1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:07,360 It's time for the Gardening Simplified podcast, YouTube and radio show coming to you 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,839 from Studio A. Here at proven winner's color choice. Shrugs. It's Stacy, 3 00:00:11,919 --> 00:00:17,519 Hervella me Rick weisst and our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson. Well, 4 00:00:17,559 --> 00:00:23,440 Stacy the Garden of Regrets. Your home's garden, landscape lawn does not come 5 00:00:23,559 --> 00:00:28,000 with a warning label. Man it doesn't come with an owner's manual. Not 6 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,159 that you'd read the owner's manual, but it doesn't for that matter. And 7 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,039 you know, when you think about warning labels, you ever read the warning 8 00:00:36,119 --> 00:00:42,840 label they put on Christmas lights for indoor or outdoor use? Only? What 9 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,759 other use? Would therap be here? Right? And I took my grandson 10 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,880 to the playground the other day and there was a warning on the playground equipment. 11 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:59,200 It said warning physical activity carries inherent risks. What you know? I 12 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,560 remember them Mary go rounds when we were kids in the seventies, and you'd 13 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,840 always have the daredevil who'd spin it as fast as he could, right and 14 00:01:07,879 --> 00:01:12,079 see who could go flying off. Or those giant metal slides whereby two o'clock 15 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:17,480 in the afternoon, the surface of that slide is like three hundred and twenty 16 00:01:17,519 --> 00:01:23,959 five degrees. But anyhow, warning labels or regrets you know, we have 17 00:01:23,239 --> 00:01:30,319 it's a touchy subject. We have motivational speakers that key in on regrets. 18 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,519 You know, I've heard them say the pain of discipline or the pain of 19 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:41,760 regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons. And 20 00:01:41,799 --> 00:01:45,719 then on the other hand, we have motivational speakers who say to us, 21 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,959 well, the biggest regret of your life won't be what you did, but 22 00:01:49,159 --> 00:01:53,719 rather what you didn't do. That's probably true. Yeah, so I don't 23 00:01:53,719 --> 00:01:57,040 know how that applies to the garden necessarily, but in life that is probably 24 00:01:57,079 --> 00:01:59,760 true. But like, you know, you could see a great plant on 25 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,239 or at a garden center that you don't usually see and just be like, 26 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,560 eh, I don't know where I would put it, although I don't know 27 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:07,840 what gardener in the right mind ever not doesn't buy something because they don't know 28 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,280 really put maybe a treat. But you know, so let's tee up some 29 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,120 regrets. And as a matter of fact, that's right first on my list. 30 00:02:15,199 --> 00:02:20,800 Impulsive plant buying and placement, spacing, improper spacing or putting a plant 31 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,639 in the wrong location. That's got to be one of the top regrets of 32 00:02:23,719 --> 00:02:28,560 gardeners. Oh yeah, but that's also just part of gardening, and most 33 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,520 of the time you don't have to regret that if you put something in the 34 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:35,360 wrong spot it's not doing well, or maybe it's doing too well, you 35 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,280 can usually move it and correct that, so you don't you know, that's 36 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:42,159 that's like where the learning happens in gardening. Got it from your mistakes, 37 00:02:42,199 --> 00:02:46,599 trying to do too much at once, pacing, making your garden too big. 38 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,759 Here's a garden regret that I hear often, and that is listening to 39 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:57,280 a neighbor or relative. Oh, I guess it depends on your neighbor a 40 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,560 relative. Well. I had an individual, as a matter of fact, 41 00:03:01,439 --> 00:03:06,719 on next week's show, we're going to talk about dog scaping, and I 42 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,479 had an individual who said to me that his neighbor told him, because the 43 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,800 dog was tearing up the lawn, why don't you just plant all crabgrass? 44 00:03:15,199 --> 00:03:19,960 What? Yes, So there you goof And of course tied into that in 45 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:25,039 garden regrets is believing everything you see and read on the internet. Don't do 46 00:03:25,199 --> 00:03:31,680 that. Not correcting slope and drainage prior to planting, and the same can 47 00:03:31,719 --> 00:03:36,800 be said for soil preparation. I think one of the keys to gardening is 48 00:03:36,919 --> 00:03:42,840 good soil preparation and understanding your soil. And if you're in a hurry to 49 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,960 stick that plant in the ground and you don't create a good foundation, Stacy, 50 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,759 you're going to regret it later. Yet usually you will, and it 51 00:03:49,759 --> 00:03:54,479 will show up quick planting too close to a structure, not taking into account 52 00:03:54,719 --> 00:04:00,319 its eventual size. And coming up on today's show in segment four, we're 53 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:04,479 gonna ask Rick Weist, not this Rick Weist, my son Rick Weist, 54 00:04:04,479 --> 00:04:09,319 who is an arborist, but Stacy. We see that with trees all the 55 00:04:09,319 --> 00:04:13,680 time, where they're just planted too close to a structure, and after ten 56 00:04:13,759 --> 00:04:15,120 or twenty years, you've got a problem on your head. You know, 57 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,439 it absolutely is a problem. But I kind of even though it's bad, 58 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:26,839 I can't blame people for doing this because it is so impossible even to me, 59 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,360 as a horticulturist, to believe that that little you know, five gallon 60 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:35,879 sap leg that you have in your hands legitimately should be planted sixty feet from 61 00:04:35,879 --> 00:04:39,160 your house. You know, like you put that little thing out there and 62 00:04:39,199 --> 00:04:43,279 it's lost and it's sad, and you just have to be thinking to yourself, 63 00:04:43,319 --> 00:04:46,759 surely I could not. This is not going to end up being, 64 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,079 you know, sixty feet wide, and it can be very hard to live. 65 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,480 I mean, I think people do that even with something not trees like 66 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:57,240 hydranges, big leaf hydrange is it's very common for people to buy a little 67 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,399 cute one gallon Oh it's so adorable that says it's going to be five feet 68 00:05:00,759 --> 00:05:03,120 that's not going to happen, and then they put it right under their dining 69 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,800 room window and next thing, you know, disaster you got it. Or 70 00:05:06,879 --> 00:05:12,480 preparing for weather conditions, whether it be frost or hey, folks, in 71 00:05:12,519 --> 00:05:15,920 some parts of the country, hail netting is a thing. Wow, I 72 00:05:15,959 --> 00:05:19,720 didn't know that. Yeah, where you plant in spring and they frequently would 73 00:05:19,759 --> 00:05:25,519 get hail in spring and then there go all your vegetable plants. Of course, 74 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:30,399 plants. Putting plants in the ground that are a commitment. Sometimes it 75 00:05:30,439 --> 00:05:34,720 becomes a regret, like lily of the Valley, or violets or English ivy 76 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:41,879 or Norway maple is a perfect example. Boy does that tree seed like crazy. 