Who's ready for a for a sneak peak of 2020? I have been very busy getting ready for next year, and I thought this was a perfect time to spill some of my excitement over to you. As the nursery industry moves forward, we here at Christensen’s want to move forward as well. So allow me to introduce you to some of the new stuff out there, as well as maybe a few older items that will be new to us.

(In no particular order)

Physocarpus Summer Wine® Black: Ho-Hum... just another dark leafed Nine-Bark. Nope! These guys clearly stand out and make a mark. The foliage is so much darker and slightly shiny. They stood out across 3 large nursery blocks of plants!

Thuja occidentalis Tater Tot®: The name alone makes it a must-have! I really like the look of this one. Although a dwarf (reaching 1-2’ tall) it is considered a faster grower than a 'Hetz Midget' or 'Danica'.

Pinus Mugo var. Mugo ‘Slowmound’ and ‘Enci’: Although not new to the world these will be new to us. ‘Slowmound’ will eventually reach 4’ tall, but it will take 20-40 years to do so. The ‘Enci’ (which has a normal mugo growth rate) will only reach 2-3’ tall. (As a comparison, a “Mugo” will reach about 20’ tall and P. m. ‘Pumilo will reach 5’ tall)

Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis’: This one is getting awards from all over – so I had to sneak in what few I could this fall for some division work. I honestly don’t think there are any left as I think the employees around here now have them in their own gardens! I am on the hunt for more! It is a medium sized (6-10” tall) Sedum with incredible serrated cream variegated leaves tinged slightly pink. I am guessing it flowers but who cares.

New Ilex verticillata? Really?? Yep! I am sorry to all the ‘Red Sprite’ aficionados but I have found a new love affair. Ilex verticillata Berry Heavy®. It is a fall and winter showstopper! Huge masses of red berries are spectacular. Also new is Ilex v. Little Goblin® Red: It has extra-large reddish orange berries on a dwarf 3-5’ tall plant. (Both can be pollinated by ‘Jim Dandy’.)

Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’: Another WOW! This Bluestem emerges deep green to dark purple in the late spring. As the summer progresses the grass gets darker and darker, finally ending up nearly black by fall. At about 5’ tall and very upright this grass looks best en masse. PS Did I tell you that it also has awesome red-purple flowers to sway in the breeze?

I am saving the rest for next year’s surprise!

One of the biggest hurdles for planting in the urban environment is soil compaction. Heavy equipment used during the building process, or for mowing and landscaping, can cause the soil to become so compacted as to not allow roots to spread, not allow water to be absorbed or drain away, deprive the plant of oxygen in the root zone, and subsequently not allow nutrient absorption. Even foot traffic causes significant compaction. Some of the largest trees in the world have been killed by the foot traffic of people coming to see the tree, and steps have to be taken to protect them. When your dog runs the same path over and over the grass doesn’t grow due to compaction, and even animals as small as squirrels and chipmunks can make tiny trails where plants don’t grow.

One of the best methods of addressing soil compaction is a process called vertical mulching. It’s a form of aerating similar to the plugs pulled out by lawn aerating, just on a bigger scale. It’s done by drilling holes, ideally with a two inch diameter auger (something heavy duty) in a grid pattern with the holes 2 feet apart and up to two feet deep. Obviously call Miss Dig to locate utilities (248-370-6400 or 800-482-7171), and be prepared to do some irrigation repairs if necessary.

This is how it helps. Immediately it allows oxygen, water, and added nutrients access to the plants root zone. This is just the beginning of a long lasting process. In the winter, water freezes in the holes and expands causing the soil to fracture. These fractures in turn fill with water, freeze, expand, and cause further fracturing. The more this happens, the more oxygen and water are available in the root zone. The longer the holes can be kept open, the longer the process will go on. They can be kept open by adding aggregate or using soil aeration tubes (see photo). The tubes may not be cost effective for large areas, but they are better than aggregate as they leave the hole completely open to allow more water and air to reach the root zone. Also, they are capped against debris filling them up and can be uncapped to add nutrients. Eventually roots will render them useless, but by then they will have done their job.

