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Irrigation System
Q: I have a lot of newly planted trees and I don’t want to hand-water every single one, does Hoosier Home and Garden offer any solutions for this?
Yes, we do. We offer a Direct Drip Irrigation System that is designed to save you money, time and hassle.
DuPont Imprelis Info
Q: I believe a few of my trees have been impacted by the DuPont Imprelis Herbicide. What should I do?
Well, there are a couple different avenues you can pursue. You can contact DuPont directly at 866-796-4783 or get in touch with your local lawn care professional. We can take your claims here at Hoosier Home and Garden (317.445.9369). However, you’ll need to make sure you get your claims in ASAP because the deadline is November 30th.
Dupont outlines these recommendations to address potential effects of Imprelis remaining in the soil:
For liquid applications:
Apply at a rate of 1 pound of activated charcoal in each gallon of water uniformly
to sides and bottom of hole dug for tree planting as well as to the complete root
ball of the tree to be planted. Also, spray the burlap covered root ball if burlap is
left in place. Thoroughly coat to the point of run-off the surfaces of the hole and
the root ball.
For dry applications:
During tree planting, apply activated charcoal at a rate of 7 to 14 lbs/1000 cubic
feet of soil and thoroughly mix with the clean soil. Use this soil as the new backfill
soil when planting the tree.
The damage is being linked primarily to Evergreens, particularly Norway Spruce and White Pine. Although, there have been reports of additional species.
More detailed information can be found at imprelis-facts.com
Tree Planting
Q: Is it safe to plant in July?
Absolutely. It is perfectly safe to plant in the summer. However, it’s not safe to harvest a tree outside of its dormancy period.
Q: What guidelines should I follow when mulching my newly planted tree?
Great question. Mulch acts as a blanket for moisture, moderates extreme temperatures and reduces weeds, so it’s extremely important to use in conjunction with your newly planted tree. Spread the mulch around the base (2-4 inches high is what we recommend) of the tree, while leaving a 1 inch gap at the base of the tree. Failure to leave the trunk uncovered could result in bark decay.
Q: When you planted the tree, I noticed you left the burlap bag, metal wire and a rope around the trunk attached to the tree. Should I remove them?
No cause for alarm. The burlap is there to keep the root system in tact. Once the tree gets established, the roots will push out through the burlap and spread throughout your yard, thus establishing a secure root system. The wire and burlap will bio-degrade over time. As for the rope around the trunk of the tree, it is there to keep to the tree securely in place. Without that anchor in place, strong winds can severely damage newly planted trees and even cause irreversible damage. The rope will also bio-degrade over time.
Landscaping
Q: Do you offer landscaping services?
Absolutely. We’ll come out to your house, survey your land and make a recommendation, all for a non-refundable $50 fee. We take great pride in creating an aesthetically pleasing, as well as, functional landscape solution.
Transplanting Trees
Q: I’m looking to have a tree removed from my home that was struck by lightning. Do you guys transplant trees?
Yes. We have the capabilities to transplant up to a 50′ root-ball. Please call 317.445.9369 for a customized quote. Thank you.
Fertilizing
Q: When Should I Fertilize My Tree?
Fertilization should take place primarily from fall to mid-spring. This allows the tree’s roots to soak up the nutrients from the soil. Which, in turn, creates better root development and increased disease resistance.
Q: How Should I Fertilize My Tree?
An application of between .10 and .20 pounds of nitrogen per 100 sq. ft. will be adequate.
Again, read the label. Keep solid or concentrated fertilizer off stems and leaves and
adequately water the fertilizer into the soil as that prevents fertilizer burn injury to roots.
Stick with the higher ratio nitrogen fertilizers unless your tree is determined to
be deficient in potassium or phosphorus (soil test). N-P-K rates of 18-5-9, 27-3-3, or 16-4-8 are good bets.
Newly Planted Tree Care
Q: How often should I water my tree?
There is no set formula for watering. However, there are some easy steps you can take to help your tree remain healthy and vibrant. We recommend following the guidelines laid out here.
Evergreens
Q: What are some of the differences among the evergreens you carry?
- Norway Spruce– 2-3′ growth rate a year. Hardiest of the evergreens. Dark green needles with a mature height generally around 60′. Makes an excellent windbreak. Mature height of 40-60 feet.
- Colorado Spruce– Medium sized evergreen with a beautiful, blue hue. Leaves are needle like. Family favorite for a Christmas tree. Sharp needles.
- White Pine – Can grow up to 3′ a year, usually closer to 2. Grows to a very tall height at maturity (50-80 feet). If at all possible, do not plant White Pines near a highway, as they don’t take kindly to road salt.
