Category Archives: How To Advice

“Dig In Minnesota”

May 21, 2013 – 8:55 am

100_0005We have a segment on the Sunday morning TV show – “Dig In Minnesota” !  Teri Knight and her crew were here to film on May 13th.   We are excited to be a part of this program.

Leif Knecht and Jim Westlund  demonstrated proper tree planting techniques which included the importance of root pruning prior to planting and the advantages of trees grown in our root pruning containers was discussed.

We take great pride in our planting techniques and our trees – especially our air pruning pots.  We encourage you to watch this coming Sunday morning, May 26th and again on Sunday, June 4th, at 9 am on Channel 23 -the CW from Mpls/St. Paul.

 

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By Deb Knecht | Also posted in Community | Tagged | Comments (0)

Lawn Damage Alert

May 7, 2013 – 4:46 pm

Property owners who notice winter damaged areas on their turf grass should consider skipping the application of crabgrass preventer if overseeding or patch seeding of the damaged areas is being considered.  Grass seed will not germinate properly if crabgrass preventer has been applied.  The same ingredient that prevents crabgrass seed from growing will also prevent lawn grass seed from germinating properly.

This means that you will have to skip crabgrass preventer this year, or apply crabgrass preventer very carefully only on healthy areas and not at all on damaged areas where you plan to do seeding of turf grass.  This selective application of crabgrass preventer may be quite difficult to do with accuracy.  I recommend just skipping the crabgrass preventer this year if you plan to do any grass seeding.

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By Leif Knecht | Comments (2)

A Lifeline for Birds

April 21, 2013 – 9:32 am

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWinter is a time of stress for most wildlife, and often the most crucial period of the winter is the last few weeks.  If wildlife is able to locate at least some type of food in the days just before new vegetation emerges and insects become active, it can mean the difference between life and death.

This is certainly true for many of our beloved songbirds, as cardinals, goldfinches, juncos, chickadees, purple finches, house finches and various woodpeckers visit feeders in large numbers.  The extremely drawn out late winter of 2013 is a prime example, as literally hundreds of birds have been flocking to the sunflower, finch seed and suet feeders the last several weeks.  It seems there just isn’t much else available for food, so they are targeting the handouts from humans in numbers I have never seen before.

During this same period of time, I have observed wild birds targeting two types of trees for food and shelter during this stressful time.  Flowering crab trees of certain varieties that retain their fruit on the branches throughout the winter are now being visited in large numbers by robins and other songbirds, as they gobble up the fruit that has become more tasty and nutritious due to the freeze thaw cycles of an entire winter. Read More »

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Landscaping, Trees | Tagged | Comments (0)

Dealing with Winter Damage on Trees and Shrubs

April 9, 2013 – 3:37 pm

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWinterburn:  When needles/foliage of evergreens brown out in late winter/early spring the conditionb is called winterburn.  It is caused by overly harsh winter sunlight, most notably from sunlight reflecting off snow banks in January, February, and March.  With light to moderate winterburn new growth will emerge in May/June and once again give the evergreen shrub or tree a nice appearance.  Some of the brown needles may fall off the plant which happens when enough of the needle dies to cause it to shed.  Usually the twig stays alive, enabling new growth to take place.  In cases of severe winterburn some twigs and or small branches may die.  Completely dead twigs/branches should be carefully pruned off, being sure to leave all plant parts that are still alive.  Pruning away dead material will create an open area into which the plant can now send new growth and more rapidly achieve a pleasing appearance.

Mouse and rabbit damage:  Desperate for food during a long, hard winter, mice and rabbits will sometimes eat away the bark in some areas.  When this happens, water, sap, and nutrients cannot move well enough to certain branches to keep those branches alive, and the branch or twig or top part of the plant may die.  Good prevention methods are reduction of mouse and rabbit populations, surrounding plants with cylinders of ¼” mesh galvanized hardwire cloth, and putting white plastic tree guards on the lower part of the main stem.  If the bark is eaten away all the way around the main trunk, start to make plans for a replacement, or prepare to cut the plant back fairly aggressively so that all the damaged areas are all removed, and new sprouts/stems and foliage production will be stimulated.  Avoid leaving dead parts on plants you hope to enjoy in the future.  Fertilize regularly, but not excessively following corrective pruning.

Deer antler rubbing damage:  Carefully trim off ragged/loose/cupping/curling bark or twigs.  Fertilize moderately to allow new bark to grow over the wound which may take 2-5 years.  Each fall install a white plastic tree guard to prevent future antler rubbing damage.  Remove the tree guards the following spring when the grass turns green.  Be sure to use white tree guards, not with dark colors.

