Yes, we carry both Eastern Redbuds and Forest Pansy Redbuds. You should call your local Hewitt's to check availability since they are both quite popular and might run out of stock as the summer progresses.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

I'd say you have reason to be concerned Sherry. All the growth action takes place in the bark of the tree. The wood inside is supporting the tree but the wood is kind of like our fingernails. The transfer of sap containing moisture and nutrients flows up through the outer layer, the bark. If the bark is removed all the way around the trunk then that flow stops and the tree will die rather quickly. Obviously you want to stop mowing so close to the trees so you'll stop damaging the bark. Perhaps removing the grass and mulching around the trees would be a good idea so you won't have to mow right up to the trunks. Since you don't mention any od the trees turning brown or dying I'll assume that the damage you've done so far isn't fatal. Take a close look at the bark to see if you'd scraped the bark off all the way around the trunk. Chances are you've damaged one side but there is still bark on the other. The remaining bark has takenm up the task of sending nutrients and moisture up to the branches above. The damaged area will gradually recover and grow bark all around the trunk. You could get some Tree Wrap, a papery material that comes on a roll that you wind up the trunk. This will help protect the bark as it recovers and help prevent any future nicks from happening.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Burlap will certainly keep he deer from damaging you shribs but a better option would be deer netting. Deer netting is a black plastic mes that comes in large sizes for wrapping shrubs and small trees that deer love to munch on. You don't really notice the netting on the shrubs where burlap would be much more obvious. You should put you deer netting on in mid to late October after the leaves have fallen from the trees.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Your Harlequin Hydrangeas have a bicolored flower...here's the link to an image: . . . http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/images/harlequin1.jpg . . . Harlequin is a 'Mophead Hydrangea' and only require that you prune of stems after they die having been replaced by new stems or cabes. Here's a link to a great site that will fill you in on everything you need to know about mophead hydrangeas. Other areas of the site cover all the other hydrangeas as well...it is a great resource! . . . http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/mopheads.html

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Sadly, the Jacaranda tree doesn't grow this far north. It is hardy only in USDA zone 9 and higher...we are zone 5. Jacaranda trees can never survive a hard frost let alone our long, cold winters.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Hydrangeas have become quite popular lately so naturally we have plenty of interesting varieties in stock. A quick visit to the nursery here at the Hewitt's location in Glenville turned up these varieties. Twist & Shout, Lemon Wave, Aplen Glow, Nikko Blue, Domotoi, Harlequin, Teller, Emile Molliere, and Snow Queen. I might have missed a couple. They range in price from $16.99 to $49.99 with most for $25. Mkae sure you keep an eye on our ad in the Times Union every Thursday or you can check the adout here at hewitts.com. New ad appear every Thursday as well.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

