Cornus florida
Flowering Dogwood

Planting:

Plant in sun or partial shade; the further South, the more shade is required. An acid soil, well-drained but moist, suits best.

Dig a hole amply large to accommodate spreading the roots, fill in and firm the soil down well. Water thoroughly and apply a mulch to conserve moisture, particularly the first year.

Maintenance:

The two main causes of failure with Flowering Dogwood are very bad drainage and its converse, allowing the plants to dry out. Site preparation or selection will minimize the former problem, while watering freely during periods of drought will keep the plants in good growing condition.

Dogwoods are troubled by borer, and a spray program, as recommended by your county agent, is worthwhile investigating. Apply a balanced fertilizer in the spring, and cut out dead wood after new growth has been made.

Zones:

Zones 5-9

Take the time to research which tree you want and its needs. Try to get as much information as you can about your tree before you plant. This section offers a few brief tips about general care that should get you started in the right direction.

How to Plant Your Tree

When planting a new tree, know the strengths and weaknesses of your treevariety. For example, if your tree has delicate leaves placing the trees fully exposed to drying sun and wind will certainly lead to scorched leaves and a puny trees. Think of your tree's habit and mature size when planting. You would not want a tree that will be 15' wide in a few years planted too closely to any permanent structure or other trees. Choose a place with plenty of room in a partially shaded place, preferably a spot where your tree can get a nice dose of morning sun and be protected through the harshest part of those hot summer afternoons.

Gardeners will often plant their trees in holes that are too deep and too narrow. Roots need access to oxygen and room to grow. Dig a hole about three times the width of the root ball, and the crown (the place where the roots meet the trunk) should be level with the soil surface. If you have clay soil, make sure to break up the sides and bottom of the hole to prevent water from being trapped and rotting your brand new tree. If your tree was in a container, carefully pull apart the roots to ensure that your tree does not become girdled and strangle itself. Recover the soil to the crown, but do not pack it down tightly—loose dirt allows roots to become established.

How to Feed and Water Your Tree

Trees, once established are very low-maintenance for most of the year. Most trees love moisture—during the warmer months, make sure you give your tree a deep watering about twice a week during hot, dry summers to help it establish strong roots.Some varieties with more delicate leaves may have a tendency to dry up and scorch in the summer or freeze in a late frost and scorch. If you suspect a late frost is headed your way, just go ahead and cover the more delicate plants in your garden. Deep watering may be your only hope against drying in the summer.

An all-purpose slow-release fertilizer or rich compost will supply the basic nutrients to feed most trees. Just work the fertilizer into the soil around the tree at the beginning of every season to get the best results.

How to Prune Your Tree

If your tree has been properly planted, has established itself, and has developed a strong root system, the only thing left to do is periodic pruning and shaping. Pruning maples is really simple. Remove dead or damaged limbs, and any new growth that appears on the main trunk (allowing your tree to focus its energy on filling out its distinctly beautiful branches). You may also want to shorten long limbs that distract from the overall shape of the tree.

Choosing Tree Varieties to Suit Your Garden

Want to make a dramatic change in the overall look of your garden? Planting a trees is the quickest way to change the look and feel of your garden. Trees add structure and height, and they have striking presence and style. A few strategically placed trees in your landscape design can change the entire look and feel of your yard. Planting a tree provides incredible results for the modest amount money and time invested, it's good for the environment, and it's fun.

Some of the quickest growers are also the most interesting. Many varieties of dense firs, colorful maples, and wispy willows grow quickly enough to noticeably change the look of your garden in just one season. Fast-growing trees are as functional as they are beautiful—quickly providing privacy screens, shade trees, and dramatic color and fragrance that could take years to achieve with slower varieties.

Landscape Design with Evergreen Trees and Shrubs

Most Pines, Cypresses, and Thujas grow incredibly fast, and make a great quick fix for most of your tree-related garden needs. A tall pine, like a Loblolly or Rock Pine, can reach impressive shade-tree heights in a third of the time that it would take many deciduous trees to reach the same height. And the long, dark-green, wispy needles give an ephemeral—almost mystical—feel, turning your garden into the setting of a great fairytale. Thujas, also known as Arborvitae, are the fastest-growing evergreens around. Their dense green foliage is perfect for blocking outside sights, sounds, and wind—turning your garden into a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle.

Fast Growing Deciduous Trees

Many of the most popular trees for gardeners are also some of the fastest growers. Red Maples and Weeping Willows are sold bare-root, about two or three years old, and not more than a few feet tall. But often, after being planted in your yard, they will grow 3 to 5 feet in one year. These trees are popular because of their interesting foliage and habit, and because they offer such quick return on investment, they have become indispensable in landscape design.

Grow Your Own Fruit

Growing your own fruit is cheaper, more fun, and usually a lot safer than buying fruit from the grocery store. Also, fruit trees are usually very impressive in the garden--they usually have pretty, fragrant blooms, and they attract humming birds and butterflies.

Fruit trees are always popular, but often it takes several years before a tree produces a substantial amount of fruit. There are a few fast-growing fruit tree varieties that produce a useful amount of fruit within a couple seasons. Dwarf citrus trees are small, and mature very fast, but you can only grow these in containers unless you live in a very warm place. Trees from the genus Prunus, like cherries, apricots, plums, and peaches, all grow fairly quickly, and they are so diverse that any gardener will be able to find exactly what they need.

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