77 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:48,240 It's not a great maple tree. Although I did I think Strativari used 78 00:05:48,399 --> 00:05:54,759 Norway maple on the backs of the Strativarius violins. Still not a good enough 79 00:05:54,759 --> 00:05:57,879 reason to plant, in my opinion. I mean, you know, it 80 00:05:58,519 --> 00:06:01,040 provides shade, but it does literally nothing else. It doesn't really have nice 81 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,000 flowers, it doesn't have good fall color. It's not really like great for 82 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:08,600 pollinators. I agree, it's you can do so much better. I'd add 83 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:12,879 black walnuts to the list, and of course ornamental pairs. And some people 84 00:06:12,879 --> 00:06:16,519 would even argue nasturtiums because once you plant nasturtiums in your garden, well you're 85 00:06:16,519 --> 00:06:24,079 gonna have nasturtiums. Oh that's a problem. I wish I had water sources 86 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:28,000 for your plants. So putting plants in the ground and not paying attention to 87 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,040 a water source. And here's a garden regret that I really like, and 88 00:06:31,079 --> 00:06:35,920 that is planning to use the fruits of your labor. In other words, 89 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:42,519 eyes bigger than your stomach. Your goals are too lofty. And I'm primarily 90 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:48,800 talking about vegetable gardening. When tomatoes and zucchini are in abundance, and august 91 00:06:48,959 --> 00:06:51,639 or cucumbers, and now what do I do with this? You know, 92 00:06:51,759 --> 00:06:57,519 I have a friend who fits that description. To a tea in March. 93 00:06:57,639 --> 00:07:00,240 She was so excited to plant her seedlings, kept saying, can I do 94 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:00,920 it already? Can I do it now? Can I do it now? 95 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,279 And I was like, it would be better if you waited. And you 96 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:08,040 know, she's all excited to get out into the garden and plant everything. 97 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,920 And I know coming up in a couple of weeks here she's going to be 98 00:07:12,439 --> 00:07:17,839 Please take some tomatoes, please, pepper, zucchini anything. That's what I 99 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,399 do. I fill a bag, put it on the neighbor's front porch, 100 00:07:20,519 --> 00:07:28,120 ring the doorbell, and run now. Initial planting as opposed to set it 101 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,480 and forget it. In other words, if you're excited about planting an area, 102 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:35,360 let's say you do some tilling. You may be bringing weed seeds up 103 00:07:35,439 --> 00:07:40,240 to the surface. Or let's talk about quack grass. My word, with 104 00:07:40,399 --> 00:07:45,000 quack grass, you go through there until you're going to be propagating the plant. 105 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,639 Maybe it's horsetail. So making sure to take care of the vegetation that's 106 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:55,480 in that area first and making sure it's taken care of well before you get 107 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,519 in there and plant, because you're going to have regret if you don't. 108 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,920 Yeah, you know, I actually have a mailbag question along those lines. 109 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:03,879 If we have time to get too it should be very interesting, all right, 110 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:11,000 providing protection for susceptible plants as far as deer or rabbit damage is concerned. 111 00:08:11,399 --> 00:08:16,000 Putting off what you can do now and forgetting to do it later. 112 00:08:16,399 --> 00:08:20,279 Uh yeah, I do that a lot, a lot. You know here 113 00:08:20,519 --> 00:08:24,120 in the Midwest or in the north. You know, if you've got a 114 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,920 young tree we were talking about saplings, If you have a young tree and 115 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:33,840 just you know, not putting the wrap on the trunk in October and then 116 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:39,840 having Southwest disease flare up where the bark expands and contracts during the winter, 117 00:08:39,879 --> 00:08:41,279 and then you have the splitting of that bar. It's going to be there 118 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:46,480 for good. It's going to remind you over and over again that you procrastinated 119 00:08:46,799 --> 00:08:50,159 not going to kill the tree. But again, that's one of those things 120 00:08:50,159 --> 00:08:54,879 that belongs in the garden read well. And you know, along those same 121 00:08:54,919 --> 00:08:58,879 lines, a huge regret in my area that sometimes happens and it's heartbreaking to 122 00:08:58,919 --> 00:09:03,279 see, is buck So you know, if you have a young sapling in 123 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,080 fall, the bucks go out there and they try to rub all the velvet 124 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,720 off of their antlers on. They specifically target young trees, so they have 125 00:09:09,799 --> 00:09:13,360 to be like, you know, certain caliber, certain diameter, and boy, 126 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,759 when you see one of those trees, I mean, they absolutely destroy 127 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:18,279 it. And it's just a simple thing. Whereas if you just put like 128 00:09:18,279 --> 00:09:22,720 a little one of those like kind of drainage tiles or something around it, 129 00:09:22,799 --> 00:09:26,559 they can't access it. And that's a odds of preventions worth a pound of 130 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,120 cure in that case. There you go. You know, I want to 131 00:09:28,159 --> 00:09:31,639 add to the garden of regrets to something that I've seen through the years. 132 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:37,360 I have a neighbor across the street. His yard is immaculate. His garage 133 00:09:37,519 --> 00:09:41,759 is so clean you could eat off the floor. I mean, everything is 134 00:09:41,799 --> 00:09:46,679 in place. He was insistent on using stone mulch. I am not a 135 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:52,799 fan of stone mulch, like shredded mulches. I don't think stone mulches are 136 00:09:52,799 --> 00:09:56,279 good for plants. And then you know, you start to have weeds grow 137 00:09:56,399 --> 00:10:00,799 up through it. Whatever it may be. A stone mulch drives me crazy. 138 00:10:00,799 --> 00:10:03,480 I told him not to do it. He did it. Now he's 139 00:10:03,519 --> 00:10:05,919 regretted. Oh well, he better shell out if he's going to want it. 140 00:10:07,039 --> 00:10:09,840 Taken away, because that is not an inexpensive task to ask someone to 141 00:10:11,159 --> 00:10:13,360 rake up all your gravel mulch and haul it away. Yikes. Send us 142 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:18,720 your notes, your emails, your comments, your questions at Gardeningsimplified on air 143 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:24,120 dot com, and well, share with us some of your garden regrets. 144 00:10:24,159 --> 00:10:28,960 We'd love to hear from you. Let's find out what Stacey's going to talk 145 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:33,559 about during Plants on Trial and how she'll tie this into garden regrets that's coming 146 00:10:33,639 --> 00:10:43,559 up next here on the Gardening Simplified Show. Proven Winner's Color Choice Shrubs cares 147 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:48,159 about your success in the garden. That's why we trial and test all of 148 00:10:48,159 --> 00:10:52,159 our shrubs for eight to ten years, making sure they outperform everything else on 149 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,919 the market. Look for them in the distinctive white container at your local garden 150 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:01,919 center. Greeting's gardening friends and come back to the Gardening Simplified Show, where 151 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,639 the topic of the day is regrets. Regrets in the garden, regretting doing 152 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,480 things, regretting not doing things. And you know, if I was thinking, 153 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,759 like, what is my biggest garden regret, and you know, on 154 00:11:13,799 --> 00:11:18,120 a small scale, it would be the time that I when I was first 155 00:11:18,159 --> 00:11:20,320 gardening, and I pruned all my lavender back to the ground in spring, 156 00:11:20,799 --> 00:11:24,480 thinking oh, this looks awful, and I killed on my lavender and that 157 00:11:24,639 --> 00:11:28,240 was a regret. But at the same time, I've never forgotten that lesson, 158 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:33,480 and I have never since pruned lavender incorrectly again. So you know that's 159 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,360 so regret conserve a purpose. But you know, recently, if I have 160 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:43,360 a substantial garden regret, it is not removing my lawn sooner. So you 161 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,879 know, I've talked a little bit. I've talked a little bit this year 162 00:11:45,919 --> 00:11:48,159 here and there about the fact that I did have my lawn removed. They 163 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:52,240 brought out a sidecutter, grated it all out, covered everything in shredded bark 164 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:56,519 mulch for the time being, to buy time. But eventually we'll be, 165 00:11:56,639 --> 00:12:01,200 you know, building a series of beds in different garden rooms and interconnecting them 166 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,240 with paths. And my garden looks so much better without my lawn. Now, 167 00:12:05,399 --> 00:12:07,960 to be fair, my lawn looked ghastly. It