For an arborvitae to go from green to brown in 6-7 weeks it would take more than just the burlap and twine not being undone. Unless the twine and burlap is made of plastic then, over the course of a few years, the arb might grow and get strangled by the plastic twine. If the twine is jute (like baling twine) then it will disintigrate long before it could become a problem. Often, it isbest to just leave jute burlap and twine in place when planting. Trying to unbundle the root ball might cause the root ballto fall apart. This breaks off all the tiny root hairs that absorb moisture from the soil. . . . It sounds as though you've been watering them enough so I think there are three possible reason why some of your arbs failed. . . . First, make sure that they have not been planted too deep. The original soil lineon the trunk where the bark meets the root bark should be at soil level, not below. If they are planted too deep with the bark buried, the flow of moisture up the trunk is greatly impaired. . . Second, make sure that mulch hasn't been piled up against the trunk. Mulch as heavily as you want away from the trunk butnever pilemulch against the exposed bark of the tree. It has the same effect as burying the truk too deep in the soil. . . . If you check and they seem to have been planted and mulched properly then the only conclusion is that they experienced a period of severe dryness at some point in spring before they arrived at your home. In that case I hope for your sake that they have some sort of guarantee and will be replaced.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Thanks for your question Jim, . . The local person is right...deer are a big problem for evergreens in the Adirondacks. There is one arborvitae that is deer resistant, the Green Giant Arborvitae. It is hardy to USDA zone 5 meaning it can tolerate temperatures as low as -25°F. Green Giants are also fast growing and can get quite tall...up to 40' or so in 25 to 30 years. There are a couple of junipers that are also deer resistant. There's an upright form called Moonglow Juniper. Moonglow doesn't grow as fast as Green Giant but is a nice silvery color and will reach 20' eventually. There's alos a wide spreading juniper that is deer resistant called Sea Green Juniper. Sea Green gets about 6' tall and 8' wide. If you want some color, weigelas come in may leaf andflower colors and many will get 6' to 8' tall and wide. Being deciduous, they won't provide privacy in the winter but will do a great job in the summer. It might still be wise to cover them for the first few years with deer netting in the fall to protect them over the winter. Deer netting is a black plastic mesh that you won't notice but the deer can't get their mouths through. You could check our Queensbury store for availability 792-3638. Ask for Charlie or Tom and they can tell you what is available there or at other Hewitt's locations.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Hydrangeas and other woody plants take some time to get established. Now that you've moved it, I'd leave it where it is for a few more years. I always suggest adding bone meal to the planting hole to provide a slowly available source of phosphorus that lasts for several years. Phosphorus stimulates root growth to get you hydrangea established and also enhance its ability to flower. In addition I'd feed it with Espoma Flower-tone as soon as the ground can be worked in spring and again about 8 weeks later. This agressive (but gentle) feeding will hasten establishment of a good root system and shorten the time until the plant can spare the energy for a flowering cycle.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Peonies take a while to get established. The older plant clearly is established but your young plant with a very shallow root system is likely struggling as a result of our hot and dry summer. Keep the younger plant watered and feed it in spring as soon as the ground thaws and can be worked. I'd suggest Espoma Flower-tone as the food. It can take 3 years or more for a peony to become well enough established that it has the energy to spare on a flowering cycle. Also peonies, once established, don't like to be moved. Simply moving and established peony to a new location can cause it not to flower for a couple of years.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

The best time to feed these and other woody shrubs is as soon as the ground thaws and can be worked in spring. If you use Espoma's Holly-tone or Flower-tone youe could feed againg 8 to 10 weeks later. Feeding is pretty much done for the season by early summer except for annuals that can be fed as long as the weather is warm. Other than on the lawn, I don't suggest fall feeding. Shrubs, trees and perennials need to wind down with the season and late feeding can stimulate fresh growth that is more easily damaged by frost. Your last feeding for the woody shrubs you mention should be no later than the end of June.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

A great tree for this purpose would be the Canadian Hemlock. As an evergreen hemlocks will provide privacy year round and can handle the cold of zone 3. Naturally they'll follow their instinct and try to grow into a tree but pruning the top will force it to branch out and go wide instead of tall. Gradually let it get to the height you want and then trim the top every other year or so to keep it low and bushy. Hemlocks are widely available.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Thanks for your question Jen. It's great that your rhododenrons are doing well on their own. That tells us that they are planted in a location that suits them and that's half the battle right there. You should prune them right after they flower in spring. Rhododendron, azaleas and other broadleaf evergreens form their flowers buds during the summer and fall. Those buds must winter over and then open in spring. If you prune them late in the season, you'll be removing the flowers you wish to enjoy. As always follow the pruning rules of 1/3. Never prune off more than 1/3 of the branch structure. Usually that isn't necessary but if it is, prune it partway back then wait a year to do more. It is also a good idea to snip off the remnants of the flowers in spring. If you remove the seed pods then the energy the rhodos would have put into those seeds will go instead into more flowers the following spring. I like cedar mulch but and good bark mulch will be fine. You can mulch 4" deep but make sure that you don't pile mulch up against the trunk. That can smother the bark and cause more harm than good. I really like Espoma Holly-tone. It is a granular food that you should apply as early in the spring as you can. I like to pound hole with a small length of pipe down about 8" and then pour the Holly-tone down the holes. That gets the food to the roots that can absorb it. You'll need several holes and they should be made out away from the trunk of the Rhodo about as far as the outermost branch tips. Scattering the food on the mulch is wasteful since the nutrients have a hard time making it through the mulch into the soil where the roots are.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Thanks for your question Don. Arborvitae will perform best in full sun. Full sun means that it the sun should shine directly on the plant for at least 6 hours. More is even better. You can add up all the sun that it gets to get the total. For example it might get 2 hours in the morning and 5 more in the afternoon for a total of 7 hour of direct sun. You should make these estimations during the growing season in June or July for instance. How much sun it gets in early spring, late fall or winter when the plant is dormant has no relevance.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Lesley and I exchanged email so I could get more clues. It turns out that the tree seems to flower in fall. Since there aren't any trees that have showy orange flowers in fall I surmised that she was actually seeing the berry clusters of an American Mountain Ash

