QUESTION: “My mother has an established Kwanzan Cherry tree. Last year the leaves turned yellow and dropped off prematurely and this year they are doing the same and are noticeably smaller than they have been in the past. Do you have any ideas what may be causing this. I would hate to have her lose the tree!” – A loving son.

ANSWER: With the extreme temperatures and drought that most of the country has experienced over the last couple of summers, trees and shrubs have been going into an early dormancy for protection. The leaves are smaller because they haven’t had the chance to grow to full size.

During summers like this, I, too, notice trees of all types turning yellow and dropping their leaves. This will generally happen in late July and throughout August. There isn’t a lot that can be done to prevent this happening.

However, it is always good to put a nice thick layer of mulch/aged compost mix around the base of the tree with a welled area immediately around the trunk. This will help to keep the root system cool and moist as well as decompose over the season adding much needed nutrients into the soil. Don’t attempt to fertilize as it will only confuse the tree more and can be even more damaging. I hope this helps to explain what is going on.

QUESTION: “Last December I had several small trees planted at my new home. One is a maple. It is about 6 inches in diameter now and very healthy looking. Beautiful deep green leaf with no evidence of pests, fungus, etc. I have noticed on the trunk in the middle on one side, right under the last branch, some cracking of the bark, not just peeling. Should I wrap that spot or just leave it alone? Also when should I fertilize it and also the crabapple trees that were planted the same time? “ – Victoria Smith

ANSWER: Bark splitting is a common problem. I have included a link here from the Virginia Tech Extension site on just that. The article tells how bark splitting happens and, more importantly, how to take care of the plant. You should find it quite helpful. http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets2/tree/jan90pr4.html You can click on a direct link when you find this column at my Web site, www.landsteward.org

I am not a fan of fertilizing trees or shrubs their first year or so in the ground, especially since the maple needs to heal from its damage. Fertilizing should be based on results from soil tests as the purpose of fertilize is to bring the soil up to balanced. The best thing to do for trees or shrubs (as I suggested in my answer above) is to apply a good thick layer of mulch/aged compost mix around the base of each plant leaving a welled area around their immediate base so the mix doesn’t touch the trunk.

Thank you for your inquiry. I hope you are having a wonderful summer in your new home!

QUESTION: “I have a large concrete bird bath that has a red algae film. I can empty the bird bath and clean it out, but the red algae comes right back. Is there a way to get rid of it without harming the porous concrete or the birds that drink from it?” – Jan Cook

ANSWER: It’s almost impossible to prevent algae, but you can control it. Wash out the bird bath with a solution of bleach and water, using a “pot scrubber” brush and be sure to rinse it thoroughly three times. I would imagine that your bird bath is in full sun so that will create more algae then if it is in the shade. You can purchase some algae inhibitors at your local pet store but check the label to be sure it won’t harm the birds.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

Pets are people too, even if they have twice as many legs and (usually) more body hair than the other members of the family. Having our pets outdoors with us can add to our enjoyment and it can help to keep them fit and healthy.

Today, I’ll share some ideas about incorporating “pet friendly” features into your landscape. But what about the, uh, less pleasant aspect of what happens when dogs and lawns get together?

Let’s clean up some of those issues first!

When it comes to solid waste, it is essential to clean up promptly after your dog with a pooper-scooper and a plastic bag. This is an obvious precaution if your dogs share your yard with your kids, but even if your landscape is a “kid-free zone” you’ll want to avoid kneeling or stepping in Fido’s droppings and dealing with the flies they attract. We keep a supply of recycled plastic grocery bags on hand that work just as well as the pet store bags.

Dog urine is less easy to deal with. If your dog is urinating on the lawn, it seems that you can either resign yourself to the brown spots or immediately flush the area each time with a garden hose.

There are products available that can be fed to dogs in order to neutralize the acid in his or her urine. However, I’m aware of concerns that altering a dog’s pH level can lead to serious health issues, and it’s not a treatment I’d recommend.

I’m more comfortable with treating the grass rather than the dog. There are a number of products on the market that are designed to treat brown spots caused by canine urine. Products with names such as Bring Back Green and G-Whiz are available online or at pet and garden stores.

But if you can live without acres of lawn, consider an alternative that could have several advantages. Replace a reasonably-sized area of lawn with gravel and you’ll find that most dogs actually prefer to do their business there rather than on grass. In addition to reducing or eliminating the brown spots on your lawn, you’ll find that solid waste is much easier to pick up from gravel than from grass.

Your best bet is to use ¾ inch gravel to prevent it being tracked into the house, as can happen with finer gravel. Lay down the gravel to a thickness of about 2” to 3” and pack it down firmly with a heavy tamper that you can buy or rent from larger hardware stores. There are a number of ornamental gravels available if you’d prefer something other than plain old grey.
Edging the gravel area with bricks or pavers will prevent the gravel from spreading over to your lawn.

When it comes to dog houses, it used to be that your choice was limited to one design that looked like something Snoopy would sleep on. Not any more!
Now you can find a variety of structures that are not only comfortable for your pet but are also pleasing to look at. Instead of being something of a visual blight that you were resigned to (rather like the garbage can) many of these new structures blend in pleasantly with your landscape design or create an architectural statement of their own.

I’ve seen doggy log cabins, dog houses with covered porches, dog chalets and dog bungalows… even mini-mansions for pampered pooches. Cheryl and I bought one (not the mansion, however) and if Snoopy could see it, he’d definitely want to sleep IN it rather than ON it!

You can research some of these new breeds of dog houses online, but if you’d like some shopping information, send me a note at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll try to help.