As far as drilling the holes, you can do it manually using the biggest electric drill you can find. I rented one once that had two handles like a jackhammer with the trigger in one of the handles. A posthole digger on a tractor or other piece of equipment would work well for large areas.

For lawn aeration, pulling plugs is an excellent option for lawn health (note: this should be done when the ground is moist so the plug can be cleanly removed), but for landscape beds vertical mulching is the best method to properly aerate, and if done manually can be done in established beds. Using this method you can overcome the hurdle of soil compaction and your plants will thank you for it by growing big and beautiful.

I still remember planting my first serviceberry with my dad a long time ago – actually, a very long time ago. What struck me most were the many names for the same plant – Amelanchier canandensis, Shadblow, Juneberry, Serviceberry. Somewhat unusual at that time, little did I realize what a high-demand plant it would become. Therein lies the problem. It seems no matter how many are brought in every year we quickly run out. Landscape contractors, designers, and architects ignore so many other great similar-usage plants. Even when repeatedly told we are out till fall dig season, the requests keep coming. There are many good substitutes. In fact, there are many plants that would be better first choices!

Even more shade tolerant than Amelanchier are witchhazels. Larger, fall-blooming, native Hamamelis virginiana could match serviceberry with respect to growth rate and size. H. vernalis and the many crosses of H. mollis and chinensis (i.e.’ Diana, Jelena, Arnold Promise,’ et al.) are slower-growing but offer patio shade and a much greater color range. Native multi-stemmed dogwoods (Cornus florida and fl. ‘Rubra’) give a layered look; same usage but different than the arched or cascading habit of A. canadensis.

Also, a terribly-ignored, rugged, and problem-free group of plants are the Wrinkled Viburnums. In particular, Viburnum rhytidophyllum, Leatherleaf, and V. x rhytidophylloides ‘Willowwood’ are monsters. Achieving height and spread toward fifteen feet, they have an arching habit and are semi-evergreen. These offer spring flower, fruit, fall color, (and winter foliage interest).

A perfect match for Amelanchier ‘Rainbow Pillar’ is Cornus mas ‘Golden Glory.’ This Male Dogwood is very hardy and an early bloomer not usually susceptible to freeze damage. It has exfoliating bark and edible fruit. Its structure provides great winter interest.

Another easy sub for Amelanchier is Viburnum prunifolium, native Blackhaw, large, global, and a great bird attractor. A shrub easily surpassing fifteen feet in height and spread.

So, yes, there is life after serviceberries. I can't promise you that these or any other plants are going to be in stock when you are looking for substitutions, so don't be afraid to consider other options. Let's enhance our landscapes in terms of variety and plant health!

Christensen’s Plant Center is very excited to welcome "Brutus" to our hard-working family. But first, let me tell you about some of our other family members.

Each one of these family members was selected to make getting your landscape material to you efficiently and professionally. There are: Betsey, Agnes, Orange Crush, Big Blue, The Twins, Red Brick, Gray Flat, Lola Ryder, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 - among others. Obviously some of us here like nicknames and in this case we have given nicknames to most of our delivery equipment.

We have three box trailers that each have drop decks and large side doors to make unloading much easier. We have five flatbed trailers designed to haul large loads of trees, shrubs and other nursery stock. We have two more flats that are designed to haul brick, wall block and other hardscape materials while toting one of our two Moffett forklift machines that we use to unload hardscape product for you on your job site.

We currently have five semi-trucks ranging from Ol’ Betsey, the matriarch of our fleet, to the Twin Freightliners, to Agnes - our first heavy hauler - and finally, our newest member, Brutus.