Category: Trees/Shrubs

No, pruning off the old, dead flowers (that have become seed pods by now) won't hurt the lilac. A better time to do this would be right after the flowers finish up in spring. This prevents the lilac from putting any energy into producing seeds and that energy will then be put into growth and more flowers the following season. Since we know that you have an old large, well-established lilac, it may be time to rejuvenate it with some heavy pruning. You're going to need a pruning saw for this. You probably have some very large, older trunks coming out of the middle of the lilac that are not producing many flowers. These older trunks may be 10 or 20 years old and no longer have the vitality to produce flowers the way they used to. Get in there and cut them off as close to the base as possible. Make sure that you don't remove more than 1/3 of the total branch structure to avoid shocking the plant. Remove all these older trunks and the energy that they were using will now go into younger shoots that will produce the most flowers. Ideally you should have done this in spring right after the lilac bloomed. Lilacs form buds in the summer after flowering. Those latent buds winter over and produce flowers in spring. If you had pruned the lilac this spring, you'd have lots of new growth with buds ready to go. There's nothing wrong with cutting your lilac back now but you won't get the big benefit until the spring after next. People are often shy about pruning heavily but, as in this case, it is the best way to get the most out of your lilac. Once you remove the old, unproductive trunks, it will be several year before you need to do anything more than light pruning.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

It sounds like you did a good job planting your arbs. I suspect that the culprit is the hot, dry summer and fall we're having. Newly planted shrubs need to be kept constantly moist during the growing season. In your sandy soil, this would have meant a thorough soaking every other day. To help them at this point, you shuld try pouring Mir-Acid (a food you dilute in water) from a watering can over the foliage. Mir-Acid can be absorbed directly through the foliage to feed the plant instantly. If you don't have Mir-Acid then regular Miracle-Gro will also work. Also soak the soil by placing a slow running hose at the base of each plant for an hour or so to give the water a chance to get deep into the soils and the arborvitae's roots. There's rain coming that will help but deep soaking will take more than an inch or two of natural rain. This watering is especially important late in the growing season as plants (especially evergreens) are trying to store the moisture and nutrients they need to make it through the winter ahead.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Thanks for your question Paul. Before I answer your question could you tell more about the planter. Is it free standing with a bottom (like a windowbox or pot) or more like a small retaining wall where there is no bottom and the plant can grow into the soil below? PeterB Peter, It is a small retaining wall planter without a bottom and ties back into the house. This planter is not in full sun but goes get quite a bit ob sun. It also runs between my house and the driveway. Thanks for clarifying Paul, Hardy perennials, shrubs and evergreens can be difficult to maintain in raised planters. This is because the planter will thaw and freeze repeatedly during late winter and early spring. Plants in the ground will stay frozen and dormant until the ground thaws in spring. Since a planter is raised up from the soil it will often thaw out during early warm spells in February or March. When this happens, it can lure the plants in the planter out of dormancy too early. The plants will start to grow roots and buds swell up with the first flush of growth. Of course normal, sub freezing weather returns and refreezes the planter. When this happens the new growth is killed and the shock of all this can kill the entire plant. It is for this reason you don't often see hardy perennials or shrubs in raised planter...they have a hard time surviving. Having said that, I HAVE seen hardy plants in planter surviving and thriving. Those planters are usually in a location where there isn't a lot of afternoon sun so the planter manages not to warm up enough during "false spring" weather and so the plants remain dormant. Perhaps your planter is in such a location and has enough mass to stay frozen in late winter. My suggestion for you would be to give Dwarf Alberta Spruce a try. They are slow growing and very hardy. If it is protected from the west and north wind, you could also try smaller rhododendron, azaleas and holly. Let me know how you make out. Peter B

