Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Weeping Rocky Mountian Juniper, Evergreen Tree / Woody Plant Of The Day

Juniperus scopulorum 'Tolleson's Green Weeping'
    Colorado Red Cedar,  Rocky Mountain Juniper,  Weeping Rocky Mountian Juniper

Type    Tree, woody plant
Hardy range    4A to 9A
Height    20' to 25' / 6.00m to 7.60m
Spread    8' to 12' / 2.40m to 3.60m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Irregular or sprawling and weeping
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

 Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in very dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color    Green
Fall Color    No change in fall color
This plant has fragrant foliage.

 Culture Notes
Juniperus scopulorum is a native plant that can be found in the western United States. It is similar to other Junipers in that it requires a full sun exposure and will tolerate dry and arid soils. It is useful as a privacy screen or specimen. This Juniper is difficult to grow in the southern U.S. due to disease problems. If you try it there, provide full sun, excellent drainage and keep the foliage dry - good luck!

Natural habitat is dry and windy with full sun exposure.  It looks best in an open site with no shade during the day.  This allows the foliage to dry quickly in the morning and helps prevent foliage disease from thinning the canopy.  A well-drained soil is essential for good growth.  Wet soil rots the roots and causes plant decline.

Tree establishment specifications

Choose good quality trees for planting. The most common cause of young tree failure is planting too deep.  In most instances, the point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk (referred to as the root flare zone or root collar) should be located just above the soil surface.  You may have to dig into the root ball to find the root flare. If there is nursery soil over this area, scrape it off. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider because roots grow best in loose soil.  In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, extensive research clearly shows that there is no need to incorporate any amendments into the backfill soil. Simply use the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Simply planting with the topmost portion of the root ball slightly higher than the surrounding soil might still install the tree too deep - be sure to locate the root flare.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential.  Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch to at least a six-foot diameter circle around the tree. This area should be at least two feet in diameter for each inch of tree trunk diameter and maintained during the establishment period.  Apply a thinner layer of mulch directly over the root ball but keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. This allows rainwater, irrigation and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry.  Placing mulch against the trunk and applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water.

Regular irrigation after planting encourages rapid root growth that is essential for tree establishment.  Trees provided with regular irrigation through the first growing season after transplanting require about 3 months (hardiness zones 9-11), 6 months (hardiness zones 7-8), or one year or more (hardiness zones 2-6) per inch of trunk diameter to fully establish roots in the landscape soil. Trees in desert climates may take longer to establish.  Trees that are under-irrigated during this establishment period (and most trees are) often require additional time to establish because roots grow more slowly.   Be prepared to irrigate through the entire establishment period, especially during periods of drought.

Irrigation also helps maintain and encourage the desirable dominant leader in the tree canopy on large-maturing trees.  Instead of a dominant leader, trees that are under-irrigated during the establishment period often develop undesirable, low, co-dominant stems and double leaders that can split from the tree later.

Unlike established plants, which do best with deep, infrequent irrigation, research clearly shows that recently transplanted trees and shrubs establish quickest with light, frequent irrigation.  For trees planted in spring or summer, provide one (cooler hardiness zones) to three irrigations (warmer hardiness zones) each week during the first few months after planting.  Daily irrigation in the warmest hardiness zones provides the quickest establishment.  Following the initial few months of frequent irrigation, provide weekly irrigation until plants are fully established.  With every irrigation, apply one (cool climates) to two (warm climates) gallons of water per inch trunk diameter (e.g. 2 to 4 gallons for a 2-inch tree) over the root ball only.  In most landscapes that receive more than 30 inches of rain or irrigation annually, if the mulch area is maintained weed-free, irrigation does not need to be applied outside of the root ball.  Never add water if the root ball is saturated.

In cooler hardiness zones, in all but the driest years, irrigation of spring- and summer-planted trees usually can be discontinued once fall color has begun. Irrigation of fall planted trees, however, should be continued until foliage has dropped from the deciduous trees in the region.  In warmer climates, irrigate fall-and winter-planted trees as described for the spring- and summer-planted trees.

In drier, desert climates there is benefit to be gained from applying additional irrigation outside of the root ball area. This is best done by making a large diameter berm four to six inches high, then filling it with water so it percolates into the soil.  For the first two years, irrigate twice each week through the spring, once per week in summer provided monsoons arrive, and twice each week again in fall if it remains warm.  Taper off watering to once or twice each month in winter and resume twice weekly next spring.  For years three to five, water twice per month in spring, summer, and fall and once or twice per month in winter.  During years five through seven, water once every three weeks in warm weather and once every six weeks in winter.  After this, the drought-tolerant desert trees should be able to survive on natural rainfall.

Trees with good, strong structure need no pruning at planting, except to remove broken twigs.  Do not remove branches to compensate for root loss - research has shown that this can be detrimental to establishment.

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Hardy Biokova Geranium, Deciduous Perennial Of The Day

Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Biokovo'
    Cambridge Geranium,  Cranesbill,  Hardy Biokova Geranium

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 7A
Height    6" to 8" / 15cm to 20cm
Spread    6" to 8" / 15cm to 20cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Spreading or horizontal
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    White
Bloom Time    Spring and Summer

The flowers are suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green
This plant has attractive foliage and fragrant foliage.

Culture Notes
Biokova is long blooming and will rebloom if the spent flowers are removed.  Its blossoms are white, with a pink tone in the center.

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Balloon Flower, Deciduous Perennial Of The Day

Platycodon grandiflorus 'Hakone Blue'    
syn. Platycodon glaucus
    Balloon Flower

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 8A
Height    18" to 20" / 45cm to 50cm
Spread    18" to 24" / 45cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Blue
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green

Culture Notes
The flowers of these long-blooming plants begin in the shape of a balloon before opening.  They are easy to grow and can be neglected. Cultivars will not come true from seed, but the seed will germinate readily.  These plants do not like being transplanted and are slow to reestablish.  Plants may need staking for support.  Deadhead spent flowers after blooming. In the fall, cut back to 6".  The blue, double blossoms on 'Hakone Blue' are lovely


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Thank You