Honeyberry: The Second Bloom of Spring

Posted on by Beth

A well-versed plant enthusiast will tell you that forsythia is the first blooming shrub of the season. But, do you know of a flowering shrub that soon followings? Its the honeyberry! As we begin our pre-season set up at the garden center, we were amazed to find that our Berry Blue, Borealis, and Cinderella honeyberries in full bloom. Click on the links to view each variety and their need to know information.

In normal Wisconsin spring weather, one can expect to see the honeyberry bloom mid to end of April and fully ripen by early summer. The honeyberry fruit, as was once noted, looks like a grape in shape but tastes sweet like a blueberry. Honeyberries are great for fresh eating and are also great for making jams, jellies, and baking. Honeyberries do require a pollinator so make sure you have the space to bring at least two plants home.

Let 2024 be the year to try something new! Stop at the garden center and give it a try, or just come and say ‘hi’!

 

 

 

A Helpful Tool

Posted on by Beth

April is nearly here! If the weather doesn’t have you itching for spring maybe our easy to use website and tools will. With so many new varieties of plants being introduced every year it can seem overwhelming on what is what and what works and what doesn’t. We want to break through all the confusion and give you the best resources we have to assist you in choosing materials for your landscape.

Our exceptional staff have dedicated hundreds of hours in creating and updating our website to reflect the plant varieties and other materials that we provide to the Coulee Region. The Plants & Products tab is the place to go when looking for specific plants or plant varieties. Here you can browse the plant categories based upon your landscape needs; albeit a tree, perennial or anything in between. Our staff diligently update these lists over winter to reflect our incoming spring plants. Although, these lists are updated regularly, they do not reflect out inventory at any given time. We recommend that you come and visit the garden center or give us a call to see if we have the items you are seeking.

In addition to our plant lists, you will also find a wide array of resources in the Plants & Products tab. Not sure how to care for your new plants? Our watering guide is available to you along with future care insights such as pruning, overwintering in a container and insects and pests. Here, too, you can find additional links to visit our grower’s websites, maybe order a plant or two directly from Monrovia, or dig deeper in researching that perfect plant for your yard.

Try something new. Take some time to explore our website and see what hidden gems can be found among the many plant options that Trees Today can provide for you. Finally, our staff is only one call, email or visit away to answer any of your questions.

 

See you at the garden center!

 

Are We or Are We Not a Zone 5?

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

There are 13 planting zones in the U.S., each are divided into two segments, a and b, with 5 degrees separating the two segments. We are now Zone 5a but not Zone 5B.  Zone 5a’s average annual extreme low temperature, between years 1991 and 2020, is -20 to -15 with Zone 5b average low temperatures of -15 to -10.  The very northern part of La Crosse County is Zone 4b, with -25 to -20 temperatures.  These temperatures are based on 30 year averages.

So what does this mean?   You now have an opportunity to plant some of those  Zone 5 plants you have been drooling over the past years.  However, be careful.  Do not overdo it.  Winters are unpredictable and we still may experience some really cold winters.   Some plants have information tags on them.  Read them and if the tag lists the minimum temperature for the plant, choose the plants that are in  Zone 5a, not Zone 5b.  In the past we have carried some Zone 5 plants that have proven to survive in this area.  This year more Zone 5 plants will be added so PLEASE ask staff if you are uncertain about what zone that plant is in.   Occasionally we do carry Zone 5B or higher Zone plants as customers ask for them.  

Most trees and shrubs are warranted for one year.    Staff should inform you if that particular plant is not warranted.     We do not warrantee any perennials.

Happy planting and please ask staff for Assistance if you are unsure about any plant.  

Dream On, then Plant!

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Now that the holidays are over and we are entering the winter months of January and February, it is time to dream about planting a new garden or redoing our present garden(s). It is so much fun to look thru all the garden pictures on Pinterest and other sites. Sit down and start drawing or writing notes of what you would like your garden to look like. Colorful? Calm? Shady? Sun? there are so many types of plants available to help you get the garden you dream of. You can do all the reading you want to do, but what it comes down to is to plant YOUR garden, a garden that YOU like. Yes, there is advice out there to plant in three’s, to mass plant, to color coordinate, etc. These are just ideas to aid you, but in the end your garden should reflect you! On our website, under Plants and Products, we have a huge selection of some of the plants that we have carried in the past. We have not updated it yet this year, but this can give you a pretty good idea of most of the plants that are available at our nursery, from perennials to shrubs to trees. Sketch a design or jot notes down and bring them to our garden center this spring and one of our sales staff will be happy to tell you if these ideas will work or perhaps suggest alternatives. So dream January and February away and come visit us this spring.

Get your Christmas Trees and Greenery Now

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Shop at our nursery now for the best and freshest display of Christmas greenery and trees.   We have porch pots, wreaths, garland, spruce tops, dogwood stems, and a great selection of fresh Christmas trees. From experience, the best time to decorate for Christmas is when the weather is still nice.  So come in and get your preferred greenery and decorate now.   You will be so glad you did before the cold and snow and frozen fingers occur.  
 

 

 

We Had Beautiful Fall Color

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

The spectacular fall color put on by blazing trees and shrubs is just about over. The color was outstanding this year. Aspens were a brilliant yellow with tints of orange;  maples were everything from yellow orange to red; beech trees turned red, and a host of other trees and shrubs contributed to the array of fall color.   One of the most spectacular trees planted by a staff person last year was an Autumn Radiance tree. The color on this tree is just amazing, a neon glowing red. Plus this leaf color held on for over two weeks.  Another staff person planted a Brandywine a few years ago and it is putting on a show of fiery red. If you did any leaf peeping this fall and fell in love with some of those colorful trees, stop in now as we may have a tree or two left, otherwise next year get that fall color tree planted so you, too, can enjoy that fall color right in your own yard.