Category: Trees/Shrubs

There are different types of hydrangeas. Some flower on second year growth and some on new growth. You'll need to determine what type you have. If you have been cutting back your hydrangea every fall then you might have been cutting off the shoots that will flower the following summer. Heree's a wonderful site that will help you identify which type of hydrangea you have and when it should be pruned. http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Thanks for your question Charles. There are a couple of things that can prevent ES hydrangeas from blooming. Lack of enough direct sun. In our area (Albany NY) you'd want to get at least 7 hours of direct sun per day during summer. Even more is better. It is claimed that they will do well in 'partial shade'. That may be true in the southern US but, up here in the north, they will flower better with more sun. If your hydrangea grew lush, large leaves but no flowers then it probably isn't getting enough sun. Not getting fed. Hyrdrangeas don't need a lot of food but, especially in sandy soils, they do need some. Espoma Flower-Tone would be a nice, gentle option. Don't feed it now but as early in the spring as the soil can be worked. Without knowing the conditions your hydrangea is planted in I can only offer those possibilities. Here's a great site that might help your sort out what has gone wrong. http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/

Category: Trees/Shrubs

I have a flowering plum tree that was place in a retaining wall by a lanscaper two years ago. I did some online research on tree disease because I noticed a some issues with the tree. It looks like it could be Black knot and or Bacterial canker. What do I do? Thanks for you question Laura, This is bad news...both these disorders are common to plums and both are dificult to control. Here's some information from Cornell on Black Knot http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/treefruit/diseases/bk/bk.asp and on Bacterial Canker http://www.ehow.com/how_5786749_treat-canker-plum-trees.html The bottom line is that you'll need to prune away the infected growth and spray during the growing season with a copper-based fungicide. We sell one from Bonide and you can see it here. It is available in a spray or dust (that can also be mixed with water for spraying). Repeat sprayings will be needed and even then either of these diseases will be hard to control completely but you might keep them under control.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Thanks for your question Barb, That's great that you have buds now...those are the buds that will flower in spring. Right after those flowers finish up in spring is the correct time to do any pruning. That way the new flower buds that form will form on the new shoots that grow after you prune.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Thanks for your question Dave, Different types iof hydrangeas get pruned at different times. The best I can do issteer you to this great site. It will help you determine what type of hydrangea you vae and how to prune it. http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Honestly, it makes no difference to the plant whether you trim it now or in spring or at all for that matter. If you don't like the way it looks now (straggly) then trim it back now. I would probably leave it until spring so the dead foliage will catch some leaves ans later snow to help insulated it over winter but Zebra Grass is so hardy that the choice is yours. Peter Bowden

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Often the plants I get during fall sales don't look like much with the leaves falling off as they go into dormancy, but as long as the roots and stems are in good shape, I'm willing to take a chance. Sometimes the bargains are so good that I buy plants that I have no plan for but the price is so good that I can't pass them up. These plants will often have to spend the winter in their pots while I come up with a plan for them. I'm not afraid to winter-over perennials in pots or balled-in-burlap shrubs or trees. It's all a question of knowing how to bring them through the harsh winter ahead. First, scout out a sheltered location. We know that our prevailing wind comes from the west and north. The east facing wall of a garage, shed or even the house is a great spot. The building will block the cold, dry air that can dehydrate our wintering plants. I've got a 4' high retaining wall on the western side of my vegetable garden that works well for this purpose. Parallel to the wall, I'll dig a trench deep enough to set my potted and balled bargains into. If I happen to have a tree that is so tall that it sticks out above the wall, I'll tip it on its side so the branches are below the top of the wall, protected from the wind. Then I'll fill around the pots or root balls with loose soil and tamp it down well. Until winter sends my treasures into complete dormancy, I'll keep an eye out that they don't dry out, but with rain such a regular feature this time of year, that's not of much concern. As early as I can in spring, I'll find places in my landscape for my fall bargains and plant them (adding bone meal, of course).

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Hewitt's doesn't carry SuperRepellent...the closest I can come is Liquid Fence Deer Repellent which uses putrescent egg solids, garlic, sodium lauryl sulphite and potassium sorbate to repel deer. It should be applied in fall and again during any thaw periods (above freezing) during winter...especially toward spring. PeterB

Category: Trees/Shrubs

I've been noticing the same thing. Don't worry about it, the pines will be fine. We've had a very cold winter and we've had icing that has coated the pines for days on end. With the ice and extended cold spells the needles and small branches get very brittle so, when the high wind pounds them they snap off. They can even snap off from the weight of snow when the wind hits them as well. As the snow melts you'll see even more broken needles on the surface. Rest assured, the pines will come through fine and will look great this spring with lots of new growth to replace what winter stripped away. This winter has been particularly cold, and icy. There is usually some damage like this in winter but this one has just been a little worse than the last few. Peter Bowden

