Yes, all plants should be watered thoroughly after they are planted, and then as needed to keep them healthy. How often you water may vary depending on factors such as the size of the plant, where it is growing, and how much natural rainfall we receive. You will need to monitor your plants water requirements by checking the moisture level of smaller plants every 2-3 days and larger plants and trees every 3-4 days to determine how dry or wet it is to know when it is time to water again.

Will your trees survive the snow, ice, winter cold and winter sun? There are several short-term and long-term steps you can take to ensure your plants’ survival or lessen potential damage. The effect of winter conditions are more severe on trees which are stressed, so one key to preventing damage is preventing stress by keeping your trees in good health year-round. The first protection you can offer for your trees is to site them in a good location depending on the weather in your area.

There are just too many evergreen species to list. The conifers you can read about on this site are a start. You can also do a search on the Internet for conifers and evergreens. Remember, not all evergreen trees are conifers so you'll need to search for both. Here are two links that will get you started. They both tell about the same types of trees, but one is for older students/adults and the other is for younger students.

BOB: While there are a few trees (Oaks and "fleshy rooted" trees) that should only be dug in the spring, most plants today are containerized or balled-and-burlapped (B+B) and can be planted anytime of the year. [More about shrub planting and tree planting]

The real answer depends on several factors such as how long the plant has been growing in the landscape, where it is growing in the landscape and how much natural rainfall we receive. Obviously a newly planted tree will need more water from you in a dry season than during a rainy season. The short answer is that all plants need to be watered as needed for the first year or so until natural rainfall can take care of most of their moisture needs.

My White Pine trees have lots of inner needles that have just recently turned yellow. Are the trees dying? (September question)

BOB: If there is less than one-inch of rainfall per week, thoroughly water new trees and shrubs once a week during the growing season (spring and summer).

Many local nurseries carry plants that make good wildlife habitat. In addition, the state operates a nursery in Ames. Orders are taken every year during the winter for spring delivery. The phone number for the state forest nursery is (800) 865-2477. The local NRCS District also sometimes orders plants for wildlife and windbreak plantings. Their number is (712) 943-6727.

Yes, many trees and shrubs can be pruned during spring. However, spring blooming plants (azaleas, rhododendrons, forsythia, lilac) should be pruned after they flower. During early spring, some plants may bleed, but this causes no permanent damage.

Most major pruning on deciduous plants (plants that loose their leaves in fall) should be done when the plant is dormant. During the growing season, a plant's leaves contain food, in the form of sugars. Removing these leaves, before they are able to send this food back down to the plants roots in fall, will rob the plant of essential food and stunt it's growth.

Pruning is a simple and easy gardening task and just requires a little knowledge. First you need a pair of hand shears or hedge shears. If you need power tools, its probably not pruning that needs to be done, and if it is, call a professional to do it. First and foremost, make sure the blade is sharp. The cardinal rule is to prune back to a branch or bud, or you will leave a stub that can cause disease in the tree.

Yes. Local deliveries of nursery stock can be arranged and is free. Call to find out whether we deliver to your area.

We recommend using Jirdon’s Tree and Shrub fertilizer. It is formulated specifically for trees and shrubs in the Rocky Mountain region. You should apply a light application around May 15, June 15, and July 31. If you are fertilizing less often shoot for May 15 and July 15. You don’t want to fertilize after the first part of August. You don’t want to push too much new growth late in the season.

We are fortunate to have a strong relationship with a number of excellent nurseries and greenhouses. We are continually searching for the best plant materials for our customers and often buy directly from the grower or from a well-established nursery. Some of the materials we offer our customers is grown by us directly at our own licensed nursery in Maine.

We move most trees and shrubs during their dormant winter months. This allows safer moving of materials that would ordinarily be tougher to transplant during the growing season.

Never transplant ornamental trees and shrubs any deeper than they were already planted. After digging the planting hole only as deep as the root ball, backfill around the root ball using existing soil so that the plant will sit in the hole at the same level it was growing in the container. Research indicates that the addition of organic amendments is not needed.

BOB: As deer continue to overrun our residential landscapes, homeowners must be more concerned about protecting their ornamental plants, especially during winter when heavier browsing occurs. There are 3 ways to protect your plantings, and we feel proper plant choices and exclusion are the two that work the best in the long run. Here are your 3 choices: Exclusion - Through the use of fencing or mesh, keep the deer away from plants.

Deciduous trees shed their leaves at a certain time each year. The leaves are grown again at later time. Evergreens are trees that grow new leaves before the old ones fall off. It's important to know that not all evergreens are conifers. The trees we talk about on this web site are both evergreens AND conifers!

It is usually not recommended around here, as above ground pots lack the insulation of the soil and can freeze solid. However, in a sheltered location, some people have had luck with some of the dwarf evergreens.