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      Fruit Trees Care: April

      May 6, 2024

      April is one of those months as a gardener that really tests our patience with Kansas City weather! The constant temperature fluctuations, inconsistent moisture, and low nighttime temps make it too early to start putting in our warm weather crops like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash. But for this gardener, I spend this time caring for my...

      Bare Root Trees: What, Why & How

      March 30, 2024

      Bare-root trees are a Godsend for people looking to start their own orchard, food forest or simply beautifying their landscape! Much more cost effective than container or field grown trees, and with a very good survival rate there are many benefits in keeping with this time-honored tradition! We’re going to take a quick dive into them and...

      Fruit Tree Care in March

      March 8, 2024

      March 19th is the vernal equinox, or the long awaited first day of spring. March is the perfect time to prune your stone fruits (cherries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, and plums). Weather depending, I like to have my pruning done by mid-March. There are many benefits to proper pruning of your fruit trees, especially stone fruits. By...

      Japanese Maples

      February 19, 2024

      When it comes to Japanese maples, one is often overwhelmed by the shear amount of diversity within this species. One of the most beloved ornamental trees in modern cultivation! It’s easy to see why, given the scope of diversity amongst the different varieties. With some growing into trees around 20’-25’ to varieties being smaller, diminutive...

      Fruit Tree Care in February

      February 5, 2024

      With a cold and snowy January behind us, it’s time to look towards the next step in caring for our fruit trees, pruning. February is the perfect time to prune pome fruits like apples, pears, and quince. While it can seem daunting to an initiate just getting into fruit tree cultivation, pruning is necessary for the overall health of your trees.

      Trav the Tree Guy: The Top 10 Trees

      January 15, 2024

      There’s something that is so satisfying about planting a new tree in your lawn or in your landscape. It can be a large tree to provide shade, a small blooming tree for a flowerbed, or a lovely tree to mark a special occasion. No matter what the reason, planting trees has long term benefits to creating biodiversity on your property. While...

      A Mycological Adventure

      January 4, 2024

      It might be an understatement to say that I’m a Plant Nerd. Between working in the industry, having a small greenhouse at home, and more plant babies than any sane person should have; plants take up a large portion of my time. A few months ago, I came across a Netflix documentary called Fantastic Fungi. I was enthralled at the process of...

      Deciduous Conifers

      December 11, 2023

      People often ask, “What are the trees in Colonials courtyard?” Well, it’s a curiously beautiful type of tree called the Debonair pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens “Morris”) This particular tree, under proper growing conditions will reach roughly 60’ tall and have a spread of 20’. This tree is part of a genera of plants known as deciduous...

      How to Plant a Tree

      October 9, 2023

      Over my 20+ years in the horticultural industry, I can say with certainty that I have planted tens of thousands of trees. After several years doing so, I just stopped counting. I have had the pleasure of working with many brilliant arborists, nurserymen and nurserywomen, growers and landscapers. Over the years and I’ve noticed one peculiar...

      Fall Color: Five Trees to Plant This Fall for Color Next Fall

      September 18, 2023

      Fall is a very special time of the year! Between the apple picking, cooler temperatures, and pumpkin spiced everything, what’s not to love!? It’s also the best time to plant a new shade or ornamental tree! While I’m hard-pressed to choose a favorite tree, here are some of my top choices for trees that provide good fall color and other benefits...

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