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Scale is tough to get rid of. I had it on a weeping beech so I understand your frustration. There a way though. You'll need to use a soil drench of Bonide's Annual Tree & Shrub Insect Control. Follow the directions on the package carefull but you'll dilute the liquid with water and soak the soil at the base of the tree using as much as the directions indicate. The lilacs will absorb the insecticide and it moves throughout the plant killing the scale as well as their offspring that hatch later. It worked great for me...one application did the trick but it does take some time to start working so be patient.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Yes it can but do it as soon as possible. Transplanting is best done when the plant is dormant. Lucky for you the weather is still quite cool and your hydrangea is still dormant. To reduce transplant shock have the hole where it is to go dug and ready. Dig up the hydrangea with as large a root ball as possible to keep as many of the fine root hairs intact. Make sure to use some bone meal in the planting hole. Water in thououghly and keep well watered this entire season.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Winter burn is pretty common on rhodos...especially after a windy winter like the one we just had. Those leaves are nipped forever but will be masked by new growth this spring. Any that are totally brown can be removed any time. A burlap barrier on the north west side over winter can help prevent this in the future. It takes a while for shrubs to get established and yours has only been in the ground for 2 seasons so it is still getting settled in. You should feed your rhodos (indeed all your landscape plants) as soon in spring as the ground can be worked (right now). For the rhodos use Espoma Holly-Tone. Pound holes out away from the trunk as far as the outermost branch tips and pour a small handful of food into the hole and poke it shut. Do this in several places around the shrub. Throwing food down on the surface is easier but mostly benefits weeds. Get the food down to the roots and it will work better. Deadheading will also help the PJM fill out and flower more. After the flowers have finished, pinch off the seed pods that begin to develop after the petals fall off. The rhodo will put a great deal of energy into these seeds. By removing the seeds, you are redirecting that energy into leaf growth and flower buds for the next season's show. You can also do any light pruning right after flowering. If you haven't been feeding and deadheading try that first. It should be enough to get them to start filling. Try that for a season before you resort to pruning.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

I have to agree with your husband on this one. Cutting off a foot all around you globe arbs will remove pretty much all of the foliage. That will shock the plant so severely that it isn't likely to survive. The general rule of thumb for pruning is :"Never remove more than 1/3 of the foliage per year." I'd suggest replacing them with something slower growing so this doesn't happen again. Dwarf Alberta Spruce would be an appropriate option. Peter Bowden

Category: Trees/Shrubs

The althea (Rose of Sharon) should be available in a month or so and more arrive in late summer as well. Hewitt's Super Shady is the grass blend you want...it can grow in the shade of a building with no direct sun at all.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

For the arvorvitae and the box wood I'd go with Espoma's Tree-Tone. This is a granular food that you'll place into holes pounded onto the ground (an old broom handle or pipe works well for making the holes) and then fill the holes 3/4 full of the food. The holes should be out away from the trunk or stem about as far as the outermost branch tip (this is called the 'dripline'). For the flowering plum I'd use Flower-Tone using the same method above. Feed right away and every spring as soon as the soil thaws. This way the plant is getting the food as new growth is forming in spring. Once a year is enough...never feed in the fall.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Let it leaf out and then cut away all the dead stems. Since it was planted at the end of the season, it probably had a tough time over winter. Hardy plants should get planted as early in the season as possible to get a root system established before winter. Water it with Mir-Acid plant food every two weeks until the end of June (don't feed it in the heat of summer). It should spring back to life and fill back in.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Hello! A friend was given a mini azalea (assuming from what i was told, its really little) and it looked great. Some time passed and she forgot to water it causing it to dry up to near complete death. Its still alive after a dousing but most of it seems dead. She gave it to me figuring id pay better attention to it. I want to re-pot it into a bigger pot and because I cant put it outside in the ground. I know they like acidic soil and was told there was soil made just for them. Do you carry any? Regular potting soil will be fine but I'd wait until it recovers before repotting which will only add to the stress on the plant. Feed it with half strength Mir-Acid plant food every three weeks or so and keep it in partial sun until it recovers. It will be a few months before it is ready for repotting. I've been keeping the soil its in moist and it seems to be doing OK. Also what are these little pepper looking specks all over the underside of my spider plant? I its causing it to turn yellow and die. This sounds like spider mites. Spray weekly with insecticidal soap sprayfor 4 weeks. Make sure to spray thoroughly on top and bottom of the leaves.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

