Quick takes on home and garden
Enduring the elements can be tough on trees during this spate of cold winter weather, says Dave Dailey, president of Birchcrest Tree & Landscape in Webster. While your trees seem to be in a state of winter hibernation, exposure to the tough conditions can cause major stress, Dailey says.
The landscaper offers these tips for keeping your trees healthy this winter:
# If you did not put composted organic mulch under your trees in the fall or early winter, get good organic mulch such as wood chips and spread them under your trees when we get a good snow-free day.
Don't just dump mulch on snow. Mulch helps trees retain water and it reduces temperature extremes. A three-inch layer of mulch will act like a blanket and give the tree's roots a little extra winter protection.
# Give your trees a drink.
Whenever the snow melts and the temperatures rise above freezing for a few days, water just as you would in summer.
Watering during the winter can actually save the lives of young trees.
# Guard against winter damage by wild animals. Chewing or rubbing by animals can remove bark and cause branches to break or split. Prevent problems from occurring on young trees by wrapping the base in a hard plastic guard or a metal hardware cloth. Just remember to remove the wraps and guards in the spring to prevent damage when the tree begins to grow.
# Be careful where you pile plowed snow.
Ice and snow accumulation is heavy and can compact the soil when everything begins to melt. Piling snow up against a tree also provides unwanted critters with excellent hiding places in which to eat the bark and lower branches.
Spring prep: Garden symposium
The weather outside may be frightful, but it's not too early to start thinking ahead to spring. The Rochester Civic Garden Center and Grossman's Garden & Home will present the 20th annual Spring Symposium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 5 at Rochester Museum & Science Center's Eisenhart Auditorium.
Speakers will include Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden as well as Larry Grossman.
Garden designers and authors Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden will present two lectures drawn from their recent book, Plant-Driven Design: Creating Gardens That Honor Plants, Place, and Spirit.
The "Plant-Driven Design" lecture will explore how making plants the starting point of design creates beautiful, ecologically intelligent gardens that connect plant life to its environment.
The "Best Long-Blooming Perennials" lecture will talk about the peak performers for spring, summer and autumn, and explain how to use them in your garden.
The Ogdens design public and private gardens all across the country, emphasizing diverse plantings, sustainability and site sensitivity.
They lecture widely, both nationally and internationally, have authored four books and have been featured on television and in many publications, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and Martha Stewart Living, Sunset and Horticulture magazines, and have received national awards as authors and designers.
Larry Grossman, owner of Grossman's Garden & Home in Penfield, will host a lecture on "Second Impressions — Learning to See: When it comes to the landscape, sometimes less is more."
Many times gardeners need to step back and take another look, to focus on what is, and what should, be underlying their design, he says. Gardeners tend to fall in love with too many plants and add too many to their gardens. Grossman will illustrate how he draws his inspiration from nature.
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