We have all heard the old saying, “Let’s get to the root of the problem.” As a horticulturist, that simple phrase takes on a very deep meaning (no pun intended). Many of the plant problems I deal with every day have their origins at least partially in the root system. When it comes to older trees, root problems become a huge factor.

When a tree is under stress, most people notice the above the ground symptoms first and blame them on insects or diseases. It is easy to see wilting leaves, dying branches and loss of vigor. However when a large, established tree begins to slowly die over several years, the cause may lie hidden in the ground. The symptoms may arise from a much misunderstood area called the root zone.

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Anyone who has ever experienced the blisters, swelling, and extreme itching from an unfortunate encounter with poison ivy, learns quickly to avoid it whenever possible. It grows in non-cultivated sites, such as along stream banks, roadways, fence rows, and woodlands. The nasty weed can even make an appearance in your ornamental shrub or perennial borders especially in hosta or other woodland based areas. Therefore, knowing how to identify and control poison ivy are the best defenses against accidental contact and nights of itching and scratching.

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Note: If you stumbled onto this page because you are a fan of The Grateful Dead and are, therefore, a Deadhead, you probably need to move on.

When flowers begin to drop their petals, it is a signal that the plant is ready to set seed and, generally, to stop producing blooms. In nature, that is just fine since the primary goal of the plant is to produce seed to guarantee another generation and continuation of the species. However, in our gardens, we just want the plants to persist in producing flowers for as long as possible.

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It is common for people to say that they are going to “feed their plants” with fertilizers. As with many aspects of our relationship with the plant world, we often find ourselves thinking that plants live and grow the same way animals do. We need to remember that plants do things very differently.

Fertilizing a plant is not the same as feeding a pig or a cat or ourselves. Animals take in carbohydrates, proteins and sugars and during digestion, break them back down into their component parts. The body then uses these elements to build muscle, organs and other tissues. The energy that is released in this process came originally from the sun…through plants. Remember that the steak you are eating came from a cow that ate plants. That fish may have been a predator that ate other fish but somewhere down the food chain, it began with something that was a vegetarian.

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