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By Leif Knecht | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Building Healthy Soil

April 1, 2013 – 3:56 pm

Few things are more important for gardening success than healthy soil.  If you suspect your soil could stand some improvement, you are probably right, and there is good news for you.  Building healthy soil is pretty simple.  The bad news is it does require some work.

A good first step is to reduce or eliminate soil compaction if it exists, by digging deep into the soil to physically break up areas or layers of compacted soil.  An ideal time to do this is in the fall so freeze/thaw cycles can continue the work of breaking apart soil particles that have been pressed together.  Prior to deep digging add several inches of organic matter so you are mixing new organic matter throughout the soil as you dig.

Since we are now in spring time, add organic matter and deep dig as you go.  Next winters freeze/thaw cycles will help.  Do your deep digging when the soil has dried fairly well.  It’s really hard to wait for soil to dry before you dig since we are all eager to get going in the garden after a long winter.  If you dig when the soil is too wet, you may actually increase soil compaction, so wait!   When soil has been drained and dried fairly well its much easier to break up lumps after you deep dig. If you dig wet soil you may have nasty lumps most,  if not all, of the growing season.

So you are asking yourself – what’s so simple?  The answer is this – add organic matter.  As long as the organic matter you add is free of disease organisms, go ahead and add it to your soil in two ways.  First by digging it into and mixing the organic matter into the soil.  This will become available to the plants fairly quickly – during the first few months of the growing season.

The second way to add organic matter to soil is to place it on the soil surface where it will slowly decompose and gradually release nutrients into the soil that your landscape and garden plants can utilize.  Do both methods of providing organic matter and your plants will be happy.

Add organic matter to the soil surface every year if possible.  Dig organic matter into the soil every two to four years.  You don’t need to deep dig the garden every single year, but do add some kind of organic matter every year if possible.

What organic matter to add?   Here’s a short list.  Compost, manure, peat, leaves, mulch, wood chips, shredded bark and any plant materials that are not too chunky.  You can also add some inorganic components to your soil such as sand, perlite, vermiculite, but they are not nearly as important as generous amounts of organic matter.  Organic matter that has been composted in preferable, since the release of nutrients into forms usable by plants has already begun, but un-compounded organic materials will provide plenty of benefit just more slowly.

Have fun in your garden and keep it simple.  Build healthy soil by adding organic matter annually.

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By Leif Knecht | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Old Lilac Rehab

April 1, 2013 – 3:42 pm

Lilacs have long been a favorite in American landscapes, and with good reason.  Lilacs are fairly disease and problem free and bloom heavily year after year if they continue to receive lots of direct sunlight.

Lilacs are usually successful because they tolerate most soil types oas long as there is good drainage and plenty of sunlight.  Poor soil drainage, lack of sunlight and old age can all cause lilacs to struggle.

When the problem is old age, and some big stems have become unsightly or show some die-back, it is often possible to rehab  the lilacs with pruning.

There are two basic ways to do rejuvenation pruning of lilacs and neither are particularly easy.  Most pruning manuals recommend removing 20% to 30% of the lilac stems each year on an old lilac, beginning with the biggest and oldest stems.  Continue for about 3 or 4 years each year removing until all the old stems are gone, and only young vigorous new shoots remains.  This method requires a determine and consistent 4 year effort, and will give a good result without losing all the height of a lilac cluster.

The second way to rehab an old lilac cluster r hedge is brutal, but effective, and a lot quicker.  Use a chain saw to cut the entire overgrown mess down to a ehgith fo 6 to 10 inches.

When you get done removing all the brush created by giving your old lilac a severe crew cut you will be looking at stubs/stumps.  Do this kind of attack dog pruning only after the leaves have fallen off in late fall, and or definitely before the buds swell in early spring.  By doing this when the lilacs are dormant, all the stored energy in the root system will push an explosion of new sprouts once the ground thaws.

The first year you should see sprouts of one to two feet.  After three years, you ought to be enjoying a nice dense stand of all young and vigorous stems of four to six feet tall.  All your work has been done over ne winter, with no need to go back and re-visit pruning year after year.

Chose the lilac rejuvenation method that best fits you.  Gradual and incremental, or the shock and awe of cutting it all down at once.   Both methods can give you good results!