Brutus is a real life Michigan Special. He's a 13 speed, 18K front axle with 44K rears. 575HP with turbos that whistle when idling. Brutus is set to haul the biggest of brick loads without breaking a sweat. He’s a prefect addition to our BIG truck family.

So no matter what landscape material you need or where you need it, we have a family member to get it to you.

As a welcome to the family celebration, if you tell your salesperson that “Brutus is a Brute” we will waive the delivery charge on your next delivery. This offer is limited to one per customer and only good until 11-29-2019.

Coming soon to our family... “Axle"... Stay tuned.

My youngest daughter loves to do arts and crafts. Her favorite part of the project has always been to add “bling” to whatever it may be. Her material of choice varies between glitter, jewels, bows and stickers. It’s just not complete until it sparkles and shines like something out of a Glamour magazine. She enhances just about everything, including my dog! She likes to add her personal touch, make it look better than what it was, and I say why not?

As hardscape and landscape designers, do you have a certain type of  “bling” that is specific to your projects?

I can't talk to you about all the different things you can do with plants, shrubs and ornamentals as I have very little experience in that department, although we do have over a dozen highly knowledgeable sales staff that do. What I can talk to you about is brick. With so many different sizes, colors, shapes and textures it’s not hard to find a way to enhance any size or type of project. However, there is so much more to work with than just the concrete product itself, so let me enlighten you.

Yes, that was a well-placed pun, but seriously, lights can make a HUGE difference in any hardscape or landscape project. You can bling out a wall, walkway or outdoor living space very easily with LED step lights and up lights. We have pillar cap lights and wall sconce lights, color changing bulbs and wireless control features. You could add more illumination with a natural gas or propane fire pit or fire bowl. We stock many types of Firegear products that will add some more sizzle so your pazizzle doesn’t fizzle. Speaking of fire, how about a pizza oven with a fireplace, already scratch-coated and ready to install into the brick or stone of your choice? Maybe that’s a bit too hot, so cool it down with a fountain or small waterfall kit. They are easy to maintain and easy to install, which makes them an easy sell.

With so many types of enhancements available, finding the right one should not be hard. Many of these upgrades can be added to existing projects and what better way to reach out to your previous customers then to show them new shiny “bling”. Show them that they can sit outside by a fire, change their lights to match their college team’s colors and wait for a pizza to finish cooking all while listening to the big game.

I have a problem. One the one hand, I have landscaping that I like to keep looking, well, ornamental. On the other hand, I prefer to avoid using herbicides and insecticides whenever possible. Now factor in the lack of gardening time that comes with working at a nursery and you can guess what my yard looks like by summer.

A lot of weeding can be avoided by keeping beds mulched, but what about driveways and paths? You can pull the weeds, if you can find the time to stay ahead of them. You can treat with herbicide, and depending on what product you choose, deal with too little - or too much - control. Or... you can do it the fun way - with a propane torch.

Editor's note: CPC is not endorsing this method. Use caution if you decide to try it.

What I like about this method is the instant results and minimal regrowth that comes with superheating the ground, simultaneously cooking weed roots AND seeds lying in wait. The crackling flame as your enemy combusts is also quite satisfying. You'll want to do this on a windless day, to avoid getting into trouble with smoke or sparks.

It should be noted that this is a two-man job, one person running the torch and the other manning the hose. Thoroughly douse everything down after the torch passes so you don't accidentally burn down the neighborhood. I am not kidding about this.

• Always stand with your back to desirable plantings. The HEAT is doing the killing and there can be a five-foot zone of death in front of your torch. (Don't ask me how I know this.) And look up - heat rises.
• Use a board as a heat shield to protect the edges of beds or ornamental fencing. 

• Work slowly and methodically and watch the breeze. If it gets windy you must stop!
• Water the ground the day before. You want green, short weeds, and seeds will cook better in moist ground. Do not use a torch on tall, dry weeds.
• Hose down everything thoroughly as you go so nothing is left smoldering.
• Be sure to have a spare, full tank in case you run out of propane before you finish your area.
• Older, tougher weeds can re-sprout, go back in a week or two and re-treat.
• Do not burn poison ivy - the smoke is toxic if inhaled.