was not a nice 168 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:11,639 lawn. So it's not like I took out this beautiful, lush green carpet 169 00:12:11,639 --> 00:12:13,840 and said bye. You know, it was a very sad lawn. And 170 00:12:13,879 --> 00:12:18,200 everything looks just so much better with the mulch. It's a lot easier to 171 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:24,360 care for, and it's just put it kind of reinvigorated my whole garden like 172 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,120 that, you know that said, I also am the kind of person who 173 00:12:28,279 --> 00:12:31,480 you know, wants to think long and hard about the decisions that I make 174 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:33,080 in the garden, and sometuns you're not ready to commit. So I'm not 175 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:37,799 sure I could have committed to it sooner. But now once you've done it, 176 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:39,879 you're kind of like, oh, should have done this years ago. 177 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,799 Well, through the years working with people, I've learned that one of the 178 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:48,519 regrets is fomo fear of missing out and fear of missing out on plant bargains 179 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,240 and that sort of thing. But the other regret that I see often is 180 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:58,559 going with the smaller planter, not getting a big enough pot that you put. 181 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:01,919 That's a big regret. Yeah, for sure. It's kind of like 182 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,879 Julia Child said, you can never really start with too small of a bowl, 183 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,519 Like the same kind of thing. You might regret how much soil you 184 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,679 need to buy to fill it, but you will be glad you have the 185 00:13:13,919 --> 00:13:18,799 larger container in the long run. And you know, similarly, along the 186 00:13:18,879 --> 00:13:22,000 same lines. If we're talking containers, if you see a container that you 187 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:26,440 like at a good price, buy it. You will not see it again. 188 00:13:26,919 --> 00:13:30,840 This is not something you can just go online and shop for and expect 189 00:13:30,879 --> 00:13:33,519 to have. Fine. You know, it's not like they have, you 190 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:37,480 know, model numbers. Necessarily, they're easy to find, so grab it. 191 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:39,519 If you love a container, you deserve it, you should buy it. 192 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:43,000 Buy it. So, yeah, when I was thinking about today's plant 193 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,919 on trial, you know, I again, as usual, lots of directions 194 00:13:48,039 --> 00:13:50,320 that I could go, but I had to pick a plant that I would 195 00:13:50,399 --> 00:13:56,399 say. I consistently hear about the most regret from gardeners. Now they don't 196 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:03,000 regret planting it necessarily, but they were regret the things that they have done. 197 00:14:03,039 --> 00:14:07,480 They regret maybe where they planted it, and they almost certainly regret pruning 198 00:14:07,519 --> 00:14:11,240 it. And that plant is hydrange Of macrophilla, the good old big leaf 199 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:16,600 hydrangea. If I had a dime for every time I heard that, yes, 200 00:14:16,799 --> 00:14:20,039 I'd be a rich man. And even people have such good intentions when 201 00:14:20,039 --> 00:14:24,080 they go into planting hydrange of macphilla or a big leaf hydrangea. They love 202 00:14:24,159 --> 00:14:26,879 them. They're just like such the epitome of summer, and they have these 203 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,919 dreams of big blousy blue orbs in the garden and they're psyched and they're excited. 204 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:35,600 But then they go to the garden center and you know, as I 205 00:14:35,639 --> 00:14:39,519 was explaining, they might get this cute little one gallon and look at the 206 00:14:39,519 --> 00:14:41,759 tag and say, h five feet wide. Surely, I don't need to 207 00:14:41,759 --> 00:14:46,000 plant this appropriately. It's never going to get that big. But it does 208 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,799 so very often people plant them improperly, absolutely, and don't call me surely, 209 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:56,279 especially the older variety. So newer varieties tend to be much much more 210 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:00,440 compact, but older varieties, if you're looking for any of the like old 211 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,399 antique varieties and Nico blue, all of those, I mean, those can 212 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,120 easily if they have abundant water and good growing conditions, they can reach six 213 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:11,519 feet tall or more, and that obviously can cause a sighting problem. And 214 00:15:11,559 --> 00:15:13,720 then, of course, the other regret with big leaf hydrangels is pruning, 215 00:15:15,399 --> 00:15:20,759 because you know, for all of their great qualities, when winter rolls around 216 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,759 and a big leaf hydrangel loses its leaves, it just looks like it should 217 00:15:24,759 --> 00:15:28,440 be cut back. There is just no denying it. It's like a cosmic 218 00:15:28,559 --> 00:15:31,679 joke or something. They look so they just look dead and they look like 219 00:15:31,679 --> 00:15:35,679 they should be cut back. But if you fall for that trick and you 220 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,639 cut your hydrangel back in fall or winter or early spring, well you've cut 221 00:15:39,679 --> 00:15:43,080 off all the flower buds that it was already made for that summer. So 222 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,440 you regret printing it now. Hopefully most people do learn that lesson, but 223 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,799 a lot of times what happens is maybe the person who planted it learned their 224 00:15:50,879 --> 00:15:56,200 lesson, but there's always a well intentioned child home from college or landscaper or 225 00:15:56,399 --> 00:16:02,320 spouse or whatever that comes along and cuts of back between couples. I can't 226 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:07,000 candy coat this. It is. Yeah, nothing makes me shake more than 227 00:16:07,039 --> 00:16:10,840 getting a note from someone that says, please set on an argument between my 228 00:16:10,919 --> 00:16:15,600 spouse and all the time, no, please don't bring me into it. 229 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,720 And then, of course, the third potential regret with planting a big leaf 230 00:16:18,759 --> 00:16:22,399 hydrangea is planting a big leaf hydrangea that was developed primarily for the way it 231 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,720 looks and not the way it performs. And you know, here at proven 232 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:33,200 Mainter's color choice, we have really been laser focused on hydrangea performance. You 233 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,320 know, to us I think the pretty is a given. You could walk 234 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,200 around in our hydrange trials and I don't think that there are There might be 235 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,799 some that maybe aren't to someone's taste, but they're all pretty because they all 236 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,840 have these great qualities that people like, the glossy foliage, those big blousy 237 00:16:47,879 --> 00:16:52,320 flowers, bright colors. But we don't just look and say, hey, 238 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:56,960 that's a pretty hydrangel, let's introduce it. We're really focused on improving performance 239 00:16:56,039 --> 00:17:00,120 because we know how much regrets that people have when it comes to planting big 240 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:06,200 leaf hydranges. So what we and what we've done with recent introductions to our 241 00:17:06,319 --> 00:17:11,720 Let's Dance series in today's plant on Trial is Let's Dance Ariba hydrorangea. What 242 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:17,519 we've done with this series as we have pinpointed two main features that we are 243 00:17:17,559 --> 00:17:22,519 specifically selecting plants for that make a big difference in how it performs. The 244 00:17:22,519 --> 00:17:26,480 first one is we're looking for big leaf hydrangels that set their flower buds along 245 00:17:26,519 --> 00:17:30,519 the entire length of their stem. So before older varieties of big leaf Hyderrangea 246 00:17:30,599 --> 00:17:34,240 they only set them at the top bud, and these older one or these 247 00:17:34,279 --> 00:17:37,680 newer ones that we're looking at they set them along the entire length of the 248 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,880 stem. So what that means is, in those old varieties, if they 249 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,559 lost that top bud, there go your flowers. You've got