I asked a question about why my evergreen trees are turning brown and dying? you responded by wanting to know what type of tree they are and how old. they are blue spruce and five years old. I have not given them any food or fertilizer. I need your help thank you. Skip, Since your spruce tree are recently planted I'd like you to check to make sure that the twine that was on the ball is not still around the trunk. Most jute twines will rot away but plastic twine won't. As the tree grows the twine strangles it. Next check to make sure that soil or mulch hasn't been piled up against the bark of the tree. Sometimes, if the hole is dug too deeply the crown (where the trunk enters the soil) gets buried. Even mulch piled up against the trunk of the spruce is a problem. The bark needs to be exposed to the air for the bark on the trunk to pass nutrients from the soil below to the branches above. We find that buried stems and trunks and mulch piled against the bark are the leading cause for dead plants getting returned to us. Dig away around the trunk until you find the original soil that was at the top of the original dirt ball that the plant came in. Naturally you'll get more growth and a healthier trees and shrubs if you feed then each spring...in the case of the spruces you'd feed them with Holly-Tone. http://blog.timesunion.com/gardening/spring-feeding-pt-2-shrubs-trees-and-perennials/650/

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Yes, we have weeping cherry trees and they come with our lifetime guarantee so you know they are hardy.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

If the tree is small enough, you could use a tree staking kit to bend it back so it is straight. After a couple of years of staking the tree will conform to it's new position. If it is older and too large to bend then your only option is to trim some of the branches off the 'heavier side to force the tree into more growth on the other side to balance it out. Never remove more than 1/3 of the total branch structure per year. This may take a few years to accomplish so be patient.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

I'll assume that you're dealing with 'false bamboo' aka Japanese Knotweed. This is a former ornamental that will eventually take over the world. I also moved into a house that had the bed one whole side of the house filled with that stuff. We cut it back for a couple of years hoping that that would kill it but it didn't. What finally did work was covering the area with a plastic tarp 4 layers thick. I actually used an old pool cover that I found by the side of the road. We made sure that the area was covered right up to the house and out about a foot beyond where the knotweed was growing. We then covered the tarp with a thick layer of cedar mulch so we wouldn't have to look at the tarp. We left it all summer and the next spring I peeked under only to find weak shoots still trying to grow. We left it covered for another summer. Finally, after two years it seems to be dead. We removed the tarps and dug around. We found a few weak roots that we removed and planted the bed with perennials. Every once in a while a shoot would pop up but we'd dig it out rather than just snapping it off....gotta get those roots. Now, several years later, we seem to have finally won our battle. There are weed killers that will kill it and sterilize the soil for two years but we were afraid that it would get into the roots of some nearby shrubs and kill them too so we went the tarp and mulch route. Be diligent and patient and you get it gone.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

A lilac may not flower while it is establishing a roots system. Once that is done it can expend the extra energy on flowering. A lack of sun and phosphorus can slow down this process. Feed your lilac each spring with Flower-Tone by pounding holes out away from the trunk and pour the Flower-tone into those holes. Do this in several place around the lilac so more roots can find and use the food. If you have been pruning your lilac in summer you have been cutting off the buds for the next season's flowers. Lilacs form the buds for next spring's flowers this summer. Always prune your lilac in spring right after flowering so the buds form on new growth. If it is planted in shade then it may never flower.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Check around the base of the trees for mouse or rabbit damage. If the bark has been partially stripped off by them eating it over winter then it can cause some of the problems you've been describing. If the bark has been stripped of all the way around the trunk then it is fatal. Also check to make sure that you haven't piled soil or mulch up against the bark of the tree. Scrape away and bark or soil until you see the original soil that the tree came in. Burying the crown of the tree (where the trunk enters the soil) also slows or stops the flow of moisture and nutrients from the roots to the branches. The fact that they flowered and have some leaves is hopeful. Winter was indeed harsh so they are under some stress. I'd give them a chance to recover before ripping them out.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Your boxwood idea is a good one but they are slow growing. Buy the largest you can. There is also Little Princess Spirea which gets 3' tal and 6' wide. Low maintenance with little pruning needed. If it is a very sunny location then miniature roses are another option. Miniature roses aren't grafted and are very winter hardy so no special care is needed (wrapping & mulching) to get them through winter, There are also som low growing cotoneasters that might work for you as well.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Azaleas do well in shade as do holly, japanese andromeda and holly. Yews also don't need lots of sun. Endless Summer hydrangeas and many other hydrangeas like some shade. Euonymus likes shade too. Many varieties of viburnum thrive in shade as well. There are more as well...maybe come to the garden center to see.