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Shrubs | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Liberate Strangling Trees

March 28, 2013 – 11:35 am

All too often I see trees that are being strangled by the materials that have been used to stake/straighten the tree.  All manners of rope, wire, hose, straps, pipes and posts are used to keep newly planted trees standing straight during the time they establish new roots into the surrounding soil.  The problem comes when the staking materials are left in place for too long a period of time.

The solution is simple.  Remove the staking materials that contact the tree bark after a year.  The longest time that ropes, wires and straps should stay on a tree is one and a half growing seasons.  Definitely avoid leaving ties around the bark for two full years.

If you untie the tree after one year and it still doesn’t stand straight, re-tie with new, and preferably soft/cushioned ties placed in a different location around the trunk than the original ties.  This will allow bark in the location of the original ties to begin growing normally.  Be sure to remove the new ties after one year.

To provide a more cushioned, soft, bark friendly contact with the bark, I favor the use of soft nylon web straps, or foam pipe insulation, or small pieces of old garden hose, or one inch wide plastic tree tying tape.

Some people giving gardening advise say trees should not be staked.  I disagree.  Staking is simply a tool to aid in tree establishment, and should be used only when you just can’t get the tree to stand straight by itself. It can be a safe and effective method/tool when needed, provided it is removed after about a year.  Proper staking can protect and straighten “noodly” young trees for a brief period of time until they become stout enough to stand well by themselves.

If you have a tree that has been staked for over a year – liberate it today to prevent bark from growing around the ties.  Re-tie if you must, but do so in a different spot.  Your tree will grow better and be more beautiful.   Liberate those strangling trees.

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Landscaping | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Heading off Heartbreak

March 14, 2013 – 11:24 am

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt can be heartbreaking to purchase, plant and nurture landscape trees only to see them severely damaged by mice, deer, rabbits and winter sunlight.  Every spring, many people call or stop by the nursery wanting to know what to do about tender tree bark that has been eaten, torn by deer antlers, or damaged by sunlight bouncing off winter snowbanks.  In many cases, it is simply too late.

The good news is that if you have young trees with bark that is undamaged, it is easy and inexpensive to protect them.  In late summer / early fall, simply apply a white plastic tree wrap over the trunk from ground level to a height of 3 to 4 feet.  I prefer 4 feet whenever possible.  Be sure to remove this plastic wrap in the spring once the grass greens up nicely.  It is important to use a white wrap to avoid temperature fluctuations.  Leaving tree wraps in place throughout the growing season is an invitation to damage from insects, bacteria and fungus.  Reinstall again as fall approaches.  Repeat until the trees are 5”-6” in diameter.

Tree wraps are inexpensive and they will last several years. They are available in several different styles / sizes which makes it easy to find one that best fits your tree.

 

 

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Trees | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Comfort Food for Gardens

March 14, 2013 – 11:07 am

Comfort food is near and dear to our hearts.  When the demands of raising families, earning a living, and the fast pace of change in the 21st century wear us down, comfort food can provide a welcome and satisfying relief.  The pleasures of comfort food rise to even greater levels when cloudy, damp, cold, dreary weather goes on day after day.

A rich and sweet pastry or latte or both can be just the thing to soothe the soul and provide a pick-me-up.  A steaming bowl of hearty stew or soup can chase away that vague emptiness deep down inside.  Whatever comfort food is just right for you, the hoped for result is a restored sense of well-being and hopefully not an expanded waistline.

Comfort food for humans can be a very good thing, if consumed in moderation.  Comfort food can be wholesome for both body and spirit.  Sometimes we assume that comfort food is bad for us. This need not be the case.  A reasonable amount of comfort food on an occasional basis can be a positive part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The myriad varieties of plans we place in our gardens, fields, forests and designed landscapes can also benefit greatly from what might be thought of as comfort food for gardens.  Plants of all kinds require just the right balance of nutrients, sunlight and soil to thrive.

A whole host of conditions can make life stressful for annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees, such as soil compaction, lack of moisture, excessive moistures, and improper amounts of sunlight and nutrient deficiencies. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Plants suffering from these conditions will benefit greatly from the addition of what I think of as comfort food for landscape plants.  Organic matter and the correct amount of plant nutrients are comfort food for gardens. Read More »

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Landscaping | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Tree Pruning Time

November 29, 2012 – 3:00 pm

  Late fall or early winter is a good time to prune shade and ornamental trees.  Leaves have fallen off most tree varieties making it much easier to see the branch structure and determine which weak or troublesome branches to remove.It is also a safe time to prune oaks, elms, honeylocust, fruit trees and other varieties that may be susceptible to infections when pruned during warmer seasons.   I’m re-posting pruning information from an earlier blog that I posted this spring.  Pruning is such an important part of the health of your plants that I will keep coming back to the importance of pruning.

