What started with a long, cool, wet and unsettled spring turned into an awesome growing season. The summer was nice and not too hot for most garden plants. Fruit and vegetables growers reported bumper crops surpassing records of previous years.
As in any season, there were a lot of pests such as aphids, caterpillars and plenty of fungal infections. The summer heat brought in some cases drought damage due to incorrect planting, insufficient watering, diseases and wrong choice of plants and exposure. This was in particular the case again with Japanese maples. Many new property owners replaced useless zeroscapes with beneficial, beautiful greenery. Following are some of the topics that caused grief for gardeners this season.
Impostors – Complaints about horticultural impostors, wannabee landscapers and gardeners aren’t uncommon. Some may simply be the result of inexperienced operators who make their way into communities. They may mean well and have good intentions but often lack knowledge and experience to render useful advice. In one case, nitrogen tree injections were recommended to save a drought-stressed tree in the middle of summer. While water and nutrient injections may ease drought stress temporarily, they do not replace proper watering and moisture retention provided by mulch. Injections are modern band-aid solutions for when basic essentials were denied in the first place.
Cedar-Hawthorn-Rust – A fungus that originates its cycle in cedars and then moves into hawthorn trees known as Cedar-Hawthorn-Rust made its way into many yards and gardens this summer. Even garden centres were not spared. Cedar-Hawthorn Rust (Gymnosporangium globosum) affects many hawthorns and cedars but also junipers, apples, crabapples including sometimes pears, quince and serviceberry (Saskatoon) can become infected.
Three Conditions That Cause Leaf Scorch
Leaf Scorch – Leaves that turn brown at a fast rate on one side of a plant are not always a sign of a lack of water. Burnt leaves can point to a problem called leaf scorch. which is cause either by lack of nutrients, environmental challenges or by bacterial infection. Japanese maples, Norway and sugar maples, beech, ash, oak, linden, birch, alpine currant, horse chestnut, white pine, rhododendron, viburnum, and flowering dogwood tree and shrub plants are particularly prone to leaf scorch. Understanding and meeting the specific needs of plants and maintaining proper soil conditions, including proper watering practices, are all vital for preventing leaf scorch effectively.
Planting – How To Do It Right
Incorrect Planting and Watering – Incorrect planting and watering can lead to poor plant health and growth. Common mistakes include inadequate watering, planting too deeply or in unsuitable soil or wrong plant choices in wrong locations.
Systemic Errors with Drip Irrigation – Most issues in a drip irrigation system come from incorrect setup. Trees, in particular newly planted specimen get most often inadequate amounts of water because of the incorrect layout of drip lines. Roots that need water at the most are not located immediately at the base of a tree but within the canopy’s diameter around the base. More than a single emitter is required to assure plant health and longevity.
Zeroscaping Illusion
Zeroscaping – Zeroscaping or hardscaping, is largely confused with xeriscaping which itself has nothing to do with replacing green space with rocks. The widespread practice of selling the illusion of a maintenance-free outdoors is extremely popular with people who don’t spend time outside. Rocks heat up landscapes that are already hot and dry by climate conditions and thus, offer nothing positive to the environment. If no outdoor maintenance is sought, why choose a house with outdoor space instead of a condo or apartment?
Hi, I am Matt – the owner of Chasing Sprouts website. The blog, resources and plant database segments feature a wealth of information to master all sorts of gardening projects. Feel free to share my articles with your world. Bookmark Chasing Sprouts to stay in the loop! |
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