nothing for the 250 00:17:44,559 --> 00:17:48,279 following summer with these. If they accidentally get cut back, which they should 251 00:17:48,279 --> 00:17:51,920 not, but if they do, they'll still flower. If they get killed 252 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,119 back by winter killed, they'll still flower. If they get browsed by deer, 253 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,599 they still have flower buds lower down on the plant to bloom on old 254 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,880 wood. And then because a reblooming Hydrangea also blooms on new wood, we've 255 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,440 focused on the amount of time it takes these plants to develop those new wood 256 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,960 blooms, and we're trying to get that down to a smaller time period now. 257 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:18,400 Typically older reblooming hydrangeas need to create six sets of leaves before they can 258 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,240 set a new wood flower, and that it takes a long time, especially 259 00:18:21,279 --> 00:18:23,559 in a cooler climate like ours. So we're trying to get that down. 260 00:18:23,839 --> 00:18:26,519 Does it can it set fewer? Does it? Can it set it with 261 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:33,160 shorter internodes so it doesn't have to make as much growth as those older varieties. 262 00:18:33,559 --> 00:18:37,240 So are recent introductions into the Let's Dance series Let's Dance, Skyview and 263 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:41,720 Let'stance can do exhibit this characteristic, but those have already been plants on trial. 264 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,559 So I'm going with a third one that has these amazing characteristics, and 265 00:18:45,559 --> 00:18:51,319 that is a Let's Dance arriba big leaf hydrangea rebloom big leaf Hydrangea. You 266 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:56,200 know, genetics and development and all the work that is put into this. 267 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,359 It's amazing to me st it is, and you know, it's taken us 268 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,480 so many years to not just be able to identify that some hydroranges have this 269 00:19:03,519 --> 00:19:10,519 feature and what a difference it makes, but to gradually transition our breeding material 270 00:19:10,519 --> 00:19:14,559 that we're using to create these plants two plants that have that, primarily so 271 00:19:14,599 --> 00:19:18,160 that more of our offspring will have that, and then we keep developing that 272 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:23,000 to be a better and better and more prominent trait among the plants. So 273 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,000 you know, all of the plants, the three Let's Stance that have this 274 00:19:27,039 --> 00:19:30,319 trait are all hardy to USDA Zone four. And it's not just that they 275 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,960 will live in USDA Zone four. All three of these will bloom in USDA 276 00:19:34,079 --> 00:19:38,519 Zone four, which is a huge change compared to older ones. But what's 277 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,880 different about Let's Dance a Reba than the other two, and we'll link to 278 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:45,839 all of them of course in the show notes at gardening simplified on air dot 279 00:19:45,839 --> 00:19:48,759 Com. Is the color. So, you know, a lot of people 280 00:19:48,799 --> 00:19:52,160 when it comes to hydrange of color, they have some awareness that the soil 281 00:19:52,279 --> 00:19:56,640 needs to be acidic, and maybe they also know that it needs to contain 282 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,640 aluminum for a hydrange it to be blue or purple. But that's not all 283 00:20:00,759 --> 00:20:07,599 of the equation. A hydrangeous flower color is primarily determined by the genetics of 284 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:11,920 the planet itself, by the inherent ability of the plant to be a certain 285 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:15,279 color. And Let's Dance Ariba is one of those that just has that bright, 286 00:20:17,079 --> 00:20:19,480 bold gene. And so when you see Let's Dance Ariba in the garden, 287 00:20:19,519 --> 00:20:23,640 it's just like a beacon. It has just like a deep raspberry red 288 00:20:23,839 --> 00:20:29,200 color. If you are in alkaline soil or soil without aluminium, and if 289 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,480 you are in soil with aluminum and or acidic soil, you're going to get 290 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,400 a purple you know. That's I've noticed that in the garden center, Stacey. 291 00:20:37,519 --> 00:20:41,640 Of course I help out in a garden center or when I'm out on 292 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,640 the road. If I run across a garden center. I can't help it. 293 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,240 The carriages veers in there and I walk around, but I'm amazed at 294 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:52,880 how ariba looks in the pot. Oh yeah, I mean it's a beautiful 295 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,039 plant. It really is. It's one of those plants that if you see 296 00:20:55,039 --> 00:20:57,039 it, you just have to have it. You will not regret buying it 297 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:02,440 either, because it will actually perform for you. Now, a lot of 298 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,400 people mistakenly think that that purple color develops if you're just right in between acidic 299 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,279 and alkalini. That's not true. Purple is actually a genetic trait, and 300 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:12,960 let's dance. Ariba is one of those that if you like a purple rather 301 00:21:14,039 --> 00:21:17,039 than a blue, it's a great plant. Now I could go on and 302 00:21:17,079 --> 00:21:21,279 on talking about hydrangees. I'd love talking about hydrange's. It's hydrange of season, 303 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,319 but we almost have to take a break again. This is let's stance. 304 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:29,480 Ariba hydrange hardy to USDA zone for two to three feet tall and wide, 305 00:21:29,839 --> 00:21:32,720 So you don't need to worry about it overgrowing your dining room windows and 306 00:21:32,759 --> 00:21:36,839 regretting where you placed it. So if you've been disappointed by hydrangees, if 307 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,759 you have hydrange of Regrets. I hope that you will try Let's Dance Ariba, 308 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:42,680 Let's Dance Skyview, or Let's Dance can Do. They all have these 309 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:48,839 great features that we hope will end hydrange of Regret for good. We're gonna 310 00:21:48,839 --> 00:21:49,880 take a little break. When we come back, we're opening up the garden 311 00:21:49,880 --> 00:22:00,920 mail bag, so please stay tuned. At proven Winner's color Choice, We've 312 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,960 got a shrub for every taste and every space. Whether you're looking for an 313 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:08,480 easycare rose, an unforgettable Hydrangea, or something new and unique, you can 314 00:22:08,519 --> 00:22:12,160 be confident that the shrubs and the white containers have been trialed and tested for 315 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:19,680 your success. Look for them at your local garden center. Greeting's gardening friends, 316 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,079 and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show, where it's time for us 317 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,599 to answer your gardening questions. If you have a gardening question for us to 318 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,440 answer, you can reach us at help HLP at Gardening Simplified on Air dot 319 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,400 com, or just visit Gardening Simplified on Air dot com. We got a 320 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:37,519 contact form there. We make it real easy. You can even attach a 321 00:22:37,559 --> 00:22:41,599 photo and you know. The order of the day is garden Regrets. And 322 00:22:41,079 --> 00:22:45,680 I heard from Patty, who definitely does not have any regrets. She sent 323 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:51,480 a photo of a beautiful combination of proven winner's annuals that she created, and 324 00:22:51,559 --> 00:22:53,599 she just said, just wanted to say, this combination of blew my mind 325 00:22:53,599 --> 00:23:00,480 of Volvulus white lantana in whirlwind Scavola purple is one of my absolutely favorites and 326 00:23:00,519 --> 00:23:03,920 it is a great combination. Well, I looked at the photo. Gorgeous 327 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:08,119 and for folks who are watching on YouTube, but you can see a picture 328 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,240 of Patty's plant, are there? That is fabulous. Yeah, you know, 329 00:23:11,319 --> 00:23:15,359 I wouldn't have thought to put the blue and purple together, but it 330 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,240 really works. And I love blew my mind