There should be some pleasant days ahead for your pruning projects.  Enjoy your time in the cold season landscape.  Any nice days between early November and mid-April are a great time to prune your trees.  Use a sharp hand saw, and a freshly sharpened hand pruner to make cleaner and easier cuts.

Some trees like maples will bleed sap when pruned during the dormant season, but research has shown this does not hurt the tree, and will stop in about mid-April. The goal of pruning is to create a strong, lasting and good looking structure in each tree. Pruning before the trees leaf out makes it a whole lot easier to judge the structure since no leaves are present to obscure your view.

PRUNE EARLY AND OFTEN. This does not mean every day or even monthly. It means that during the first ten years after you plant a tree, you should prune it every year, or every other year to gradually establish the best possible structure that can withstand heavy wet snow, ice storms, and violent thunderstorm winds. By pruning often, you remove weak or problematic branches when they are small diameter, and the pruning wounds are small and heal over very quickly, minimizing the chance for rot to get going inside the tree.

Most deciduous trees have better structure when they have fewer and stronger branches. Prune out branches that leave the trunk at very steep angles of 60 degrees to almost straight up (90 degrees). Branches that form the strongest attachments to the trunk leave the trunk at lower angles from 45 degrees down to 0 degrees (horizontal).

Avoid cutting off a branch exactly flush with the trunk. Cut close enough to avoid leaving a stub, but leave intact the branch collar, which is the slight widening of the branch where it meets the trunk. This will sometimes leave the appearance of low bumps along the trunk, but assures smaller wounds that heal over quickly, and in one or two growing seasons the bumps will disappear as the trunk grows thicker. If you leave a stub of a 1/2 inch or more, healing will take several years longer. Same for cutting flush with the trunk, where the larger resulting wound will take years longer to heal.

Try to remove only about 20% to 25% of the canopy at any one pruning. If a really steeply attached branch needs to be removed to avoid future splitting during a storm, do it right away, even if this leaves a large gap or unbalanced area in the tree canopy. If you wait, the wounds and gaps only get bigger. The sooner you create the gap, the sooner small new strongly attached branches can grow into the area due to available space and sunlight.

Be sure to keep removing some lower branches each time you prune, until the permanent first branches are established at 10-15 feet above ground.  When trees have a “high canopy” grass, shrubs and perennials underneath grow nicely.  When the first permanent branches are too close to the ground, grass and other plants underneath gradually wither and die.

This cut leaves too much of the branch

 

This picture shows a correct pruning cut.

This picture demonstrates a WRONG cut – too much of the tree was damaged by cutting this much off.

 

On young trees a really good structural pruning of a bare leaved tree often leaves a tree looking a bit like a stickman, and causes a lot of consternation for people who think the tree has been ruined. Most trees that have been artfully pruned into an awkward looking silhouette in March will look fabulous by mid-June, turning the person who pruned the tree from a neighborhood villain into the local wiseman.

Good luck with your pruning and have a wonderful winter.  Before you know it, February will be here, days will become longer and our anticipation of spring and the new growing season will be increasing!

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By Leif Knecht | Tagged , | Comments (0)

November Tree Planting

November 15, 2012 – 12:40 pm

Most years our crews do a number of tree planting projects from mid-November to late November or early December – and this year is no exception.   We have several hundred balled and burlapped and potted trees still available even after we have covered most of our other trees, shrubs and perennials.  As always – these late season plantings carry the Knecht’s Nurseries warranty, and our customers report that they have  very good results with late season plantings!

We do have limited hours now the last half of November so please give us a call at 507-645-5015 and we can discuss the details of late season tree planting and you can make sure someone is here when you would like to check out the availab le trees!

If you haven’t already protected the trunks on your young trees that you have planted this year or the last few years that are still susceptible to damage from hard frosts this winter or animal damage – we have several varieties of tree guards available for sale.  These will protect the trunks to help prevent frost cracking and keep the critters at bay from snacking on the bark during the winter.  

 

 

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Trees | Comments (0)

Fall is for Planting

November 1, 2012 – 8:15 am

The cool weather and pleasant working conditions have made fall a traditional time of the year for planting trees and shrubs.  When we do fall planting, the trees and shrubs are ready and waiting to start growing and establishing new roots with the very first days of the following spring.

