We started carrying a new form of pine last year by the name of Pinus sylvestris ‘Green Penguin’. It’s very dwarf with a dense and upright habit. Growing just 3-5″ per year it is suitable for using as an upright accent in smaller gardens or foundation plantings. Like most pines it is fairly deer and…
Why and When to Prune Trees and Shrubs
These are two commonly asked question at Caan’s when we start to feel the crisp breeze of fall in the air. First off, there are a few different reasons for pruning your tree or shrub and pruning at the proper time can be crucial. Why prune your trees or shrubs? One major reason is to…
What is this white powdery stuff on my plants? Powdery mildew!
What is powdery mildew? This spring and early summer we encountered unseasonably cold and wet weather conditions which created a perfect environment for fungal diseases. Powdery mildew is one of the most common fungi that can affect just about any plant. It is easily recognized by its powder-like appearance on the leaves and stems of…
What’s Ailing Your Evergreen? Winter Burn
As I drive around Sheboygan, I am seeing parts of evergreens that are every shade but green. This is a common problem for evergreens in our area during most winters. This condition is best known as winter burn and is most extreme this year. The discoloration, ranging in color from yellow to brown, becomes obvious…
Cedar Apple Galls (The orange hairy monster)
A woman recently brought in branch from a Red Cedar with galls resulting from Cedar-apple rust. It was good that she noticed it now because the galls were newly formed this season thus there is time to do something about it. The ‘galls’ are swollen kidney shaped brown swellings about 3/8 to over 1 3/16…
Caring for Roses Made Simple
Here is a great site I found that will help to make caring for roses far less intimidating. http://www.milwaukeerose.org/GMRSrosegrowing.html
Snail & Slug Prevention
The following blog post talks about preventing snails and slugs. We carry the mentioned products here at Caan’s. http://www.confessionsofaplantgeek.com/2013/04/snail-slug-prevention.html
Shake off the Winter!
Recently we have had a number of calls about arborvitae(cedars) that have split open from the last heavy snow. In answer to your questions, yes, you should remove the snow. As I write it is raining so that will do most of the work for you. When you are done shaking off the snow (I…
Information and Inspiration
While you’re waiting for the snow to melt, find information and inspiration for the coming year in an interactive collection of images and articles from Fine Gardening and PlantersPlace.com. http://fg.plantersplace.com/inspiration/index.php
Winter Reflection
Was your garden everything you hoped it would be this past year? Did each season have color and interest? Was there a focal point, great combinations and a variety of texture? Did each area of the garden function as anticipated (cutting garden, screen, retreat)? Did some perennials perform better than expected, others not as well? Is there…