Click on the name of the tree below and you will find more information on this tree.

 

 

Last Chance: Hurry In!

Posted on by Beth

 

Tick tock, tick tock!  ⏰ ⏰

The time is drawing near to Halloween and before you know it, Thanksgiving! Have you decorated your home yet? If not, never fear, Trees Today is here! We still have a great assortment of decorating and Halloween pumpkins still available. Stop in and grab yours before you are left behind in the great decorating race.

 

Wilt Pruf & Why You Need It

Posted on by Alexis Stout

If you, like many folks this season, had one or a few too many plants struggle with this season’s drought or you want to prepare your new plants for winter, then you may want to look at applying Wilt Pruf to your plants.

Wilt Pruf can keep plants healthy year-round, providing multiple layers of protection against transplant stress, seasonal drought, and winter burn. A few items that Wilt Pruf can be applied to include boxwood, rhododendrons, and evergreens. It can also be used on your holiday decorations too! Extend the life of your garland, wreaths, porch pots, and Christmas Tree! 

Wilt Pruf should be applied to the point of run off and allowed to dry outdoors in daylight for 3 to 4 hours. One application will last three to four months.

Make a plan to stop at the garden center and pick up a bottle of Wilt Pruf for year-round protection for your plants.

Wilt Pruf Ready to Use or Concentrate

Fall Tree Protection

Posted on by Beth

Fall is in full swing. As you begin to check off your fall to-do lists around the yard, don’t forget to protect your trees for winter. What exactly are you protecting your trees from you may ask?

Young trees benefit from having their trunks protected with either a trunk guard or tree wrap. This protective covering keeps deer from rubbing their horns and tearing the bark during rut and rabbits from potentially girdling your trees.

Another benefit of protecting your trees is reducing the risk of sun scald. Sun scald occurs during winter when the sun’s heat reflects off the snow, warming the bark, and the trunk freezes overnight. This repeated thaw and freeze can cause a crack to form and the bark peels away from the tree. This result does not threaten the tree but is typically an eyesore.

We can help you cross off this task from your list! We have both tree wrap and guards in stock.

The breathable fabric tree wrap comes as a 3″x50′ roll and the corrugated tree guards come in sizes of 2″ diameter up to 4″ diameter to fit a large assortment of trees.

Stop at the garden center and let our staff assist you in protecting your trees for fall and winter.

 

Fabric Tree Wrap 3″x50′ Roll

Trunk Guards Available in 2″-4″ Diameters

Fall Planting

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Why Plant in Fall?

There are many reasons.  The soil is still warm enough to encourage roots to grow whereas in spring the soil is still warming up from the winter.  Due to the fact that the plant no longer produces many flowers or foliage, the plant is able to spend a lot of its energy building roots.  There is less shock and stress to the plant as it is about to go into dormancy.  Planting in fall gives your plant a 6 month head start against spring plantings.  Your plants will have less insects to deal with.  Then there are the benefits of less weeds and less watering.

Fall is also a time to divide some  perennials.  Some perennials that benefit from dividing in fall are asters, native coneflowers, monardas (bee balms), day lilies, liatris, peonies, black eyed susans, garden phlox and creeping phox, siberian iris, bearded iris and veronica.  This is not an all inclusive list but tries to list the most common perennials.  If you are unsure if your plant should be divided in fall, google the plant or talk to a knowledgeable person.

Fall planting is not just for perennials, but shrubs and trees also benefit from fall planting.

Our nursery still has lots of perennials in stock available for immediate planting.  Stop in before fall turns into winter.

 

Ornamental Grasses

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Did you know that there are cool season ornamental grasses and warm season ornamental grasses? Following are some warm and cool season grasses.  The ornamental grasses we carry are all clump forming meaning that every few years they should be divided to prevent  no grass growing in the middle of the clump.

Cool Season Ornamental Grasses:
These grasses start growing in early spring, usually erupting from the ground in May. They generally are shorter then the warm season grasses. When the weather becomes very hot and dry they will go dormant.   Cool season grasses generally start blooming late June or early July. Some cool season grasses that we carry and are in stock are:

Karl Foerster feather reed grass

Avalanche Feather Reed Grass
Photo courtesy of  Baileys

 

Warm Season Ornamental Grasses
These grasses usually do not erupt from the ground until Late May or June, or when the soil has warmed up.

Miscanthus Flame Grass
Photo courtesy of Baileys

Northwind Switch Grass
Photo by Trees Today Nursery

 

Switchgrass Shenandoah. Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery

Prairie Dropseed grass
Photo courtesy of Baileys Nursery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Heaven Little Bluestem,  Photo courtesy of Baileys Nursery

Red Silver Japanese Grass, Photo courtesy of Baileys Nursery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Monet Purple Effect Weigela

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

We have a new weigela in stock. My Monet Purple Effect Weigela gets abundant pink flowers in late spring. Its’ neat variegated leaves start off green with white edges and eventually takes on purple tones as the growing season progresses. This plant is great for borders, mass plantings and containers as it only grows to about a foot and half in height and two feet wide.  Click here for more information on this plant.

My Monet Purple Effect Weigela.   Photo courtesy of Proven Winners or www.provenwinners.com

 

 

My Monet Purple Effect Weigela.       Photo courtesy of Proven Winners or www.provenwinners.com