of Olvulus. I think it's 331 00:23:18,279 --> 00:23:23,039 a neat plant, but I have regretted planting it before because I'll tell you 332 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,920 why. Okay, a reason that it's a great plan. I do like 333 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:33,519 it, but the flowers close really early in the afternoon, So as a 334 00:23:33,559 --> 00:23:37,519 person with a full time job, I regret having a plant that I can 335 00:23:37,559 --> 00:23:42,599 only enjoy two days and the buds close up. So a great plant, 336 00:23:42,599 --> 00:23:48,319 but definitely one for those who can enjoy it during the day when the flowers 337 00:23:48,319 --> 00:23:51,119 are open. So please do visit Gardening Simplified on air dot com and check 338 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:56,200 out Patty's Amazing planter. We had a question from North. Yeah, North 339 00:23:56,319 --> 00:23:59,880 says, as you probably know, it's hot and dry out here in den 340 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,079 Some of our tomato plants are curling on the ends of the leaves. Now 341 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:07,880 the curling is progressing and even bunching up. According to Google, that is 342 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:12,480 probably from heat stress and lack of water. At first, I thought it 343 00:24:12,519 --> 00:24:17,480 looked like aphid, so I sprayed, but it's still curling. On Google 344 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:22,200 I found heat stress and possibly fungus, so I sprayed for that. Now 345 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,839 I'm wondering if something else is going on. Do you have some thoughts? 346 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:30,079 And as a matter of fact, what I did with this one, Stacey 347 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:34,240 was I reached out to North because I wanted to know more details. Was 348 00:24:34,279 --> 00:24:38,400 he planting in a container or was he planting in the ground. Well, 349 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:45,119 he was planting in the ground. I think the issue here is more physiological. 350 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,480 In other words, the soil, the heat, the heat stress, 351 00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:53,480 how dry it is there in Denver, and the plant is showing the effects 352 00:24:53,519 --> 00:24:56,680 of that. As a matter of fact, I mentioned to North that when 353 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:02,400 in the future, when he plants the tomato to deep plant them along the 354 00:25:02,519 --> 00:25:07,240 stem, giving a larger root mass so that when it gets hot and dry, 355 00:25:07,559 --> 00:25:11,000 it's easier to care for tomato plants. Also, he's feeding with a 356 00:25:11,039 --> 00:25:17,599 water soluble fertilizer, and I'm just not a big fan of water soluble fertilizers 357 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:25,240 with tomatoes because they're here today gone tomato, but rather dry feeds like the 358 00:25:25,279 --> 00:25:30,480 Aspoma tomato tone, which have micronutrients in them as well as the macro nutrients. 359 00:25:30,559 --> 00:25:33,839 So that's kind of my feeling on North's dilemma, right, you know, 360 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,960 I think people do when they see curling leaves, they kind of freak 361 00:25:37,039 --> 00:25:40,119 out and they're like, oh, something's wrong. It's got a disease, 362 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:44,039 it's got a pest. But especially you know, I would say nine times 363 00:25:44,039 --> 00:25:47,400 out of ten, it's almost certainly a cultural issue. It's something about where 364 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:51,680 and how the plant is growing. And anytime you see a plant leaf curling 365 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,759 and there's not an obvious sign of an insect like in the hydrange of leaf 366 00:25:55,799 --> 00:26:00,680 tire or something like that, what's typically happening is that the plant is trying 367 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,640 to reduce the amount of leaf surface that's exposed to the sun, and by 368 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,960 curling that leaf inward. Not only is it reducing the amount of leaf surface 369 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:11,680 it's exposed to the sun, but it's hiding the stomata on the underside of 370 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,799 the leafs, so it's transpiring less or losing less water. Now of course, 371 00:26:14,799 --> 00:26:18,359 in Denver, mile high city, very high altitude, so that sun 372 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,480 is much much more intense. Now. You know, North may not have 373 00:26:21,759 --> 00:26:23,720 been growing tomatoes for years and has only seen this for the first time. 374 00:26:23,759 --> 00:26:27,880 It could be variety dependent, It could be due to you know, just 375 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,920 where it was and making the transition from the greenhouse to you know where it's 376 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:36,359 planted now in your yard. There's a lot of reasons. But I would 377 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,279 say as long as the growth is healthy, you know, it's continuing to 378 00:26:38,279 --> 00:26:41,400 put out a lot of new growth and flowering and fruiting, well I would 379 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,200 just chalk this up to a cultural condition and not really worry about it. 380 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,359 Yeah, you make a great point, Staceye. You know a plant that 381 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:52,759 I think of is weeping fig the house plant, and how that mid rib 382 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,680 down the center of the foliage is so dominant when the plant is shipped out 383 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,599 of Florida because it gets hot and sunny in Florida, and that foliage can 384 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:06,079 fold on itself. We bring it up north into homes in Minnesota or Michigan, 385 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:10,920 and they're getting not much light. That mid rib almost goes away. 386 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:15,960 So a plant's ability to curl or fold on itself due to heat is certainly 387 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:21,839 a factor. Tricksye writes to us, please help. This is a three 388 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:26,119 year old summerrific French vanilla. Oh love, you know I love my summer. 389 00:27:26,759 --> 00:27:30,000 You're asking the right person. I thought it was dead. I mean 390 00:27:30,079 --> 00:27:33,519 I had lost all hope. I'm in south central Texas. That's hot. 391 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,039 The first year it flowered but didn't grow much. The second year it grew 392 00:27:37,079 --> 00:27:40,799 some and flowered a lot, but at the end of the season it seemed 393 00:27:40,799 --> 00:27:45,680 like it was struggling. She's given it to her best efforts. But summer 394 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:51,200 arrives in mid April, and by May one, everybody is usually awake and 395 00:27:51,279 --> 00:27:55,720 growing in her garden. But to check this baby, maybe three weeks ago, 396 00:27:55,880 --> 00:28:00,799 no signs of life. Yesterday I saw her looking sickly but growing. 397 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:06,000 Basically, tricks He wants to know what do I do with this summerrific French 398 00:28:06,079 --> 00:28:07,519 vanilla. Right, So it's kind of a crazy situation. I had to 399 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,119 do a double take on the date that Trixy sent this, because you know 400 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:15,160 we've talked about it before that the summer pic hibiscus are one of the last, 401 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,119 if not the last perennial to start to show signs of life in spring, 402 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,279 but in Texas, for it to not show any signs of life until 403 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:26,960 late June is wild. That's why that is totally out of character for this 404 00:28:27,039 --> 00:28:30,960 plant. And you know what exactly is happening, I don't know. I 405 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:36,960 actually didn't think that the growth looked all that unhealthy. It definitely looks like 406 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,480 it's trying. And hibiscus have really nice, big kind of tuborist routes, 407 00:28:40,519 --> 00:28:42,720 so they can store a lot of energy in those that they can use to 408 00:28:42,759 --> 00:28:47,960 try to emerge again. So at Trixy, I don't know. You know, 409 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,480 these are water loving plants. I can get away with them being fairly 410 00:28:51,519 --> 00:28:55,880 dry here in Michigan because our summers aren't nearly as hot as they are there. 