Frequently Asked Questions in Home Gardening

A good part of my job at the Extension office is answering homeowner questions about their lawn and gardens. I thought it might be helpful to share a few of them and my answers.

When should I prune my Japanese maple?  Never.  This is one plant that I just would not put the pruners to at all.  Japanese maples are beautifully shaped with graceful branches.  I know that I would never be able to do anything with my pruners to improve upon such elegance.  If you have one that is too tall for the space, then you (or the person who owned the house before you) planted the wrong one.  There are dozens of varieties of Japanese maples that have different mature heights.  Choose carefully which one to plant. 

 What grass should I plant for my shady yard?  None.  If you have shade, choose a groundcover, make new beds, or mulch.  Turfgrasses are full sun plants.  If you have moving shade, you could try zoysia.  But even zoysia will not tolerate full shade.  You might get a good stand for a while, but each year the grass will get thinner and thinner.  There simply is no substitute for sunlight.  You could always try a moss garden.  That would be lovely. 

 Should I apply paint or tar to my tree if I have to prune off a limb?  No.  Trees are very good at handling damaged tissues.  They make “calluses” around the wounded area, then seal the damage off and continue to grow around the wound.  Research has shown that painting over the wounds does nothing to help and may actually make things worse. Tar or paint can prevent the area from drying out, prevent the tree’s natural process of compartmentalizing the area, and possibly even act as a food source for pathogens.  If you have a limb that broke off of the tree, perhaps in a storm, and it was not a clean break, then you can help the tree by cleaning up the ragged edges to make it easier for the callus tissue to form. 

 

I figured I needed a photo to give my blog post interest, so here is a random chipmunk.