A lot of tree questions from readers this week...

QUESTION: "HELP! My three Leyland Cypress trees have several totally
brown branches, including the three-foot top of one of them. I believe
this is due to over-watering before I went on vacation. (I have taken
care of them in every other way for four years.) My question is: will
these brown branches and tops ever come back to green? If not, I want
to cut the branches out and by cutting the top on one of them I will be
"topping" it, unfortunately. Do you have any good news for me?" -
Christa Pratico

ANSWER: I'm not sure I have much "good" news. I believe the
best thing to do is to trim off the parts that are dead and re-shape.
As for the cause, it could be from over watering but also they could be
succumbing to a fungus that does affect these particular plants. If you
decide that they are beyond saving, I suggest you replace them with
Cedar Green Giant. It is the replacement hedge plant for Leyland in the
South and hemlock in the North. It is a tough plant that resists pest
and disease problems and drought.

QUESTION: "I planted 20 quaking aspen two years ago and all of them
are doing poorly. Two have died. Three of them were healthy and bushy
all season until recently after a long rain they appear to be dying.
The soil is a sandy clay but when I planted them I mixed in plenty of
mulch and potting soil. Each hole was about 1' wide by 2' deep.

By poor I mean that the leaves are small and usually golden or grayish
with black edges. The black part is usually about 10% of the leaf but
occasionally consumes the entire leaf. That might be a fungus of some
kind but I also see signs of insect damage (mites?). I thought that
they
might improve this year but they look exactly the same.

Is there anything I can do to give them more life or help them through
the winter? I have year-around lawn care, so they are getting some
fertilizer, however I wonder if the weed killer is damaging them."
- Ryan

ANSWER: From what you have said, I think it is possible that the weed
killer is doing them
in. Lawn fertilizer from your lawn care company could also be adding to
the problem. I can recommend a product I have used that takes out the
toxic elements in the soil and can start you on the way to rebuilding
the soil and eliminating the need for excessive watering and over
fertilizing. It's an organic product called Global Earth Tek. Look
for it online (Google it!) or if you still can't find it, send me an
e-mail and I'll forward some shopping information. Let me know how
it develops.


QUESTION: "I enjoy your newspaper column very much. I have a question
concerning holly trees. I have two in my front landscaped area of the
house that have grown too large for the space. They are about 6' tall
and 3-4 feet wide at the base and are somewhat pyramidal in shape. I
want to move them to the back yard where they will have more room to
grow and spread which will also provide me some privacy from the
neighbors behind me. Is it okay to transplant them now or should I wait
a little closer to spring? They will also be planted under some large
hackberry trees in my back yard." - Michael

ANSWER: You can move them now as long as you can get in the ground to
dig. At this time they are in a dormant state and can be moved. If you
have someone in the area that has a tree spade or a mechanical digger,
it would be better for the trees. Contact a local nurseryman or garden
center to make this happen. Unless you have experience in doing this
you could have a bigger job then you are used to. Frankly, you might
want to ask yourself if planting them under the hackberry with no sun
would be a good place to put them before you start.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to a href="a
"steve@landstew ard.org/a For
resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free
e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Earl@Greenwood wrote:
A lot of tree questions from readers this week...

QUESTION: "HELP! My three Leyland Cypress trees have several totally
brown branches, including the three-foot top of one of them. I believe
this is due to over-watering before I went on vacation. (I have taken
care of them in every other way for four years.) My question is: will
these brown branches and tops ever come back to green? If not, I want
to cut the branches out and by cutting the top on one of them I will be
"topping" it, unfortunately. Do you have any good news for me?" -
Christa Pratico

ANSWER: I'm not sure I have much "good" news. I believe the
best thing to do is to trim off the parts that are dead and re-shape.
As for the cause, it could be from over watering but also they could be
succumbing to a fungus that does affect these particular plants....


You do know that cypress is a *deciduous* conifer, don't you?

-Bob

yes, bald cypress is decidious, but leyland cypress (unrelated conifer, is
not)
"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
Earl@Greenwood wrote:
A lot of tree questions from readers this week...