411 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:57,440 So I don't know if this is an issue of the plant simply needing 412 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,920 more water, very well could be. So what I would recommend that you 413 00:29:03,039 --> 00:29:06,000 do is I would recommend you fertilize it so you can just use, you 414 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,240 know, whatever you have like a you know, a spoma garden tone or 415 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:14,240 anything like that would be fine. I would fertilize it for the next I 416 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:18,519 would fertilize it now and then maybe twice more over the season, and water 417 00:29:18,599 --> 00:29:21,559 that in well and keep an eye on the watering. And I hope I 418 00:29:21,599 --> 00:29:25,400 think that what should happen is that should build it back up so that it's 419 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:30,160 more you know, happy. Overall, they're pretty pest free plants, so 420 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,559 I think this is again more like a lot of what North was dealing with, 421 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:37,240 just a cultural issue. Yeah, they like lots of sunshine and that 422 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:41,000 moist, well drained soil. You're right, they are water users, no 423 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:44,279 question. Oh And she also asks how do I get rid of this evil 424 00:29:44,319 --> 00:29:48,680 bermuda grass, which I thought was a good subject to address quickly here on 425 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:52,960 our Regrets show, because a lot of people who have planted bermuda grass have 426 00:29:52,039 --> 00:29:56,039 gone on to regret it. It's not really a warm climate grass. It's 427 00:29:56,039 --> 00:30:00,079 definitely more of a cool up. It is a warm climate grass, and 428 00:30:00,039 --> 00:30:03,920 I spoke it's not really a cool climate grass, but it grows really really 429 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:07,079 tight to the ground and it puts out these little runners that is nearly impossible 430 00:30:07,319 --> 00:30:11,839 to manage once it's established. But interestingly, if this is a possibility for 431 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,440 you, Trixy, here is an interesting way to manage it. Research has 432 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:19,160 shown that if you interplant it with tall fescue, so this fall, go 433 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:25,880 ahead and plant tall fescue grass seed along with it, just overseaed it and 434 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:30,000 you mow it for a year at four inches tall, that the bermuda grass 435 00:30:30,039 --> 00:30:33,720 hates shade so much that the four inch fscue will actually shade it out and 436 00:30:33,799 --> 00:30:37,319 completely get rid of the bermuda grass. It's a great idea, and tall 437 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:45,000 fescue is drought tolerant and it is traffic tolerant, and it's that solution is 438 00:30:45,119 --> 00:30:51,039 very similar to simply raising the deck on your mower and giving grass a competitive 439 00:30:51,119 --> 00:30:53,440 edge against weeds. So you know, if there's other places that's going into 440 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:57,920 your beds or whatever, try using shade as a technique because it cannot live 441 00:30:59,759 --> 00:31:03,640 with full sun. And apparently that is an effective way to manage it, 442 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:08,519 much more so than herbicides. Fantastic and Stacey Lindsay writes to us, We've 443 00:31:08,559 --> 00:31:15,200 got fourteen very well established, incredible hydranges flanking the front of the home and 444 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:18,240 they love them. The neighbors love them, but they're struggling with bindweed. 445 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:22,440 Yes, And oh my gosh, for Lindsay sent this photo. I opened 446 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:26,599 it and I just gasped. Her hydrangees are so beautiful and so beautifully sighted 447 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:30,720 in front of her house. But yeah, bind weed oof a terrible weed, 448 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:36,480 extremely aggressive. And she goes on to say that she had bindweed really 449 00:31:36,559 --> 00:31:40,319 well established in a perennial bed and she just dug up all the perennials and 450 00:31:40,359 --> 00:31:42,799 spent a couple of days rigorously going through the soil and taking out all of 451 00:31:42,799 --> 00:31:47,279 the bind weed roots. Not a fun job, but she said that that 452 00:31:47,359 --> 00:31:48,640 did work, and she's wondering if she could do it for the hydranges. 453 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:52,240 And I would say absolutely, Lindsay, In fact, that would be my 454 00:31:52,279 --> 00:31:55,960 specific recommendation. Since bind weed is evine, it's growing all up through the 455 00:31:56,039 --> 00:31:59,359 hydranges, she can't use an herbicide, even if she's willing to, because 456 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,640 there's no way to just spray the bind weed without getting it on the hydranges 457 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,759 as well. So yeah, I think that digging up the hydrangs and spending 458 00:32:07,799 --> 00:32:13,519 time to just completely rid that bed of the bind weed is the best solution 459 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,839 I have used a solution like that similarly myself. But what I would recommend 460 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:21,759 is that you wait until late winter early spring to do this, and you 461 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,240 do it when the hydranges are dormant, and be thorough in getting the roots 462 00:32:25,279 --> 00:32:31,240 out because bind weed is so aggressive and truly has an extensive roots yea a 463 00:32:31,319 --> 00:32:35,559 very very extensive roots system. And so it sounds like she's got experience with 464 00:32:35,599 --> 00:32:37,160 it, she says, you know, she recognizes the roots are very distinctive 465 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,039 and easy to identify, which is a good thing. So yeah, what 466 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:45,160 I would say is definitely look for early spring. And the nice thing about 467 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,119 doing big jobs like this in early spring is you're really itching to get out 468 00:32:47,119 --> 00:32:51,680 in the garden. You have an energy that you might not have come late 469 00:32:51,759 --> 00:32:55,200 July, and so it can be a very satisfying job after a long winter. 470 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:57,960 But Lindsay, I would say, by all means, go ahead and 471 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,880 do it. I don't think that the hydrangees will be any worse for this 472 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:05,400 project by digging them and replanting them. It's a tough plant and they will 473 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,119 be just fine. If you have a question for us, you can reach 474 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,279 us at Gardeningsimplified on air dot com. We're going to take a little break 475 00:33:10,279 --> 00:33:14,039 and when we come back, we've got Rick Weis to the other Rickwist, 476 00:33:14,119 --> 00:33:22,720 so please stay tuned. The Gardening Simplified Show is brought to you by Proven 477 00:33:22,759 --> 00:33:28,880 Winners Color Choice Shrubs. Our award winning flowering shrubs in evergreens have been trialed 478 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,799 and tested for your success so you enjoy more beauty and less work. Look 479 00:33:32,799 --> 00:33:37,039 for Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs in the distinctive white container at your local garden 480 00:33:37,079 --> 00:33:45,359 center. Welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. It's time for branching news 481 00:33:45,559 --> 00:33:50,599 and stacy. A few weeks ago, we had a listener send us a 482 00:33:50,759 --> 00:33:57,599 picture of a tree that was thinning and dying at the top. And we've 483 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,079 seen these pictures before and seen that happen out in the landscape, and you 484 00:34:01,119 --> 00:34:04,839 know, we were wondering, boy, when a tree reaches that point, 485 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:09,800 is there anything that you can do at that point? And what we decided 486 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:15,440 to do was to bring in an expert and arborist, and so we thought 487 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:20,960 we'd bring in Rick Weist. Not this Rick Weist, my son, Rick 488 00:34:21,039 --> 00:34:24,760 Weist. Rick is an arborist with Good Earth Tree Care and as a matter 489 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:30,360 of fact, Rick had shared with me some video that they shot while they 490 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:36,760 were using an air spade and working on the roots of a tree that they 491 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:38,559 were trying to save. Rick, it's great to have you here on the 492 00:34:38,559 --> 00:34:42,199 Gardening simplified, Joe, good to be here. Thanks for having me. 493 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:45,079 Yeah, thanks so much so. For folks who are watching the program on 494 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:50,000 