Shrubs

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Heat Stress Or Fertilizer Burn

This rose bush seems to be suffering from heat stress or possibly fertilizer burn. Spotty brown leaves is a typical sign of both. Typically, the browning of "Knock Out" rose leaves may be the result of too many nutrients. They do thrive in fertile soil, however, over-applying fertilizer may lead to high salinnity content in soil as well as brown leaves. Also, high boron content can cause browning edges of new leaf growth. Stunted growth is another result of these excesses. If you have over-applied fertilizer or if a soil test exhibits high salt levels or boron levels, then definitely change to a fertilizer with lower levels of salt or boron. Apply a 2 to 3-inch layer of organic mulch, such as compost, without smothering plant stems. Mulch offers a natural way to maintain fertility and deter weed growth while conserving moisture. Be sure to water roses at the bottom of the plant to prevent fungal issues.

By | 2016-03-06T20:40:05-08:00 March 6th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Scale Insects On Camellia

Scale insects are not uncommon on camellia, nor are aphids, mealybugs, whitefly and spider mites; they often coexist on stressed plants. As they feed, the leaves turn yellow, often develop spots, and fall off. There can be webs and sticky exudate that soon grows black sooty mold. Start gaining control by spraying the plants thoroughly, if temperatures permit, with a horticultural oil spray. These oils are highly refined and will not burn if used as directed on the label and should be used each winter on camellias. In hot weather, use a non-oil control product made for piercing and sucking insects such as pyrethrin or neem. Spray the trunks and upper and lower leaf surfaces. This looks like a serious infestation so do consider also using a systemic insecticide to continue control this year. Keep fallen leaves raked up; water and fertilize as usual. The plants are tough; with your help, they'll shake off the insect issues.

By | 2016-03-06T16:36:08-08:00 March 6th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Azalea Dieback

This looks like an ailing Azalea. It may be that this plant suffered winter damage in the past cold season, and or drought-damage from the dry conditions the past summer. In any event, you can try to bring it back but many people find that when an azalea has significant dieback such as this the plant doesn't become more attractive again.
However, if you want to try here's what you do:
1. Prune out all dead wood. Any twigs that snap off easily are dead - remove them.
2. Apply a light application of an organic fertilizer such as Hollytone.
3. Water the plant deeply once a week, even through this fall.
4. Apply a layer of composted cow manure all around the plant after you've spread the fertilizer.
5. Next year be sure to water deeply once a week - mulch on top of the composted manure at a depth of 2" will help - keep mulch away from the stem, however, as azaleas and rhody's don't like their stems buried.

By | 2016-03-06T11:48:56-08:00 March 6th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Blackhaw

We think this may be a Black haw is usually grown as a large, upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with an irregular crown, but it also may be grown as a small, single trunk tree. As a shrub, it typically grows 12-15' tall with a spread of 6-12', but as a tree may reach a height of 30'. Non-fragrant white flowers in flat-topped cymes (to 4.5" diameter) appear in spring. Flowers give way in autumn to blue-black, berry-like drupes which often persist into winter and are quite attractive to birds and wildlife. Ovate, finely toothed, glossy dark green leaves (to 4" long) turn attractive shades of red and purple in fall.

Common name refers to the purported similarity of this plant to hawthorns (sometimes commonly called red haws), though hawthorns are in a different family.

We are not 100% certain of the leaf size, and how that matches up.

Also, here's a note from one of the botanists: if there are small tufts at the bottom of the fruit, it is a haw berry or a rose. No small tufts = cherries and plums.

By | 2016-03-06T02:41:57-08:00 March 6th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Winter Damage On Hydrangea

This is winter damage. At this point any of the canes that don't have leaves will not form them so you should prune those out by cutting them all the way down to close to the ground, or to just above the first set of leaves you come to from the top down. Cut off those tiny buds that everyone is tempted to leave "because there's still some green on them...maybe they'll still open up?" They won't open up. If a bud hasn't opened and started to grow by now it's toasted. Cutting the short, old stubby canes that are dead away from these plants (down to the ground) will help the plant to look better and the new growth from the bottom won't have to fight the old, dead sticks. Also the plant won't be so much of a "leaf catcher." Leave any stem that has a growing bud because those will produce your flowers for this summer. Read more about pruning hydrangeas, and download a pdf about pruning this type of hydrangea, here: http://www.gardenlady.com/read-articles/how-to-prune-hydrangeas/

By | 2016-03-05T11:40:02-08:00 March 5th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Hydrangea Not Blooming

Before we discuss getting your shrub to bloom, we notice that some of the branches are not variegated. You need to remove those or they will eventually outnumber the variegated branches and you will no longer have a variegated hydrangea.