The torch has an adjustment dial on the wand, you want to keep your flame just large enough to burn invisibly but not go out. As the pressure drops you can turn the dial to get more oomph. If your tank ices up stop and defrost it to get some pressure back.

This technique takes a little practice and is not for the faint of heart, but can't be beat for fast cleanups of driveways, paths, and paved areas. The torch shown is designed for clearing large areas, there are others on the market that have a smaller, more targeted flame.

We do this all the time!

We over use, we abuse, we’re in a hurry, and we’re lazy! The landscape/nursery industry is a repeat offender! We have our “go-to,” easy-money plants. On the surface that doesn’t seem to be a bad thing. Almost every contractor has their favorite group of plants; almost every contractor is stuck in some sort of rut! Week after week we get the same list from contractors. Only the numbers change!

Need proof? Recent history provides great examples! Let’s start with the Green Ash. (I hope you don’t need an explanation!) Another great example is the Norway Maple. Our storage field used to have hundreds of Norways of many varieties. It’s “go-to-ness” turned it into an invasive species banned from most cities due to its ability to reseed into alleys and easement areas. The resulting offspring were often not very landscape worthy. Tree growers were left with fields of trees with no market in which to sell them!

Looming on the horizon is the fate of the beloved Callery Pear. The Bradford Pear’s (a.k.a. “Banana-Split Pear”) popularity succumbed to the hyper-popular Cleveland Pear. It’s been the near-perfect tree: Popular, household recognition! Transplanting into most any soil, great form, great bloom quality, and rich, long-lasting fall color!

The overuse of this species has led to outbreaks of Pear Rust, and its ability to reseed has begun to clog open spaces with again undesirable offspring. States and cities have begun restricting its usage. And then there’s probable, correcting fireblight….

What’s next? Will growers develop a truly seedless Callery? Or, what will be the new big seller? Haven’t we learned anything? We don’t need another “go-to” plant. This industry needs good practices and diversity!

We already offer a number of trees that would substitute well for the Cleveland Pear. Some of these are:

•  Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’
•  Acer saccharum ‘Legacy’

• Acer x freemanii Armstrong’
• Amelanchier laevis ‘Cumulus’
• Carpinus caroliniana

• Cornus mas ‘Golden Glory’
• Ostrya virginiana
• Syringa reticulata ‘Ivory Silk’

• Taxodium distichum ‘Shawnee Brave’

Resist the temptation, don’t be a repeat offender! Mix it up out there!

So, you’re ready to install some landscaping. What plants should you use, where, and how many? 

First thing to consider is the environment

Shady, sunny, windy, sandy, clay, deer ridden, salty… all of these conditions can exist on the same property. It is important to choose plants that prefer the environment you are dealing with.

Every environment has plants that love it

You will need to know how the sun is tracking and consider existing large trees or other plants to know which areas will be sunny, shady, or both. Some plants are excellent for adapting to several different conditions. For instance,  Diervilla (bush honeysuckle) grows in sun, shade, dry soil, alkaline soil, or acidic soil, and is deer resistant.

Draw your plan to scale using plant's mature sizes

Plan your landscape, on paper, to scale, and draw your plants at mature or near mature size. Scale is important for determining how much material you will need. Drawing plants at mature size will avoid overcrowding, and that in turn reduces maintenance as the plants have the room they need to grow and don’t have to be chopped into ugly unnatural shapes to control their size. This way, instead of becoming overgrown and ugly and needing redoing, your landscape will continue to improve with age.

Use garden art or boulders to fill in gaps while plants grow

If this leaves some open spots while you’re waiting for the plants to grow, these are perfect spots for garden art, sculptures, containers, bird baths, fountains, and accent boulders. Accent boulders are usually a good idea intermingled with large perennial beds to maintain some visual interest in the winter.