YouTube, you'll be able to see this video that Rick provided. But Rick, 495 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:52,880 tell us a little bit about this tree that you were called on to 496 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:59,280 try to save due to girdling roots and problems with the roots at the base 497 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:05,039 of the tree. A short answer to that are A quick thought on that 498 00:35:05,159 --> 00:35:07,360 is that really there's two different issues, and we did a root collar excavation 499 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:12,920 and we found only a few larger girdling roots that we actually did not cut 500 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:17,440 off. Okay, but exposing that part of a tree. Every tree has 501 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:21,519 a dotted line and an imaginary line made to be above ground, made to 502 00:35:21,559 --> 00:35:23,639 be below ground, and then there's a transition period called the buttress roots, 503 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:30,880 and we want the roots to be exposed to oxygen, sure not under soil. 504 00:35:30,039 --> 00:35:36,079 So if a different tree has really bad girdling roots and the top of 505 00:35:36,159 --> 00:35:39,599 the tree is dying like you talked about that is something that just today and 506 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:44,679 yesterday I had the conversation with someone about where it's not on their radar. 507 00:35:45,119 --> 00:35:47,079 Most people don't stare at the top of the tree. Their eyes gravitate low. 508 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:51,320 But the first thing I do is look at the base of the tree 509 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:52,559 and then the top of the tree. Those are the two most important parts 510 00:35:52,599 --> 00:35:57,159 of me. And if the top is dying, that's definitely a sign of 511 00:35:57,239 --> 00:36:01,400 girdling roots. And if a tree small enough, you can do surgery, 512 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:07,639 probably over multiple years and remove the girdling roots. But often by the time 513 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:10,599 I get a call, if a normal person, a homeowner, non arborist, 514 00:36:12,039 --> 00:36:16,719 notices that it doesn't look so good, you're probably too yeah. Probably. 515 00:36:17,519 --> 00:36:22,119 So how long after a tree is planted can it start showing these signs? 516 00:36:22,119 --> 00:36:24,440 I mean, is it? Is it? You know? Five years? 517 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:28,559 Is it fifteen years? Does it vary by the species or in the 518 00:36:28,639 --> 00:36:32,280 growing environment? Definitely varies by species. There's a particular species around here that 519 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:38,159 it's incredibly common, not in the woods, only in urban areas where humans 520 00:36:38,199 --> 00:36:44,760 are planting the trees. Nature does a good job maples, ok. And 521 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:47,559 most of them are also hybrid natives, and some of those are invasive. 522 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:52,559 So, but that's like the most common problem that I see with maple trees 523 00:36:52,639 --> 00:36:58,039 is girdling roots. And most humans don't realize that there's a place that they're 524 00:36:58,039 --> 00:37:01,280 supposed to put it at ground level. They just throw it in the ground. 525 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:05,360 And sometimes I'm in a backyard and I say, oh, somebody got 526 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:07,360 lucky, you know, forty years ago. That tree. It's definitely planted 527 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:14,199 by a human, but it's gotten good root flare. So so root flair. 528 00:37:14,639 --> 00:37:17,079 Describe root flair to us? What is it you look for? Well, 529 00:37:17,159 --> 00:37:21,159 I'll often point out to someone, even from a distance, when we're 530 00:37:21,199 --> 00:37:23,320 looking at a tree. I'll say, you, notice how that tree is 531 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:27,400 a cylinder going into the ground, you know. And then I'll look around 532 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,039 and point out probably a tree in a woodline that's not planted by a human. 533 00:37:30,199 --> 00:37:35,239 See how that flares out, the trunk flares out before it goes into 534 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:37,159 the ground. Those are the buttress roots. That's great, that's what we 535 00:37:37,199 --> 00:37:40,440 want to see, your cylinder. It's not what I want to see. 536 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:45,480 Sure, So, you know, kind of going back to what you talked 537 00:37:45,519 --> 00:37:51,079 about with how long does it take for them? That's a big issue because 538 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:53,679 again, people don't make the phone call. If I can hop in the 539 00:37:53,679 --> 00:37:57,280 dolore in and go back in time, I can fix it for you. 540 00:37:58,079 --> 00:38:01,960 But I can't, so it's over, you know. And so there's people 541 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:06,800 where if I've gained their trust and I say, give me two hundred dollars 542 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,920 and I'll fix that seven hundred and fifty dollars planting that those people, you 543 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:14,119 know, the landscapers did for you. I'm not trying to dog them, 544 00:38:14,119 --> 00:38:19,079 but it's wrong. Yeah, sure, and it was probably the damage was 545 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:22,159 the damage is usually done by the growers, wholesalers, the guys that have 546 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:25,880 the assembly line. That's where it starts. And then that tree gets repotted 547 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:30,119 multiple times and then planted in the ground by a human. Again, so 548 00:38:30,199 --> 00:38:36,679 tell us about air spading. So this particular project was more of a root 549 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:39,159 collar excavation, expose it, and then we mixed in. We use the 550 00:38:39,199 --> 00:38:43,280 air spade sort of like a rototiller is the way you could think of it, 551 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:49,199 where we rototill the soil, we add compost, nice rich black dirt 552 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,280 and then do it again and mix it in. And then after that I 553 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:59,639 recommend watering like soaking with a sprinkler, and then go back and cover it 554 00:38:59,679 --> 00:39:02,440 with we use organic leaf mulch, because that will just turn into yet more 555 00:39:02,519 --> 00:39:07,280 compost like a woodland floor. Generally speaking, I try to mimic what the 556 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:10,400 woods is like. Sure, sure, And in this case, this was 557 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:16,039 a tree near a church and it's a gorgeous tree, and they just they 558 00:39:16,119 --> 00:39:22,119 wanted to make sure. I guess I shouldn't use this phrase, but I 559 00:39:22,159 --> 00:39:24,119 will. They were going to move heaven and earth to try and save this 560 00:39:24,199 --> 00:39:28,440 tree. Right. Well, and that's not really true because this is a 561 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:31,679 wind for us because I took the initial well Mary took the call, put 562 00:39:31,679 --> 00:39:37,880 it on my schedule quote to remove tree, and it's church. The priest 563 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:40,360 isn't out there. I'm looking at it, but I'm thinking this is gorgeous. 564 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:45,280 And I had an idea of when the structure had been built and I 565 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:47,079 was seeing extra you know, where they regraded, and I could tell that 566 00:39:47,119 --> 00:39:52,000 the trunk was buried. So our client of ours had recommended us to the 567 00:39:52,039 --> 00:39:59,559 priest after he had gotten multiple estimates to remove the tree, and Brett and 568 00:39:59,559 --> 00:40:02,679 I, the of our company, approached them with a different option. How 569 00:40:02,679 --> 00:40:06,440 do you feel about puning it away from the stained glass so that it doesn't 570 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:08,199 break the stained glass and we'll make the tree healthier and reduce the risk of 571 00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:12,800 it breaking. Sure, it's a big, gorgeous tree that everybody sees off 572 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:17,920 the highway when you're heading east Oute of Grand Rapids. So they went with 573 00:40:19,039 --> 00:40:22,199 us. So that was a win, not only you know, even just 574 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,440 saving the tree, not that we got the job. We get a lot 575 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:29,519 of jobs. We don't get a lot of jobs, but this was a 576 00:40:29,559 --> 00:40:31,480 good one for us, where you know, you feel it's gratifying when you're 577 00:40:31,519 --> 00:40:34,880 finished, like, all right, we saved you, we made you better. 