- White Spruce– Very straight growing tree recognized for it’s needles. Will retain its needles longer than most other spruces. Grows in the range of 50-80 feet high’ with a 20-40 foot’ spread.
- Arborvitae– Great for a privacy screen. Green Giant Arb’s can grow up to 3′ a year, to a height of 50′-60′ with a 12′-20′ spread. Plant 5′-6′ apart for very fast screen. Green Emeralds grow to about 3-4′ in width and make a great hedge. Techny’s usually have denser foliage than other arborvitae’s and as such, make the best hedges. Requires little maintenance and will grow to a mature height of 15′ to 20′ and a mature spread of 4′-6′.
Q: My Colorado Blue Spruce is losing it’s needles, what’s going on?
A: More than likely, what’s happening is called Rhizosphaera needle cast. It’s an infection caused by fungus.
Colorado Blues are the most susceptible, with White Spruces being middle of the road and Norways being relatively resistant.
The infection usually starts on the inward sections of the bottom limbs and gradually works its way up the tree.
What caused it: Drought last year followed by a perfect germination situation–The wet spring this year. Our spruces have been treated with Bravo.
Treatments:
A protective fungicide with the active ingredient chlorothalonil (sold as Multi- Purpose Fungicide, Daconil 2787, and others)
can prevent new growth from becoming infected. It is important to protect new growth as it emerges,
therefore fungicides should be applied in a timely manner when the new needles are half elongated
(late May or early June) and again three to four weeks later. Rhizosphaera needle
cast may be controlled in one year if fungicides are applied correctly.
However, severely infected trees usually require two or more years of fungicide applications.
Source: University of Minnesota Extension
Q: I’ve noticed that on my Arbs, there is a brown spot where the needles are dropping. What’s going on and is it normal?
A: Needle casting is normal for evergreen trees and shrubs, even though most people think it is a disease and/or an insect. Evergreens cast their needles to make room for the new needles which will emerge in the following year.
Q: I have some Spruce that have a section that is bare and has dropped its needles near the base
of the tree, do you know what is going on? It can’t be from lack of water because I’m using an irrigation system.
A: Spruces don’t like their needles continually wet. Check and see if your irrigation
heads are pointed at the problem area. If they are, re-position your heads to where only the root ball or the soil area around the
root ball gets the water.
Check our tree care tips to see the most full-proof way to address watering needs.
While mother nature and what she provides us with may be good
for your mature trees, a newly transplanted tree has a significantly diminished root system. Thus, it will need more water.
In short, the best way to tell if your tree needs more water or not is to check the soil, and check it often.
Shade & Flowering Trees
Q: What are Hoosier Home and Garden’s most popular deciduous trees?
- New Bradford Pear– Beautiful white spring bloom. Green leaves during the summer and yellow-maroon leaves in the fall. Hardiest of the Pears with a nice, robust shape.
- Cleveland Pear– Faster growing than the New Bradford. Also has a beautiful spring bloom. Naturally grows in a tight, symmetrical shape. A semi-perfect oval.
- Autumn Blaze Maple-Our most popular Maple and for good reason. The Autumn Blaze has an upright branching shape with medium green foliage and a brilliant orange-red fall color. It’s a hybrid, combining the beauty of the Red Maple with the drought resistance of the Silver Maple.
- Crimson King Maple– Easily recognizable for it’s stunning purple leaves.
Q: My maple tree has developed some odd red growths on it, what should I do?
Sounds like your Maple tree has Gall mites. Gall mites are caused my microscopic mites. If your tree has a large amount of gallmites, it may drop its foliage sooner than normal. In most cases, the injuries sustained are only temporary and do no real harm to the tree. If you’re highly opposed to seeing the galls on your tree, you can spray them off. However, spraying is more of a pre-emptive measure, as it will do no good once the galls have already formed. Here is some more information that will help deduce your specific issue.
Lichens
Q: On one of our Maple Trees, we’ve spotted what looks like some sort of odd growth. What is it and is it harmful to our tree?
What is more than likely the case is that you are experiencing lichens. Lichens are a combination of green algae and fungal tissue. And no, they aren’t harmful. In fact, they’re quite the contrary. Lichens are useful for indicating air pollution, regulating gases in the earth’s atmosphere and can, in some cases, return valuable nutrients to the soil. For more information about lichens, click here.
Staking Policy
Q: My husband and I are thinking about having a few trees installed. Do you provide a staking service with installation?
Installations do not include staking unless requested by customer, in which case it’s a minimum charge of $25 per tree. For more information, see our staking policy.
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