Beech Tree News Network

We’re beginning to see some spring color. My yard has some spring flowers in bloom and others showing greenery. One of my bushes is beginning to develop tiny leaves. But, my trees still look fairly dormant. I know it’s early yet, but I’m eager to see which survived the winter and which will need to be replaced.

Some of my favorite spring flowers (jonquils or narcissi, tulips and hyacinth) grow from bulbs. Spring bulbs usually bloom from late winter to early summer, depending on the type. After the blooming season, spring bulbs continue to grow and store food for a period of time before dying back to ground level and becoming dormant during the summer and the fall. These bulbs start to grow roots again in the fall and winter, preparing for the coming spring bloom. Although I would like to plant more bulbs, this is the wrong time. These spring bulbs should be planted in the fall or early winter (http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/growingflowers/flowersandseasons/...).

Bushes also bring spring color to our landscape. I enjoy the azalea, the bridal wreath spiraea, and the forsythia. I also like the lilac, but don’t have one – yet. Shrubs can be planted almost any time of the year as long as the ground is not frozen. Late summer or early fall is the optimum time to plant a shrub, allowing it to establish new roots before winter. The second choice for planting is late winter or early spring (http://www.bluegrassgardens.com/_shrub_plant.html). Based on this information, I could add a lilac bush now.

Flowering trees are a welcome sight in spring. The dogwood, the magnolia, and fruit trees (cherry, pear, apple, plum, and even the crabapple) are all beautiful. The best time to plant these trees is early spring, especially bare-root trees. Fleshy-root trees like the magnolia should be planted after their leaves have expanded slightly. Balled-and-burlapped trees can be planted in spring or early summer. Container-grown trees can be planted almost any time of the year, except when the ground is frozen. But, flowering trees should not be planted in late spring, right before hot weather, or in very late fall, just before winter weather (http://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/care/tree-and-shrub-main...). I hope my little dogwood tree survived the winter; I lost one a few years ago.

Though it’s still early spring, some natural color is on display. Warren Buffett once said, “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago” (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/tree.html#87rsFtQjMvIjB6Px.99). In the same way, we enjoy the spring flowering plants and trees because of someone’s previous work. I hope my earlier work survived, and that I can add more colorful plants soon.