-leaf evergreens with Wilt-Pruf, water on warm days

- Fertilize trees and shrubs (that have been planted for at least a year) when dormant

- Finish cutting back perennials; mulch perennial garden after ground has frozen

- Plant daffodil bulbs until ground freezes

- Transplant established trees and shrubs after defoliated

- Water broadleaf evergreens on warm days