Use some evergreens for winter interest

And speaking of which, plant some evergreens so you have some winter color, and leave your ornamental grasses up until spring for some winter interest.

Use beds large enough to layer different sizes of plants

Another good reason to know how big your plants are going to get, aside from overcrowding, is so you can plant "stadium seating" style. Taller plants in the back, shorter in front.

Follow these guidelines, and your customers will be recommending for years to come.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I do NOT follow fashion trends. In no way am I a fashionista! In fact, according to my wife I should go on one of those TV shows where the Dad gets a makeover on his wardrobe. On the other hand she knows all of the fashion trends. As a hair stylist, she keeps up on what is hot, what is not, and what is coming back around.

So how are landscape plants like the fashion industry? Well, new plants are constantly being introduced, replacing older models. Other plants fall out of use, some for good reason. We have watched flowering pear go from the tree that everyone planted everywhere, to one that goes on a landscape only rarely. Or how about creeping junipers? Anyone remember those? One of our veteran employees and I were recently lamenting how we used to get a semi-load of creeping junipers almost every week “back in the day”. Now we get them about once a month, and never a full truck load. They are still a great option but it seems that people are planting other things instead. I am betting it won't be long before they come back around.

So plants are like pants. They come into fashion, they go out of fashion, and sometimes they come back in again. And sometimes to be different, you have to look at what is old or out of fashion. For instance, Kolkwitzia (Beauty bush) is a cool plant that no one uses anymore, but should. You see them often where an old farmhouse once stood, or in older neighborhoods like downtown Plymouth. The masses of pink flowers in the spring are really striking and the dark green leaves turn an awesome yellow in the fall. A great plant to use in areas where viburnum or forsythia would go.

So change your p(l)ants! Look at using something old or different and your designs can appear fresh, new, and not like everyone else's. I would still avoid the pear, though.

The first time I saw a plant reversion, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. A customer had called and said there was a TREE growing out of her Dwarf Alberta Spruce. I had never seen this before, so I had to get my Dad involved. He said it was a classic! One of the buds one year cast off the dwarfing gene and the regular white spruce began to grow instead. I have to admit it was pretty cool looking - the white spruce growing straight and tall - but the customer wasn’t thrilled. The reversion is always more vigorous and would eventually take over the plant if not addressed.

Many of the most interesting and unique plants in the trade come from a spontaneous mutation, like a witch's broom or a variegated sprout. The mutation is discovered, a cutting is taken, and the variety eventually propagated and introduced. Some of these mutations aren’t that stable, and you will see parts of or entire plants reverting to the original form. I would like to point out that this is different than when the rootstock takes over a grafted plant, in that case you can see the growth is coming from below the graft.

Reversion can be brought on by many factors, but environmental stress seems to be a common cause. If you are observant when you are out on landscapes, you can see reversions all the time. That spruce example happens now and again, and loss of variegation is another one that’s fairly easy to find.

So getting back to my “Classic” scenario, my Dad suggested to our customer that we should prune it out immediately, as it was only going to get worse. There was a good chance the plant would survive and eventually fill in around the removed portion. If we didn’t, the reversion would dominate, and the resulting tree was never going to be an attractive specimen. I’m a tree hugger and my Dad’s even worse so of course we recommended trying to save the tree. In the end, we replaced the plant - because of its location and visibility the recovery time was unacceptable.

Each case is a judgement call. If you catch it while the reverted growth is fairly small, a simple pruning may be sufficient to eliminate it. Perennials such as hosta can be dug up, split, and replanted.

So be on the lookout for reversions. They are kind of cool, sometimes a little weird but definitely more common than you think. Take some pictures, share with us what you are finding and I will pull together a follow up discussion on this topic. Remember: Prune out all you can to “nip it in the bud” - if it’s too late replace it - and get a picture for our discussion.