excuses nothing, it's about quality of life

One of the trees you might be seeing around NYC in bloom is a saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) a fabulous medium-sized tree with these big, showy blossoms in spring and great form the older they get.

I admit entirely that I am, in fact, a total plant geek. My friends and I will make each other laugh, joking in botanical latin and morphological terminology that doesn't make sense to most people. For example if you have ever come across a 16' dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica') and had to chuckle to yourself, "yeah, that's a real dwarf!", then you know what I'm talking about, and I am happy to tell you you are a plant geek like me. And if you don't get it at all then definitely don't worry because ultimately it wasn't very funny to begin with. I guess it does kind of border on plant snobbiness though, doesn't it? And well, I guess I really am a plant snob too. But, for the same reason I devoted my career at this point to public horticulture I also started this blog because I want to help people get to know plant better. For thousands of years philosophers and scientists alike have seen how the presence of plants and horticulture betters humans quality of life. And who doesn't want a better quality of life. So you have a brown thumb, so did I once. It's like anything else in life, you work at it, you learn, you get better at it, your life is richer because you are using your mind and not letting it go to mush. You've killed a lot of plants? Yeah, well, bet I've killed more! You want to race? I wish I could convey to more people that you have to stop thinking about plants as they relate to you and think about them as plants, as part of nature, as part of a science with tons and tons of variables. This could dissuade the budding gardener, I understand that, but it can also make someone a damn smarter gardener really quickly. Because much of it is common sense, and over time just a deeper vocabulary and plant palette. Like painting a room good horticulture is a lot of prep followed by a few quick and smart swipes of the wrist. It is spring and it is amazing outside and you've got spring fever. That is awesome! So do I! Let's capitalize on it, let's get growing. But first, treat yourself to a bit of common sense. Think about your site and what you want to grow, then see if you can find plants suitable to the space. Do your homework. Just because a store has been selling tomato plants doesn't necessarily mean it is the right time to place them out in your gardens. Because you are excited to prune your trees doesn't mean they are excited to be pruned, especially this time of year when they have allocated all (ALL!) of their finite energy reserves towards leafing out, and NOT callusing tons of new cuts. Just because it is a tree and blooming and it is spring, that doesn't mean it's a cherry blossom! Just because it is a shrub and it is yellow and it is spring, that doesn't mean its a forsythia! Well, ok, it probably is a forsythia, but anyway...

The world of horticulture is vast and amazing and there are so many great plants out there to know and appreciate, so don't cheat yourself. And as i have said before, if you have a question about a plant or how to care for it, I would be glad to help you. If you want help IDing something, I would be happy to give it a shot. As a formally trained horticulurist with 10 years of experience we do know a thing or two, us plant geeks.

Email any photos or questions to arborboy@gmail.com and have a fabulous spring!
Best,
Alex

plant, baby, plant!

Tulipa 'Beauty of Spring' if I remember correctly, taken in Central Park a few years ago.

I came to realize recently that I miss all the crazy horticultural questions I would get posed with on a regular basis at my old job. So I was psyched when an old friend from high school wrote with a question of her own. She lives here in the city and mentioned that she was helping with a bulb planting at her local community garden and wondered if the date (mid-November) was going to be too late. I thought that was a great question. Most people know this is the time to get your bulbs in the ground, and certainly it is. But, is there too late a time to plant?

To that I responded:
"Foolishly I didn't make any note of the date you asked about for the bulb planting, but I do remember my instant reaction being that you are totally fine. And I'm sure you are. We have a pretty big window as far as fall bulb planting is concerned. Basically I am going to be planting bulbs between work and my private clients from next week until mid- to late-November. In the past I've planted bulbs as late as mid-December. It all ultimately depends on whether you can (and/or want to) dig and get them in the ground without it being too frozen and you killing your back and arms.

Tulips and daffodils and other bulbs we plant all have enough energy for next spring stored in their tissue already, so all you have to do is get them in the ground at the right depth (for tulips and daffodils you are looking at 6-8" deep - well below the frost line) before winter hits too hard. They would be much happier in the cool earth than being confused and pushing growth too fast while stuck at your local garden center or in your home. For that reason the obvious and ultimate answer is "the sooner the better", but if you can't quite respond that quickly, the bulbs will still do well. The only thing you really have to know is that once we have a serious frost planting bulbs becomes considerably less fun. But basically only because the top two or three inches of the ground can be frozen. Over the winter, when the temps are in the 40s and 50s, they will send out and establish roots in the soil to anchor themselves more, and begin taking in water and nutrients. In the spring when they push out leaves along with the blossoms that is when they begin photosynthesizing to re-store and re-energize for the following spring. For that reason smart gardeners that want their bulbs to stick around and get established let the foliage stay after they flower so that they can grow and multiply as much as possible. If planted in a good sunny spot daffodils will naturalize and keep coming back year after year pretty easily while tulips you might find will only last 3-5 years on average."

So, get planting people! With the temps getting down into the 40s and 50s on a more steady basis those bulbs will be loving it and will make you smile come spring.

Also, if you ever have horticultural related questions I'd e happy to take a stab at them. As a trained horticulturist working in the profession for a number of years now I love challenging myself and trying to help out others along the way. Whether it be ID, care and maintenance, or questions about plant selection and design, I'm down to talk about it all. Send your geeky hort questions to arborboy@gmail.com and we'll chat soon. Be well.