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About Hardy Shrub Roses
About Heathers
About Flowering Crabs
wildlife habitat
Annuals Biennials Perennials
Culinary Herbs
The Healing Herbs
The Fragrant Herbs
Shakespearean and Bible Herbs
Do you Really Need A Tiller
Insect Attack
Flowers for Cutting
Pruning Pointers
Houseplants Clean the Air
Recipes Fresh from the Garden
The Gold Plated Gardener
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| About Flowering Crabs |
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| Flowering crabs are among the most beautiful and desirable landscape trees. They are a mass of white to pink to deep rose bloom in May, flowering so profusely that the foliage becomes practically invisible. Some have bronze to purple summer foliage; all change color in fall. Flowering crabs bear fall and winter fruit about 1/2" in diameter (they look like cherries) ranging from bright orange to glossy red, making them truly a four-season tree. The colorful fruits add fall and winter interest to the trees, and they persist until they are finally taken by birds in late winter. One of the best features of these trees is their modest size. Unlike some shade trees (which can grow to 60' and overwhelm a site or interfere with power lines), flowering crabs reach a mature size of 20-25', which makes them ideal for the typical home landscape or city street. Some are even miniatures--adaptable to very small spaces. Flowering crabs come in a wide array of mature sizes and shapes, from upright to vase-shaped to rounded, weeping, or spreading. When choosing a crab, most people focus on flower color, but remember: the tree will be in bloom only a little over two weeks in spring. The other 50 weeks of the year, you will be looking at foliage and branches. Please consider not only the flower color but the shape and structure of the mature tree. We like to show our customers silhouettes of trees at maturity--when they see these, they usually have a clear preference. Ask at your local nursery for the same service. Ask also about disease resistance. Most nurseries are aware of those trees that are prone to fire blight, and reputable outlets will carry only those trees that are proven resistant to this and other common diseases. Flowering crabs will do best in a sunny location with moist but well-drained soil. They will not thrive in soggy soil--in fact, no fruit tree likes wet feet and most will not survive in these conditions. Like any other tree or shrub, your crab needs a deep watering a couple of times the first week after planting, and faithfully once a week thereafter. No daily sprinkles! After the first growing season, your tree should be well established, and watering in the second season should not be necessary. If you choose to mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture, do keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the trunk to discourage insects and mice, and mulch just enough to keep weeds down--your tree's roots need oxygen! We also recommend placing a mouse guard around the trunk in late fall. These inexpensive plastic tubes are your insurance policy against rodent damage. Mice like to tunnel under the snow in winter when food is scarce, and eat the tender bark of young trees. If they girdle your tree, which they frequently do, the tree will die. Spend a few pennies and take a few minutes to protect your investment! We recommend you remove mouse guards in spring and replace them again in fall. During the summer, they provide an ideal habitat for damaging insects. You're better off to remove them--unless you have a teenage user of a weed-whacker! |
| Palmyra | ME | 04965-4033 |
 shepherdsgdn@hotmail.com |
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| Visitors: 02481 |