campus alive...

Red Maple

Spring is green in the literal sense. Everyone is welcoming spring after a difficult winter, including the trees! I have seen many tree buds bursting into leaves. This is also the time of year I receive countless e-mails and phone calls, asking; "If we have another frost, will it hurt my trees?"

My answer... Yes. Tree leaves will surely be damaged by the frost, especially trees that are not native to this region. What can you do about it? Very little. The best thing you can do for your trees that are damaged by the frost is care for them throughout the whole year to ensure the tree is in optimal health to deal with things like frost, insects, fungi, lawnmowers, air toxins, and yes the list continues. Trees are rather resilient when you think about how many challenges they face in their lifetime.

Forsythia Flowers from the Administration Building

Plants, if small enough, can be covered with a bucket or flower pot of some sort for minimum protection from an overnight frost. I have even witnessed a neighbor using a quilt for her shrubs. This is another instance where natives shine. One of the benefits to growing native plants is they are used to this crazy Missouri weather, even if we aren't. They have had, literally, hundreds of thousands of years to practice.

Also, keep in mind frost does not need freezing temperatures to build! Frost in low lying areas can occur in the upper forties! I have seen frost on our turf when the thermometer read a mere 46 degrees Fahrenheit.

I am often guilty of forgetting there are multiple perspectives, so for those of us that are worried about the frost, let us not forget to take a moment and enjoy it! Fresh morning frost is a beautiful sight as the sun burns it off, turning it into a gas form, and watching it rise from the ground to the sky as the morning speaks to us. Have a great week and get outside as much as you can!

a tree worth pining over...

Chionanthus virginicus, American Fringtree, Humanities Building

We are starting to see green, and its not just Saint Patrick's Day, I think spring is here to stay! Spring always gets me excited, like the rest of us, so what a wonderful thing it is that they provided me with this space to ramble about my love for trees and plants!

Spring is the time trees get their long overdue credit. Everyone loves the flowers of the Crabapples, the breaking of the Cherry blossoms, and the Redbud and Forsythia flowers side-by-side are a sight to behold. It seems like the most popular plants are also the ones with the most problems. So if I could, I would like to take this opportunity to tell the tale of a very unpopular tree, though why it is unpopular is beyond me.

The American Fringtree, also known as Chionanthus virginicus, is a Missouri native that is very under-utilized. In the right conditions this tree is beautiful year round, and has very few disease problems. Also, if by chance you can catch it during its short blooming period, it is one of the most interesting and beautiful flowering trees around.

Fringe-like flowers close up

Chionanthus virginicus prefers plenty of moisture, and in my experience likes very fertile soil. So rocky clay locations aren't ideal for this tree. With adequate moisture it will tolerate sun very well, but also performs well in the shade. It flowers in late spring, and birds love to hide in this small tree. Annual pruning can keep this tree shaped. If left on its own it gets kinda leggy, so an annual pruning is advised. This tree has very few insect and disease issues, and is okay to plant under power lines and in locations where a large shade tree won't have room to grow. If you can find this specimen, it will repay you as a beautiful addition to your yard! See you outside!

up to our eyeballs in mulch...

My poor attempt at humor...

There are two kinds of people in the world, those that walk by and say "Ewww, that mulch stinks!" or those of us that willingly take in the beautiful aroma of spring mulch! Besides the return of the robins song, there is no better sign that spring is here then seeing crews laying fresh mulch!

Believe it or not, mulch is a heavily debated subject in the tree industry. Everyone has their opinions; mulch, don't mulch, mulch a lot, mulch a little, mulch this, don't mulch that. There have even been numerous studies at Missouri University on the effects of mulch on trees! Needless to say, mulch is serious business, so we treat it as such.

First and foremost lets discuss mulch origins. Our mulch is carefully chosen for its quality and its environmental impact. We chose our mulch from a vendor that uses by-products of wine barrel production, so no trees are harvested to produce our mulch! This is very important to us and we take pride in that fact!

Second, we are certain to apply mulch in a way that is both visually aesthetic, and also beneficial to the tree in multiple ways. Mulch applied correctly can frame the landscape, provide nutrients for plantings, assist in drainage, moisture retention, and ward off disease!

Using the "two-finger" method to remove mulch from contacting the trunk.

This will help suppress disease transmission and trunk "rot."

Mulch around trees should not exceed two inches in depth. one to two inches is perfect to help retain moisture in the root zone, and help suppress weeds. Also, the wider you can make your mulch rings, even beyond the drip line of the tree, the better. This will ensure the root zone is not competing with weeds, and some weeds and turf can even harm the tree!

Mulched trees really make a landscape stand out.

As you travel around campus you will notice a raised "ring" at the outside radius of our mulch rings. This serves many purposes. This ring helps retain moisture in the root zone of newly planted tress, forming a dish. It also helps protect our trees from the dreaded disease "Lawn Mower Blight." In other words, it acts as a deterrent to mowers and other equipment from bumping into the fragile trunks of our campus trees.

Forests floors are full of leaves, branches that have fallen from trees, and rotting stumps. The forest makes its own mulch, but when we keep our yards tidy, we often pick up these items and deprive our trees of natural organic nutrients. Mulch can replace those nutrients and make your yard look great! Besides, you need an excuse to go outside anyways!