November 4, 2003
	Renee, St. Charles - I live in a fairly new subdivision and the trees that were planted by the builder seem to be struggling. I have noticed that the root ball seems to be higher above the ground than other trees I have seen elsewhere.
	It is fairly common in new subdivisions or in places where there is an abundance of heavy clay in the soil to plant trees shallow. In most cases it is to help prevent water from pooling around the root ball and causing rot. Clay soils do not provide adequate drainage. The other problem that can happen is that because the trees are planted shallow they may drop out or be blown over by wind. I would recommend that you check the stability of the tree to see if it needs any temporary support. If support is needed be careful not to cut, bind or unnecessarily pull stakes and guide wires too tight. In areas where the line meets the tree you should cover the line with a piece of a hose or pond tubing to prevent abrasions to the bark. Monitor these contact points periodically to prevent binding from new growth or pest infestation. To help give the tree more stable moisture conditions check the soil around the root ball. Is it holding/pooling water after you run the hose around the dish for 15 - 20 minutes? Does it run off the sides of the dish? Evaluate this 25- 35 minutes after watering. In Spring, be sure the tree is mulched well at all times with 2-3 inches of good mulch e.g. cedar, cypress, pine, etc. Increase the size of the dish around the tree. I like to go at least one foot of dish from the center of trunk for each inch of trunk diameter. Remove any grass, and then turn the soil gently. Do not disturb the root ball. Amend any clay soil around previous dish with sand and or gypsum. Use one cup per 3-4 square feet. Apply any organic matter - i.e. fresh top soil or well composted organic. Feed the tree with appropriate food spikes i.e. deciduous, fruit, evergreen or favorite all-purpose fertilizer. If you are not sure, stop by the Barn Owl and we can set you up with the right fertilizer. Monitor the soil conditions around the tree yearly and repeat process in spring to condition dish soil as needed. Concentrate on outer edges of dish as tree grows - avoid root damage.
	Ken, West Chicago - I have a compost pile made from an old wire dog run. I have been adding debris on a regular basis, but it doesn't seem to be breaking down.
	It is probable that you may have too much air circulation if all sides are exposed especially if the pile has pockets of brush that are causing dryness. Turn your pile with a pitchfork, water well and add Hi-Yield Compost Maker as directed on package. You may also want to add some cardboard to a couple sides of your wire to speed up the process. Keep the pile moist and turn weekly if possible.
	Clark, Carol Stream - I have some fairly new flowerbeds that are not yet established. I removed all the grass before planting, added some topsoil and mulch but the ground doesn't seem to hold any moisture. There are some spots where the ground is cracked.
	Soil preparation and maintenance is critical for a successful garden. It sounds as if you need a lot more organic matter in your soil. When adding new soil to beds the best success is achieved with a mix of 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 mushroom compost and 1/3 peat/sand mix. Work this into existing bed; mixing the old soil with the new. Be sure to break down any clumps of dirt. I like to broadcast gypsum between the steps of turning and breaking the clumps. Soil Maintenance - You may want to keep the above materials on hand and add more to your beds with any opportunity i.e. planting new plants, dividing plants, weeding and cultivating. Fertilizing is important in mulched beds because wood mulch tends to remove nitrogen from the soil during the decomposition process. A good all-purpose fertilizer (13-13-13) will help keep your soil healthy. A light broadcast at 6-week intervals during the early and mid-growing season.
	Mona, Winfield - I would like to re-do my shade garden and need some ideas on different types of plants to use. My garden now consists primarily of hostas.
	There are so many shade-loving plants to choose. Some old and new favorites you may want to consider: Sweet Woodruff/sweet hay - very nice low foreground plant for the borders. It gets about 4 - 6 inches tall. Early Spring blooms of white that resemble Alyssum. It is great for deep shade/part sun and wooded areas. It thrives in mulchy soil. It has shallow roots and looks great in masses. This is a non-evasive plant but does spread. Virginia Blue Bells - Very early Spring cluster of wide leaves resembling leafy lettuce followed by clusters of blue flowers that last for weeks. Blooms eventually fade to pink/white. Shortly after blooms are gone, the entire plant dies back, leaving little or no clean up. These plants do re-seed themselves if flower stalks are left to decompose. Great plants to combine with a late perennial that will fill in an area once the Bluebells are gone for the season. Great companion plant for daffodils, ferns and early tulips. If you buy the Bluebells already potted, plant the contents without disturbing the tuber and you will enjoy the very early Spring beauty this plant provides. Pulmonaria/Lungwarts - Another early Spring plant that is great for the shade and proven to be reliable. Depending on the variety it will provide Clear Blue, raspberry or white flowers 5-6 inches tall on a low side strappy leaved plant. This plant provides continual interest even after blooms are gone with speckled leaves or silver variegations. Of the dozed or so varieties of this plant, the most desirable would be "Mrs. Mom" or "Spilled Milk". Great foreground garden plant in groups of three. Fantastic combination with tulips and daffodils. Rudbeckia "Goldstrum"/Black-eyed Susan - Yes, Virginia Susan's do bloom in the shade. They may bloom a few weeks later in the shade but provide a bright yellow contrast in dark shade gardens. The will bloom late summer and they will grow to approximately one foot tall. Great for middle or backdrop garden bed plant. "Goldstrum" has strong weatherproof stems that will not flower like many of the other varieties of Susan's. Shake Root/"Cumici Fugo" - Plants emerge early in Spring from the ground in a contorted fashion. They are dominant over small weeds but are not overly invasive to other plants. They will get 3-4 feet white spires in mid-summer that provide a great backdrop in perennial gardens. The spent blooms also provide for Winter interest in the garden. Goat's Bear/ "Aruncus" - Very Similar to Snake Root in appearance. The leaf is a deeper cut and slightly hairy. It's a great companion plant to Shake Root. I usually plant it behind Snake Root in sweeps. It blooms two weeks earlier than Snake Root with a similar but more feathery flower. The combination of the two plants can provide almost a month of bloom as a background garden perennial.