Question: 405-3410
Our wisteria has not bloomed since we planted four years ago. What can I do to get blooms? Arlene, Ledyard, CT

Mort's Answer:
Wisteria can take up to seven years before blooming. You can speed the process by adding a high middle number fertilizer like 5-10-10. Put a half dozen holes about 2 feet from the trunk that go done a foot. Place the fertilizer in the holes. Cutting the ends will help strengthen the ranches.

back to top

Question: 5-5201
Can I keep my Alberta Spruce trimmed as a dwarf plant? It is in a 13 inch pot. Elaine, Norwich, CT

Mort's Answer:
Alberta Spruce will not survive as a patio plant in zone 6. Roots will freeze dry. Picies glauca conica is vulnerable to spider mite in hotter climes. Although it is a dwarf spruce, it can grow to ten to twelve feet in 25 years. It does not need to be trimmed and it is often used as a Christmas tree. Alberta Spruce has a natural conical growth pattern. There is a dwarf Norway Spruce that only grows to a foot high. P.abies pygmaea could be completely covered with straw and burlap for the winter but it too prefers to be in a garden. Several other Norway Spruce would not grow as tall as the Alberta Spruce. P.abies compacta has a globe shape. P.abies gregoryana grows to two feet with crowded pale branches. P.abies nana has yellow-orange leaves and grows to two feet. A very dense P.abies maxwelli has a flat form and grows to two feet. Since Noway Spruce grow to 150 feet, these varieties are truly dwarf. Spruce prefer an acid soil and urns are alkaline and too restrictive of the roots.

back to top

Question: 150-5201
Can we trim Alberta Spruce ? Jack, Mystic, CT

Mort's Answer:
It is not necessary. Picea glauca conica has a naturally compact dense growth pattern. You will not harm the plant with trimming in the summer. We have a Christmas tree type of plant. It is about a third brown. We found some insects on the plant by tapping a branch onto a white piece of paper. We sprayed with Diazonin and the bugs have seemed to disappear.

back to top

Question: 151-5201
There is some growths that look like peppercorns near the joints of branches. What should we do? Angela, CT

Mort's Answer:
My educated guess is that you have Alberta Spruce . All spruce are subject to galls and red spider mites. Mites are detectable by using a white piece of paper under a branch. Red blotches will appear on the paper. The peppercorns are galls, which are egg nests for aphids or some other insect. Remove the galls and spray with Kelthane or some other miticide. Follow directions on the label.

back to top

Question: 97-5201
I¹ve got three American Chestnuts that are loaded with chestnuts. They are almost hitting the ground. When should I pick them? Are they edible? Can I cut the lower branches? Mary, Waterford, CT

Mort's Answer:
Usually, when the first frost hits or when the chestnuts start falling is the best time to pick the chestnuts. American chestnuts are now generally 15/16 ths because of the cross breeding to build resistance to the blight. You are fortunate to have one of the new breed. Yes, they are edible and can be used with coffee, if ground. Some folks add a confectionery glaze to the whole nut. Chinese chestnuts are bitter by comparison but are also edible. Italian or Spanish chestnuts are the ones most available as roasted chestnuts in New York. You can cut the lower branches, if you prefer the tree form. I like to prune in the late fall or early winter. You should paint the cuts to prevent infections from the fungus.

back to top

Question: 11-5201
The lightening split our apple right down the middle. Will I have any apples and should I cut it down now? Sharon, Hastings, NEB

Mort's Answer:
I would cut the lesser half off at the stem. Use tree wax over the cut. Also apply tree wax over the exposed split that is left. Can you save it? Maybe. Should you try? Yes. You will need to fertilize as instructed in the above question. You will need to prune more severely because a lot of energy will be needed to restore the tree to health. The apples will ripen but they may be a lot smaller unless you do the recommended treatment soon.

back to top

Question: 80-5201
When is the best time to trim evergreens like arborvitae? James Morristown, TN

Mort's Answer:
You should wait until the new growth has fully emerged. At that time, you can cut the protruding tips of the branches. You should cut the Junipers, yews, Chaemycyparis, arborvitae and the like at least 4 times a year, if you want them to maintain their shapes. Pine, spruce and firs can be cut in the late fall each year. I rarely cut my pines and like evergreens at all. Since I do not try to keep the tight shapes on the arborvitae like evergreens, I will generally cut just their tips during the summer months. You must be careful not to cut too deeply into arborvitae and other hedge type candidates. If you will notice that inside these finely sheared specimens, there are no leaves. Since the sunlight cannot penetrate beyond the tight growth, there isn¹t any chlorophyll being manufactured by the plants. If you cut beyond this stage, you can severely damage your plants, especially in the winter and early spring. On pines and their like, the branches are further apart and most often growth can be regenerated in the interior. It is no problem with deciduous trees and shrubs, if you cut them back a foot or so.

back to top