Cercidiphyllum japonicum-Katsura Tree
My first encounter with Katsura occurred in the spring of 2004 at the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, PA. It was a cold, windy day with nary a leaf in site on this massive, multi trunked, furrow barked, deciduous tree and yet I knew I was going to like him. Native to Japan and China, this handsome fellow has a season long color transformation that makes this a tree more than worthy of yard space. The decidedly heart-shaped, Redbud-like leaves start out reddish green in early spring giving way to bright green in late spring to blue-green in summer and finally a bright yellow to apricot a few weeks before leaf drop.
In addition to its lovely leaves this quirky tree gives off a sweet, cotton candy-like scent as it matures and ripens in late summer. But where exactly on the leaf this yummy odor comes from is a mystery. You can burry your face in the foliage but the scent will evade you. You can crush a bucket of leaves in your hands and you still won't smell it. You can even stuff a leaf up your nose and yet no scent will be detected. But if you happen to race by it on the mower, in preparation for Sunday company, wafts of sweet candy scent will hit you in the face.
Katsura likes full sun to part shade and a moist-ish soil. He can withstand zone 4-8 and a variety of soil pH. Pyramidal in shape while young and generally multi-trunked, Katsura can reach an impressive 40-60' high with a generous 20-60' spread to create a lovely, sweetly scented, shade tree perfectly appropriate to sit under and sniff.
My one brief encounter with Katsura that cold windy day, even in the face of all its early spring nakedness, made me completely smitten and I think you will be too.
|
|
|
Q: How to Grow Everbearing Raspberries
|
A: Raspberries are a very rewarding and easy to grow fruit for the home garden. Once established, you can expect a generous crop every year.
Growing Requirements and Bed Preparation
-Choose a site in full sun that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day in a well-drained area of your yard.
-Get a soil test to determine soil fertility and pH, which should be around 6.0.
-Remove grass in planting bed then dig in a generous amount of organic cow manure and compost to a depth of 8-12" (10 lbs per square yard).
-Because you will be eating this crop, only organic fertilizers will do. To provide enough nutrients consider using natural products like rock powders, seaweed, worm casting and alfalfa meal for healthier plants and more flavorful fruit. Take extra time to prepare the bed now and the rest will be as easy as raspberry pie.
How many canes, how far apart?
-Raspberries multiply with gusto throwing out new canes (plants) by underground runners. Where one is planted a half dozen or more will show up next year so you need only a few to get started. (10 plants can produce up to 1 gallon of raspberries per season).
-Plant canes 2' apart with 6' between rows if you can spare the space. This allows for easier harvesting and more light and air circulation in and around all your plants.
-Stake plants to keep canes off ground during fruiting or let your crop go natural it's up to you.
Maintenance
-Everbearing raspberries should be pruned in spring by taking out dead canes and trimming back healthy canes to about 5' tall.
-Irrigate deeply while plants are flowering and fruiting.
-Fertilizer each spring with a balanced organic fertilizer (like alfalfa meal and seaweed) and topdress with compost.
-Mulch after new canes have been planted to conserve moisture.
Enjoy.
|
|
|
