The Plant Man column
for publication week of 07/24/05 - 07/30/05
(689 words)
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The Plant Man
by Steve Jones
www.landsteward.org


Trees, shrubs and lawns all have different watering needs


Mature trees look so sturdy and invulnerable, it can be hard to imagine
that they need to be treated as delicate infants until they are well
established. Several readers have recently written to me with
questions relating to tree care...

QUESTION: "We moved into a new development, and many homeowners are
unhappy with the condition of our trees, shrubs, and lawn. I think part
of the problem is in the watering. The sprinkler systems were set to
provide water to the sod and the same set-up for the shrubs and trees.
The junipers are looking quite good, but the yews are all turning brown
and dying. They are then replaced with another after the year; no
consideration for why.

"We are approaching our one year date. The trees out front on the
easement are watered when the grass is. I don't think they got a good
start last July when they were planted. My concern with them is that
there are branches in the middle area that are bare and when pruned
out, the tree will have an unattractive shape. Many trees have a bare
"branch" sticking straight up the top. Should this be cut off? I don't
know whether to hose water these trees deeply. Should I fertilize
around them? They have a heavy layer of mulch around them." -
Beverly Fulkerson

ANSWER: Yes, you will need to prune the dead parts out of the trees and
maybe begin a new "central leader" if the tree dictates it. You are
of course correct in assuming that especially newly planted trees need
different water requirements then grass. With grass you are only
watering the top 3 to 4 inches, whereas trees need deep watering. I
suggest you water evergreen shrubs only when they need it. These shrubs
also require good drainage so as not to stand in water. I suggest that
you look up some of the water requirements for certain plants on the
Web. You can also find columns on watering trees at my Web site. Go to
www.landsteward.org and click on the Plant Man heading.

QUESTION: "I noticed a white powdery substance on the lower branches
of my Kwansan cherry. I washed them with Sevin soap and now I noticed
some leaves are turning yellow and falling off those lower branches. I
also have a wide split on one of the main branches coming off the main
trunk. What precautions can I take to correct the conditions?" -
Frank M.

ANSWER: The Sevin soap solution should have nothing to do with the
leaves turning yellow and falling off. It could be you were a little
too rough during the washing process and somehow disconnected the
leaves just enough to do this. However, the split trunk may be the
culprit. If the trunk has been split for any length of time there is
probably little that can be done. You may want to contact a local tree
expert or your Extension service for this one. For readers who are not
familiar with it, Sevin is a brand name for an insecticidal soap
containing carbaryl, which is also marketed under various other names
and in different degrees of toxicity.

Reader Drew Denham has a response to an earlier reader comment in this
column. Drew points out that catalpa trees can be found growing all
over the world and not just in the Southern United States. He notes
that on a recent trip to Germany he visited a castle that had several
catalpa trees growing on the property. I can vouch for Drew's
assertion. On a recent visit to Europe, I saw a spectacular catalpa
tree in front of the cathedral in Rochester, England. Very old and
gnarled, the tree is now protected from young climbers by iron railings
and is quite a tourist attraction!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to For resources and additional
information, or to subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed newsletter, go
to www.landsteward.org