QUESTION: "HELP! My three Leyland Cypress trees have several totally
brown branches, including the three-foot top of one of them. I believe
this is due to over-watering before I went on vacation. (I have taken
care of them in every other way for four years.) My question is: will
these brown branches and tops ever come back to green? If not, I want
to cut the branches out and by cutting the top on one of them I will be
"topping" it, unfortunately. Do you have any good news for me?" -
Christa Pratico

ANSWER: I'm not sure I have much "good" news. I believe the
best thing to do is to trim off the parts that are dead and re-shape.
As for the cause, it could be from over watering but also they could be
succumbing to a fungus that does affect these particular plants....


You do know that cypress is a *deciduous* conifer, don't you?

-Bob

What is your zone? I am in zone 5a. Even though leylands are sold at Home
depot, etc, I don't know anyone who has had success in my zone with these,
unless they are planted in a very protected spot.

The advice you already go for replacing with Green Giants is good. Nice
plant when you can get them.


"Earl@Greenwood" wrote in message
oups.com...
A lot of tree questions from readers this week...

QUESTION: "HELP! My three Leyland Cypress trees have several totally
brown branches, including the three-foot top of one of them. I believe
this is due to over-watering before I went on vacation. (I have taken
care of them in every other way for four years.) My question is: will
these brown branches and tops ever come back to green? If not, I want
to cut the branches out and by cutting the top on one of them I will be
"topping" it, unfortunately. Do you have any good news for me?" -
Christa Pratico

ANSWER: I'm not sure I have much "good" news. I believe the
best thing to do is to trim off the parts that are dead and re-shape.
As for the cause, it could be from over watering but also they could be
succumbing to a fungus that does affect these particular plants. If you
decide that they are beyond saving, I suggest you replace them with
Cedar Green Giant. It is the replacement hedge plant for Leyland in the
South and hemlock in the North. It is a tough plant that resists pest
and disease problems and drought.

QUESTION: "I planted 20 quaking aspen two years ago and all of them
are doing poorly. Two have died. Three of them were healthy and bushy
all season until recently after a long rain they appear to be dying.
The soil is a sandy clay but when I planted them I mixed in plenty of
mulch and potting soil. Each hole was about 1' wide by 2' deep.

By poor I mean that the leaves are small and usually golden or grayish
with black edges. The black part is usually about 10% of the leaf but
occasionally consumes the entire leaf. That might be a fungus of some
kind but I also see signs of insect damage (mites?). I thought that
they
might improve this year but they look exactly the same.

Is there anything I can do to give them more life or help them through
the winter? I have year-around lawn care, so they are getting some
fertilizer, however I wonder if the weed killer is damaging them."
- Ryan

ANSWER: From what you have said, I think it is possible that the weed
killer is doing them
in. Lawn fertilizer from your lawn care company could also be adding to
the problem. I can recommend a product I have used that takes out the
toxic elements in the soil and can start you on the way to rebuilding
the soil and eliminating the need for excessive watering and over
fertilizing. It's an organic product called Global Earth Tek. Look
for it online (Google it!) or if you still can't find it, send me an
e-mail and I'll forward some shopping information. Let me know how
it develops.


QUESTION: "I enjoy your newspaper column very much. I have a question
concerning holly trees. I have two in my front landscaped area of the
house that have grown too large for the space. They are about 6' tall
and 3-4 feet wide at the base and are somewhat pyramidal in shape. I
want to move them to the back yard where they will have more room to
grow and spread which will also provide me some privacy from the
neighbors behind me. Is it okay to transplant them now or should I wait
a little closer to spring? They will also be planted under some large
hackberry trees in my back yard." - Michael

ANSWER: You can move them now as long as you can get in the ground to
dig. At this time they are in a dormant state and can be moved. If you
have someone in the area that has a tree spade or a mechanical digger,
it would be better for the trees. Contact a local nurseryman or garden
center to make this happen. Unless you have experience in doing this
you could have a bigger job then you are used to. Frankly, you might
want to ask yourself if planting them under the hackberry with no sun
would be a good place to put them before you start.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to a href="a
"steve@landstew ard.org/a For
resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free
e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org