Top Home and Garden Services in Wilton, CA
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Rod Whitlow Landscape Design
By Badger Creek Kannels April 14, 2009
Rod was great when helping us with our landscape design. He came out took our needs and desires and put together a great landscape design for us that has been fun to follow and see come together ...read more
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Fall is the Best time of the Year for Planting
Planting a tree may seem like a simple task at hand. You dig a hole, take the tree out of the pot, put it in the ground, give it some water and like a miracle it grows like the vine in "Jack and the Beanstalk". Right? Fairytales are fun stories but not very reliable when it comes to horticultural advice. Who can you trust? Nurseries are in business to sell product, and they may send you home with planting accoutrements, such as tree stakes, soil amendments and fertilizer which may be absolutely unnecessary. Your best bet is to follow the advice of the International Society of Arboriculture. They are the world's leading authority on tree care and are cutting edge when it comes to the latest scientific research. Interestingly, their findings are simple and in most cases will save you time, money, and produce a tree that grows amazingly fast Before you purchase your trees you'll want to match them to the site in terms of existing soil, moisture conditions and available light. In other words do some research. Don't site a tree that needs full sun for a shady location or a tree prone to root-rot in the lawn or swampy area. A Certified Arborist or Certified Nurseryperson should be able to help you withsite specifictee selection. Read on for the Latest Info on How to Plant a Tree: Evaluate your soil. Unless you havetrue hardpanwhich is a hardened soil that is impenetrable even when saturated, you should not need elaborate soil preparation. Remember that most tree roots reside in the top 24 inches of the soil profile – and 60 percent of the root system will grow beyond the drip line (spread of branches). It is a misconception that roots anchor in a downward fashion. The ability of a tree to anchor itself into the soil is based on its roots' ability to spread in an outward fashion. That is why trees often withstand hurricane force winds. With this in mind you can fathom that the planting hole should not be an elaborate concoction of foreign materials. It is now known that the planting hole should in most cases not be amended with compost or peat. This makes sense once when you realize that usually within months, the root system has grown beyond the planting hole and is now in native undisturbed soil. The idea here is that it is best to get the tree started in the native soil as soon as possible – thereby avoiding another transitional period. If you do add too much compost, capillary action may create a sponge effect – which can rot the root system. Water naturally moves to areas of least resistance. This is a problem, especially in heavy clay soil types. Dig the hole 2 to 3 times wider than the width of the root ball and be certain not to make the hole deeper than the height of the root ball, to avoid settling. The root crown should be even with the soil grade or just slightly above. Remember that dirt covering the lower stem of the tree can cause crown-rot and subsequent demise. It is also very important when planting to make sure the tree isn't already planted too deep in the pot it was grown in. When boosted up from smaller pots to larger ones , or bare root plants are containerized , very often too much soil is added which buries the crown too deep. To correct this problem is simple. Every time you plant a tree or shrub gently remove the soil down to the point where you find the first root radiating off the main stem. This is your planting level. Be certain to mulch the soil surface and make sure your new living treasure is provided ample moisture and don't forget to head to the nursery – fall is without a doubt the best time to plant in our climate zone. Whitlow is a Cert. Arborist, Cert. Nurseryman, CLCA Licensed Landscape Contractor and Consultant to Sunset's Western Garden Book. You can contact Rod for landscape Design, Consultation or Installation at 916 687-TREE and you can check out his website at www.rodwhitlowdesign.com. ...read more
By Rod Whitlow Landscape Design August 30, 2010
Time for a Front-Yard Redo?
By Rod Whitlow Landscape Design May 15, 2010
HOW'S IT GROWING?
If you've been keeping the drapes closed because the garden qualifies as a before photo in a "before and after contest" - it may be time for a re-do or a new landscape creation. Fall and winter is a great time to start the design process. Not only are prices lower for the design but installation costs are usually lower as well. Take a look at my website: www.rodwhitlowdesign.com You can see photos of my work, my credentials and online garden articles I've written. If you have any questions - please call or email. ROD ...read more
By Rod Whitlow Landscape Design October 13, 2009