Category: Trees/Shrubs

There is a birch tree blight that can cause this. It is a leaf disease so it isn't likely that it will kill the tree. This sometimes happens when we have an excessively damp spring. I might feed them a little Tree-Tone plant food by pounding holes into the soil under the drip line (outermost branch tips). Make sure to rake up and remove any leaves that fall and remove them from the yard...especially the leaves that fall this autumn. Another thing to check is the base of the tree where the trunk enters the soil. Make sure you haven't buried the trunk with soil of mulch. Brush back the mulch or soil until you find the original soil line where the trunk enters the soil. If the trunk is buried with mulch or soil or slows the flow of moisture and nutrients up the trunk weakening the tree and making it more likely to die from diseases and stress. Peter Bowden

Category: Trees/Shrubs

I'd say your chances of seeing flowers are pretty good since you did not prune off last year's growth. Princess Beatrix is a macrophylla hydrangea so it produces flowers from buds on stems that grew last year. Other hydrangeas can produce flowers on new growth. There is a lot of confusion about this and the best site for clearing up the confusion is this: http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html#Know For you hydrangea you'll want to follow 'Pruning: Method One'

Category: Trees/Shrubs

This was a particularly rough winter so i expect that is the problem. It is normal for some of the interior foliage to turn brown and fall off as the plant matures but this winter may have nipped them more than normal. The food spike were a good idea and they will help as they dissolve into the soil. Any branches that are totall brown and brittle should be removed. Another thing to check is the base of the tree where the trunk enters the soil. Make sure you haven't buried the trunk with soil of mulch. Brush back the mulch or soil until you find the original soil line where the trunk enters the soil. If the trunk is buried with mulch or soil or slows the flow of moisture and nutrients up the trunk weakening the tree and making it more likely to die from diseases and stress. Peter Bowden

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Fruit trees, including ornamental cherry trees have a lifespan and, if yours is 30 or 40 years old, it may be reaching the end of it's time. Having said that, I'm hearing of similar problems from others. There are some things you can do. The most obvious is to make sure that you haven't piled mulch up against the bark of the tree. Next make sure to remove any suckers that sprout from the base of the tree. Suckers will rob moisture and nutrients from the upper branches and leaves. Naturally feeding it with some fruit tree spikes pounded into the soil underneath the outermost branch tips will help as well. If the tree hasn't been pruned in many years there are probably many interior sucker-like branches that should also be cut off to encourage growth on the main stems. If it has been let go then this pruning needs to take place over a few years to avoid shocking the tree. Without seeing the tree or a picture, it is hard for me to be too specific but here's a website that does a nice job describing the process. http://www.ehow.com/how_7333120_restore-old-fruit-tree.html

Category: Trees/Shrubs

This is a pretty involved question so I think it best to send you the link to this very comprehensive page from Michigan State University. Michigan's climate is the same as ours so the information given is appropriate here as well. http://web3.canr.msu.edu/vanburen/organasp.htm

Category: Trees/Shrubs

Cherry Blossom Trees do very well in the Capital District area, and Hewitts' carries a couple of different varieties. Weeping Cherry and Kwanzan Cherry are among the most beautiful flowering Cherry Trees, with long lasting blossoms, provided that we dont get a drenching rain storm. Any one of our locations will have these trees in the spring. The weeping variety will sell between $80.00 and $150.00 apiece, while the Kwanzan sells between $30.00 and $75.00 dollars. These trees carry the Hewitts' Lifetime Guarantee as well. We are currently running our end of the year clearance sale, where you might be able to locate one of these trees at a deep discount, however, they are not covered by the guarantee..

Category: Trees/Shrubs