(This article was originally published in The Gateway Gardener October 2007 issue.) When many people think of nut trees in the home landscape, they cringe at the thought of a messy black walnut dropping tennis-ball-sized bombs all over the lawn and staining their patio with the black-as-ink residue that coats the inner lining of the outer ovary wall. But, according
» Read moreBy Robert Weaver If the lawn beneath your sycamore tree looks like this this spring, you might be understandably concerned about the sycamore tree towering above it. Leaves shriveling and dropping by the basketful can certainly be disturbing, but in this case, it’s nothing to get too concerned about. In cool, wet springs, sycamores are susceptible to a fungus disease
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(ed. note: I was out working in the garden a couple weekends ago, and wished I had a video camera to show how to prune hydrangeas, a common question we get all the time at the Answer Desk at Missouri Botanical Garden. Prune certain hydrangeas at the wrong time in the wrong way, and you won’t have any flowers
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By MaryAnn Fink (This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener March 2007 issue) Early spring is a transitional time. Winter loosens her chilling grip, worn landscapes recover with spring’s healing touch and anxious but optimistic gardeners slip into an amnesic state. Marking the start of this recovery period, the Corneliancherry reveals her yellow-colored blossoms. Blossoming shortly after the
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By Barbara Perry Lawton (This article first appeared in The Gateway Gardener March 2006 issue) Invest in your future enjoyment by planting trees wisely. For an extra added bonus, choose trees that bloom. We are familiar with the many well-known fruit trees of the rose family—apples, cherries, plums, peaches and crabapples. But don’t limit your horizons to these handsome flowering
» Read moreBy MaryAnn Fink (This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener January/February 2006 issue.) Trees can be a valuable investment and an opportunity to personalize a home. Healthy trees and shrubs requiring a minimum of care can be architectural complements to a home, especially when they have fascinating good looks. Look for these Plants of Merit selections that can
» Read moreBy Skip Kincaid, Certified Arborist, Davey Tree Company (This article first appeared in The Gateway Gardener January/February 2006 issue.) It’s a question I am asked several times a week. “Do I really need to prune my tree? Don’t trees prune themselves?” The answers, of course, are a definite yes and a qualified yes. Trees that grow in mowed or manicured
» Read moreVast and Versatile Viburnums (originally published in The Gateway Gardener, March 2006) By Asta Sadauskas Viburnums are a versatile group of shrubs with a wide range of sizes and shapes. They are white spring-flowering and most have good-to-excellent fall color, including some with attractive berry display. There is a variety that will fit every garden, and every garden should have
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