578 00:40:35,159 --> 00:40:37,360 Yeah, you know, I think a lot of people assume that, 579 00:40:37,480 --> 00:40:42,760 you know, an arborist is like the stereotypical to a guy with a hammer. 580 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:45,480 Everything looks like a nail that they are there in the business of just 581 00:40:45,559 --> 00:40:47,000 like take it out, take it out, you know, grind it up. 582 00:40:47,079 --> 00:40:51,239 And I think that a lot of people don't realize that arborists, you 583 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:54,039 know, are not so much fond of their chippers as they are actually being 584 00:40:54,079 --> 00:40:58,599 able to save a tree. Some of us just think differently. You know, 585 00:40:58,639 --> 00:41:00,440 I've seen guys that write tree kill are on their gloves, like come 586 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:06,519 on, man, yeah, I mean just yesterday, there's a guy who 587 00:41:06,639 --> 00:41:09,400 had three estimates all ready to remove two giant spruce trees. It was probably 588 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:13,960 going to be four or five thousand dollars. The first thing I responded after 589 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:15,960 he talked me with was these are no oi spruce. Blah blah blah. 590 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:19,840 Gave him the rundown of what they are. They're healthy, no disease, 591 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:22,719 good root flair. You know, I would just prune them away from the 592 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:24,320 house, take ten to twelve branches off. And he's like, nobody else 593 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:27,320 even brought that up. He's like, I didn't know you could do that. 594 00:41:28,679 --> 00:41:30,679 Yeah, yeah, exactly. So I sent him the estimate and thought, 595 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:32,920 all right, I'm I got a feeling I might have just won that 596 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:37,960 one as well. So, yeah, saving trees instead of taking them out. 597 00:41:37,119 --> 00:41:40,599 How often do you see tree planting regret? In other words, you 598 00:41:40,599 --> 00:41:45,760 go out on a job and someone years ago planted it too close to a 599 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:50,840 structure. How often do you see that? Almost every day looking at something, 600 00:41:51,039 --> 00:41:53,400 I say that was probably cute when they put it in, but they 601 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:59,000 don't realize that it's going to be a giant ye. And I'll often point 602 00:41:59,039 --> 00:42:02,719 out invasive trees or trees you don't want growing out of your foundation, and 603 00:42:02,719 --> 00:42:07,239 then I'll look around and say, that's mommy right there, like you don't 604 00:42:07,239 --> 00:42:10,599 want that growing out of your foundation. So and that's nature, but that 605 00:42:10,599 --> 00:42:14,599 would be a regret of not pulling that when it was small. Yeah, 606 00:42:14,679 --> 00:42:17,199 exactly. Now, I'm sure as an arborist also you look at the whole 607 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:22,360 issue of monocultures versus diversity. Of course, we experience that here in the 608 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:28,960 Midwest a few years ago with emerald ash boar trees that are streets rather that 609 00:42:29,039 --> 00:42:32,880 are aligned with nothing but ash trees. Emerald dashboar comes along, it becomes 610 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:37,760 a serious, serious problem. I'm sure you experienced that also, where in 611 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:43,800 some areas a lack of diversity creates a problem in and of itself and creates 612 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:47,960 regret. Yeah, definitely, definitely, and that goes for any species. 613 00:42:49,199 --> 00:42:54,000 Yeah, as you know, many diseases insects their host specific I often bring 614 00:42:54,039 --> 00:42:59,079 up emerald dashboard because everyone's so familiar with it around here, you know, 615 00:42:59,119 --> 00:43:02,719 and say they didn't any other trees, only the ash. Not all diseases 616 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:07,599 are like that, but a lot are. So diversity is big, and 617 00:43:07,639 --> 00:43:12,239 of course we're dealing with invasive pests. Also, for those watching on YouTube, 618 00:43:13,039 --> 00:43:16,039 here's a picture of a couple of hemlocks which I love in my backyard, 619 00:43:16,079 --> 00:43:22,800 but I'm losing them due to woolly adelged. Adelgid was a problem that 620 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:28,559 came into the US years and years ago. But Rick has these invasive insects 621 00:43:28,679 --> 00:43:35,400 or pests or diseases come along, they travel, and that's unfortant. We're 622 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:38,960 able to anticipate the problem, and yet there it is on your doorstep. 623 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:45,239 Yep. And then finances is what I think. You know, taxes aren't 624 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:49,320 going to take care of that insects and stop it in its tracks. And 625 00:43:50,519 --> 00:43:53,159 one tenth of people are going to pay money to try and save that tree. 626 00:43:53,679 --> 00:43:58,119 So there's are trees. Just last week I saw on ash and then 627 00:43:58,159 --> 00:44:00,400 the first thing that pops into my head, if it looks good, I 628 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:05,480 can tell these people they're not treating it. I'm like that was treated in 629 00:44:05,519 --> 00:44:09,519 the late nineties, two thousands, even past then, you know it wasn't 630 00:44:09,559 --> 00:44:13,440 long ago. But it is like a swarm. Like you said, it's 631 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:15,960 like a horror film. They come through like a locust plague and they move 632 00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:21,760 on to where there's more food. You bet. So for our listeners, 633 00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:25,199 for folks watching on YouTube or listening on the podcast or radio Rick as an 634 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:30,400 arborist getting into many people's yards, and of course today's show is about garden 635 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:36,519 regrets. What's your best advice for people who are looking to establish trees? 636 00:44:37,199 --> 00:44:43,000 Do your research, what are your recommendations, what are the primary mistakes you 637 00:44:43,079 --> 00:44:46,519 see being made? Well, when you get species specific, that's about certain 638 00:44:46,559 --> 00:44:52,239 situations, but as far as just general good practices planting number one is planting 639 00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:57,280 depth m hm. Another first thing I say is try to stay native or 640 00:44:57,280 --> 00:45:00,360 at least hybrid native. But even the high natives, there's neighborhoods that can 641 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:04,400 drive you to them. Where the oak, white oaks, right oaks, 642 00:45:04,440 --> 00:45:07,679 white pine's the dominant native forests. Every sapling is a maple, and I 643 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:10,639 know it's the ones in the front yards that are in everybody's front yard. 644 00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:15,440 So that's the future of that woods. No more oaks, So let's try 645 00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:20,599 to stay native. Planting depth, soil, soil, soil, soil, 646 00:45:21,159 --> 00:45:22,440 well, how wide do I dig it? How wide are you willing to 647 00:45:22,480 --> 00:45:27,280 go? Because someday the roots on that tree are going to be fifty feet 648 00:45:27,320 --> 00:45:30,840 more and more in a radius around that tree. So soil and then early 649 00:45:30,920 --> 00:45:34,920 years just like any plant, you know, if it's hot and dry in 650 00:45:34,960 --> 00:45:38,199 the summer water once a week, it's okay, you bet you bet. 651 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:43,119 Well. Some of these issues we can avoid if we want to, Stacy, 652 00:45:43,159 --> 00:45:45,079 but again, it's all about and we talk about it on this show. 653 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:51,719 Trying to anticipate some of these issues and educating yourself. Absolutely, got 654 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:53,840 to do your research, absolutely, Rick, thanks for joining us on the 655 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:59,760 Gardening Simplified Show. Rick Weist is an arborist with Good Earth Tree Care and 656 00:45:59,840 --> 00:46:04,039 just happens to be my son also, and thanks for joining us on the 657 00:46:04,039 --> 00:46:06,920 show. Rick, appreciate it. Thanks for having me well. I am 658 00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:10,000 inspired to plant a tree with no regrets. Now you have to decide which 659 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:13,280 one it's going to be, and that's the hardest part of all. So 660 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:15,800 thank you so much, Rick, Thank you, Rick, thank you Adriana, 661 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:16,519 and thanks so much to all of you for listening. We hope you 662 00:46:16,559 --> 00:46:17,760 have a wonderful week ahead.