With a comfortable, attractive dog house and a clean, mess-free lawn, your landscape can be a source of enjoyment for you and for your dogs.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

QUESTION: “I own a little Cape Cod built in the 1940′s. It sits on a 40 x 120 lot, which doesn’t leave much space between the neighbors’ houses. I’d like to have a privacy screen on the one side of the house, but there is only about 8 feet between the homes. My property line is only four feet from the wall of my house. I need the screen because the neighbor’s kitchen window over their sink looks directly into my bedroom window. I always keep the blinds drawn now but it is so stuffy during nice weather and I’d like to have the option of opening the window.

“I’ve considered a fence (expensive), a trellis w/a vine (not sure what kind), or a tree or bush of some type (scary – too close to house). Is there any plant that the roots wouldn’t push against the foundation if I plant it that close to my house? It is a westerly-facing wall that gets all the afternoon sun… the peony bushes that are there now love it. Thanks for any guidance you can supply.” – Sue

ANSWER: In a tight space such as the one you describe, I believe your idea about a trellis and vine would be the best solution. Something that would stay green most of the year would be English Ivy. The trellis need not be too large or too expensive if you only need privacy for one or two windows and it is unlikely to be offensive to the neighbors.

QUESTION: “I recently saw your article about “Oak trees targeted by voracious caterpillars,” and the same scenario happened to me two years ago.
One of my oaks, around 10-15 years old, seems not to have recovered and I didn’t see any leaves coming back this year or last. How do I know if it is really dead? It just looks like it now…with no leaves.

“Now another oak, close to the first one, is also missing its leaves on one third of its branches. Does that mean that it is on his way to die? I checked the trees and didn’t see either fungus or ants or caterpillars. Let me know what you think I should do at that point as I would like not to lose those great oaks on my land.” – Beatrice Moreland

ANSWER: This is a serious condition that is beginning to affect oaks in many areas of the country. It is not just the caterpillars and we need to treat the cause and not just the symptoms. The cause in many areas is lack of good nutrition and water. Drought causes stress to our trees. Lack of organic material in the first 10 inches of soil where the plants get their nutrients is a problem. The most important thing that needs to be done is to improve the soil and make sure the trees have adequate water. When they are healthy the insects are less likely to attack. Insects are like anything else in that they attack unhealthy or weakened plants rather than the healthy ones.

QUESTION: “I have a peony that was given to me about 5 years ago. It grows each year but has never bloomed. I moved it to a new home this year in the fall and fertilized it when I replanted it but it still won’t bloom. Can I do anything to force it?” – C. Hall

ANSWER: This is something I do with wisteria. Try putting one tablespoon of Epsom salts in one gallon of water and pour around the base of the plant. It may not work this year since most have already bloomed. However, this fall after the plant goes dormant and then right before it come out in spring, try the treatment. Do not fertilize anymore since that promotes top growth but does not help it to bloom.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

Trees add so much to your landscape. Apart from the aesthetic appeal of their beauty, they provide cooling shade for your home and garden. A mature leafy tree can produce as much oxygen in a season as ten people can inhale in a year.

But when trees have problems, they can be BIG problems, as these readers discovered.

QUESTION: “We have a maple, not a silver one, that has been in the ground maybe twenty years but still looks spindly. This spring was hard on it and it looks half-dead. Is there anything I should do to help it? It is in open lawn and there is no reason that I can see as to why it is doing so poorly.” – Karen Meyer

ANSWER: There are many things you can try to do as a homeowner. One of the simplest is to fertilize the tree using a product called Jobe tree stakes. Directions come with it but it is as simple as pounding in the fertilizer stakes at the drip line of the trees.

For mature trees such as the one you describe you will use three stakes for every two inches of trunk diameter, measured at chest height. For example, five stakes will feed a tree with a three inch trunk diameter, and so on. Using the plastic driving cap, tap stakes into the ground, spaced evenly at tree’s drip line. The drip line is directly below the ends of the longest branches.

Another suggestion would be to contact an arborist in your area who deals in larger trees. Here is a link to find one. http://asca-consultants.org/directory/index.cfm You can also click on a direct link to that directory when you find this column at my Web site, www.landsteward.org

QUESTION: “I have a Japanese Purpleleaf Sand Cherry at the front corner of my house. It’s about six years old and is quite a size. It is part of my landscape. Around the tree I have evergreens, rhododendron, day lilies, hostas and flowering bushes. I have noticed that the leaves are not as big as last year’s and it has a lot of black dots along the branches and some sort of white stuff. What is it and what can I do to save the tree? Please respond ASAP if you can as I don’t want the tree to die if I can save it.” – Teresa Fallone

ANSWER: It sounds like you have some kind of insect infection. You could try a product I’ve been using called Take Down Garden Spray. It contains a mixture of pyrethrin and canola oil. It is safe to use on vegetables and fruit trees as well as on groundcover, shrubs, houseplants, etc. Readers have told me they’ve had success with Take Down controlling Japanese Beetles, aphids, mealy bugs and so on.

From what you tell me, it may be necessary to spray several times over the next few weeks. Also, you may experience some die back because of this. Once you see some of the tips or light branches dying, you need to trim them back to reshape the bush. Let me know how it works out for you.

QUESTION: “I had a weeping willow planted a year ago. It has done well and is about 9 or 10 feet tall. We are in a severe drought right now. How often should I water this tree and for how long at a time? I don’t want to over water it.” – Mary Chase

ANSWER: During the drought I would water once per week. You need to do deep watering to get to the roots not just standing with hose. As I’ve said here before, use a five gallon bucket filled with water and small 1/8 inch holes on the side at the base. The water coming out that slowly will be more likely to reach the roots.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org