By planting this November, your new landscape plants won’t miss a single day of next year’s growing season.  The mild spring weather makes it easier for the plants to put lots of energy into growing new roots at the most favorable time of the year for new root growth.  Better and bigger root systems means better growth above ground the entire growing season next year.

An additional benefit of fall planting is the excellent discounts available on landscape plants, which  can make for a very cost effective landscape project.  Give fall planting a try.  We’re sure you will be pleased with the results!

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Retail Sales, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Fall is for Planting

October 3, 2012 – 2:36 am

October and November provide excellent opportunities for successful  and cost effective tree and shrub planting.  Fall sales mean most plant materials are available at nice discounts.

Trees and shrubs are entering their winter dormancy, and once planted with care will e ready and waiting to produce a strong growth flush as soon as spring arrives.  Late fall watering needs will be reduced and our detailed planting guide details the simple steps to a successful project.  Additional information can be found on our Fall Planting Guidelines handout as well.

Cool temperatures make for pleasant working conditions.  Right up until the ground freezes more than one inch deep, late fall planting can be done easily, and the trees and shrubs will not miss one single day of next year’s growing season.

We highly recommend installing white plastic trunk protectors on all young trees to prevent damage from mice, rabbits, deer and winter sun over the long winter.  They are available for just a few dollars and can be re-used for several seasons.

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By Leif Knecht | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Tree Protection Alert!!!

September 16, 2012 – 11:42 am

Excessively dry weather the last four weeks has made area trees stressed as fall approaches.  Two simple measures can offer excellent protection for your trees as they prepare to shut down for the winter.

First is a good deep watering.  For established landscape trees, shrubs and perennials, I like to place a sprinkler and let it run for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and then move it to another area.  This is the equivalent of a good slow soaking rain of a couple of inches, and will lessen the stress on trees as they store energy in their root systems for next season’s growth.

Second is the installation of white trunk protectors on young shade trees and ornamental trees to protect against damage to the bark from mice, rabbits, deer antlers and winter sun.  Do not use black draintile be cause temperature fluctuations increase the chances of bark “blowing out” in late winter.  A variety of white tree protectors in 3 ft and 4 ft tall sizes are available for just a few bucks a piece and they can be re-used for 4 or 5 winters.  I prefer that 4 ft height in case snow depths get really deep.

Install white plastic tree trunk protectors in late August or September, and remove the first week of April, and store them for re-use the next fall/winter.  Do not leave the trunk protectors on all year round.  Continue protecting tree trunks until the trunk diameter reaches or exceeds 5″-6″ in diameter.  As bark thickens with age, it is less vulnerable.

Remember that Fall is a great time for planting and that excellent values are available this time of year.  Enjoy the wonderful Autumn days in your garden.

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By Leif Knecht | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Hot Weather Planting Success

July 22, 2012 – 11:29 am

Hot weather planting success can be guaranteed for your landscape project by following a few very simple steps.  Many people mistakenly believe that “its too hot to plant”, when the facts are that midsummer planting of trees, shrubs and perennials presents a great opportunity to get new landscape plants to root in really well before the growing season ends.

The keys to midsummer planting success are the same as the spring and fall:

1) Good site / soil preparation / fertilization

2) Good quality plant material

3) Aggressive root pruning of plants coming out of plastic nursery pots

4) Proper planting technique

5) Adequate but not excessive hand watering on a disciplined schedule.

Whether they are planted in spring, fall or in the middle of a hot summer, landscape plants have pretty much the same needs as children and family pets.  Our new plants, beloved pets, and precious children all need enough, but not too much food and water on a daily basis.  We would never think of leaving pets and children without food and water.  Your new landscape plants, also need food and water, on a daily basis, and it takes only a few minutes per day to provide this care and assure a very successful planting project.

If you plant 3 trees, 20 shrubs and 20 perennials in mid-summer, and have used proper planting and fertilization techniques, you will be able to water these 43 plants in 10 to 15 minutes per day, following our detailed watering chart.  It’s very simple.

During midsummer the very long days give new landscape plants many hours during which they can be growing new roots each day.  This speeds the establishment of the plants in their new location, and hastens the time when watering can be reduced from daily to every second or third day.

Be advised:  Do not rely on irrigation systems to water your new plants.  Hand water following our chart, and you will get great results, even in the heat of summer.  Irrigation systems are very good once plants have had a full season to become established.

Good luck with your summer planting projects!

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By Leif Knecht | Also posted in Landscaping | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)