Huntree Nursery Newsletter May 2024

Huntree Nursery     May 2024    Newsletter

It’s May!   And what a beautiful start!   Warm days, cool nights, and sun on top of that!  Super!

Lots of things are happening here.    Our gorgeous  Rhododendrons are popping into bloom in all their glory.   Perennials are coming in weekly, and our sweet quart perennials will be here momentarily.   The Dogwoods are gorgeously in bloom.  There are plenty of fruit trees of all varieties available, so you can start your orchard any time now.

At last, it’s time to begin planning your veggie garden.   Tomato plants (including Heirlooms) will be here by tomorrow afternoon, along with herbs and other veggies.  Annuals will be here by Thursday.     Looking at the calendar, we still have to be on guard for a dip in temps at night since the average last frost date (5/15) is not here, but the weatherman is sending us good vibes.   If we do have to cover up, please do not use plastic.  The cold goes right through plastic.  Get out an old sheet or blanket.   Even if its not freezing, beware of cold winds.  (Enough warnings.)

It is a great time to fertilize.  We love to use Espoma Plantone and Hollytone.  It’s organic, and has mycorrhizae which encourage a great root system which is crucial for healthy plants.   Fertilizing does make a difference!

We’re getting questions about what to plant on the lake bank.  We all know it’s a severe location which eliminates most plants.  Customers have been successful with Juniper, Redtwig Dogwood, Dwarf Korean Lilacs (there’s a short one called Baby Kim), Diervilla (which has great fall color).   These are all short plants which won’t block the view.  Always add soil amendments when planting in sandy soil – our leaf compost is super beautiful.  It adds water retaining humus to the soil.   For added water retention, add Soil Moist Granules, too.    Remember, you must water new plantings twice a week ideally so they can grow new roots to survive the harsh environment.

The Kousa Dogwoods are getting ready to bloom.  Maybe you need to have one in your yard.  They bloom for almost a month, which is unheard of for flowering trees.  Good in part shade or full sun.

Are you having trouble reading the instructions on bottles or bags because the print is so tiny?  Take a picture with your cell phone and blow it up.   That works great!

Now is the time to trim your Forsythia.  Do it after it’s done blooming to shape it up and/or make it bushier.    If you wait til fall you will be cutting off your flower buds for next year.  Same for Lilacs:  trim after blooming for the same reason.   If your Lilacs are scraggly and overgrown and you can’t reach the blossoms anymore because they’re too high, rejuvenate the plant by removing one third of the major trunks now.  You will get new growth coming up at the base.  Repeat the procedure for the next two years.

The Abelia Sweet Emotion is getting ready to bloom.   It’s a great shrub with fabulous fragrance which just might be a great Mother’s Day present for your mom.   It has lovely tubular flowers for the hummingbirds.     Other fragrant plants are Carlesii Viburnum (Korean Spice), Baby Spice Viburnum,  Lilacs,  Japanese Tree Lilac, Clethra, Roses, Peonies.

We’ve had a couple reports of a very strange  alien looking red globular growth on your upright Juniper, it’s a fungus called Cedar Apple Rust.  Remove the growth by pruning.  Write on your calendar to spray in August with Copper Fungicide.

Looking for a special tree?     Check out our Fernleaf Beech, Weeping Golden Falls Redbud, Styrax Marley’s Pink Parasol, Pagoda Dogwood, Camperdown Elm. Crabapple Raspberry Spear.

Yes, we have deer repellant.  Enough said.

The word is, Lake Michigan water should be warmer this summer so it may be a good swimming season!

We are open every day for your shopping convenience.  Monday through Saturday 9:00 to 5:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 4:00.    Looking forward to seeing you.

Here’s to a floriferous season! (Or our newly added word to the Huntree Nursery: Florific!)

Jan and the Huntree Gang

Categorised in: Newsletter

This post was written by MHarrison9