Do you know the exact cultivar name of this hydrangea? The variegated hydrangea most commonly sold is Hydrangea macrophylla 'Variegata'. However, 'Variegata' doesn't have white puffy flowers, but has blue or pink small center flowers and larger white florets around the outside of the flower cluster. This type of hydrangea is not reliably bud hardy in your climate. After a milder winter you may have flowers; after a cold winter you won't.

After all the leaves on your shrub have dropped, put about a foot of some kind of mulch around the base of the shrub. Shredded leaves are ideal. This mulch will hopefully protect the lowest flower buds. We suggest you read Hydrangeas in the North by Tim Boebel for further tips to maximize your chances of getting bloom.

By | 2016-03-05T09:29:06-08:00 March 5th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Italian Cypress

It looks like they"re dead and possibly due to a number of reasons. First, it could be because of too much rain, but it looks like you have well drained soil so that is probably not the reason. Two, soil amendments. You don't need them. Decades of field and university research shows that plants planted in only native soil versus those planted with amendments end up the same size and as healthy. Had it lived, your plant's roots would have grown out of the amended root zone in six months months.anyway. Don't waste your money. Three: fertilizers, same as #2. They are a waste of money. In fact after reading all the things you fed it you may have been too kind to your plants and killed them. I recommend you start over, plant them in different locations (it's going to take while for the nutrients you added to the soil to wash out of the soil), plant them only in native soil and don't add any soil fertilizers. Water them twice week now that it is cooler for about six weeks and taper off as it gets cooler.

By | 2016-03-04T20:09:26-08:00 March 4th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Poor Care

There are many things wrong with this picture. First of all, the pot is very small. The small amount of soil doesn't offer much root protection from the cold so there may have been winter damage. However, the pot also looks too small for the plant. Additionally, blueberries grow best in acid soil. We see lots of bark pieces on top of your soil, but we don't knwo anything about the soil it's growing in. Is it growing in a peat-based mix? Have you fed it with acid-loving plant food? And finally, we think it must get very hot, in a small pot, growing against a brick wall on a concrete floor. Is it in full sun? Blueberries grow best in part sun and appreciate a little coolness. We suggest you prune off the dead branches and move the pot to a less harsh environment. If it's potted in garden soil, transplant to a peat-based potting mix and feed with a plant food for acid-loving plants.

By | 2016-03-04T16:03:02-08:00 March 4th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Pineapple Guava

This appears to be a Feijoa sellowiana - Pineapple Guava. It is a large fruiting, evergreen shrub or small tree. It is used primarily as a landscape shrub on the west coast of the United States but has the added feature of tasty, edible fruit and flowers. It’s adaptable to a wide range of soils, including acidic soil, but prefers a humus rich soil that is well drained. Adding compost and not manure works for this plant. Full sun is best – but it can tolerate partial shade. The flowers which bloom late Spring are edible. The thick petals are succulent with a tropical floral flavor and are eaten fresh. Great sprinkled over a fruit salad. The petals may be plucked without interfering with fruit set. The fruit ripens in late Fall, which is a great boon since almost everything else in the garden is gone. The delicious fruit pulp is sweet and tangy at the same time. Eat them by scooping out the fruit with a spoon, or you can cook them in puddings, pastry fillings, fritters, dumplings, fruit-sponge-cake, pies or tarts.

By | 2017-10-08T01:37:28-07:00 March 4th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Siberian Dogwood

'Sibirica' is a deciduous shrub that is prized for its thicket of red stems that are particularly bright during winter. The foliage turns reddish in fall with small cream-colored flowers in spring followed by bluish berries. It thrives in rich, well-draining soil amended with organic matter, regular water during growth and bloom cycles, and full sun to partial shade. The reddest stems are the youngest ones, so regular pruning is recommended. Where summers are hot, dogwood tends to become stressed and more susceptible to disease such as canker, leaf spot, twig and leaf blights. Insect pests include scale, leaf miner and borers. We cannot tell from the photo if the leaf burning is due to hot weather, dried out soil, or just the natural cycle of going dormant. Suggest you show your photo and a few clippings to a horticulturist at your local garden centre or botanic garden to confirm the problem as well as recommended controls.

By | 2016-03-04T03:03:51-08:00 March 4th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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