Newly planted trees (those planted within the past three years) require regular watering and care throughout the annual growing season. The first few years are the most critical to their long term survival and growth. A 200-250 cm sugar maple sapling that was planted as a bare root tree in mid-May 2018. Note the hardwood mulch placed around the base… READ MORE »Watering our young maples – Tree care on the MLF farm Part 2
Recently we had a question come to our mailbox about white spots on their trees’ bark. MLF Tree Expert Carl Mansfield replied: Your tree appears to have lichens growing on the outer bark. Lichens are colourful crusts found growing on trees, rocks and other objects. They are often thought to be a pest or disease of trees and shrubs, but not so.… READ MORE »Q&A – What are those white blotches on my tree?
It’s been almost two years since we planted some 175-200 cm sugar maple saplings on the Farm. An arborist will recommend that you wait at least 2-3 years before attempting any pruning but we knew a few of these trees could use our help. Most deciduous trees and shrubs should be pruned when they are dormant, preferably in the early… READ MORE »Pruning young sugar maples – Tree care at the Maple Leaves Forever farm Part 3
Last summer we visited a landowner who was concerned with the early-fall colour change several of the maples along his laneway displayed. Click here for related story. Closer examination revealed that property maintenance staff had severely damaged the bark and underlying tissue around the trunk at the base of the trees, while using a string trimmer to cut the grass… READ MORE »Lesson Learned – Weed trimmers can kill trees
Maple Leaves Forever visited Winkelmolen Nursery Ltd. recently to introduce our new Executive Director Deb Pella Keen to the staff and to get her boots dirty with a tour of the nursery facilities and production fields. We were shown high quality Native Maple seedlings, saplings and larger trees growing in fertile soils as we travelled throughout the nursery. We were… READ MORE »Visit to Winkelmolen, June 2019
The hot, dry summer of 2018 has produced a heavier than normal “seed crop” on our Native Maples for 2019. During the past few weeks (early to late-June), our native red and silver maples have shed their seed crops where they are growing along city streets and in parklands. The larger silver maple seed can be seen along walkways and… READ MORE »Maple “seed crop” looks strong for 2019!
It’s finally spring in Ontario, and the leaves are showing on trees along our streets! Many people mistake the reddish-coloured leaves of the NON-NATIVE Crimson King Norway Maple, thinking it’s a Red Maple. In fact, the NATIVE Red Maple has green leaves in spring and summer, it’s only red in the fall.
We had a few nights with below freezing temperatures last week, but that didn’t slow up one of our earliest spring bloomers. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) started blooming in early April and this bit of cold wasn’t enough to interfere with seed development on these trees in central and southwestern Ontario. The flowers start out as tight red buds, often… READ MORE »Flowers in unexpected places – maples blooming
Sugar Maple (Acer saccarum) – A Native Maple VS Norway Maple (Acer plantanoides) – A Non-Native Maple Can you see the difference in twig, seed and leaf? Distinguishing tip: Break a Norway maple leaf petiole (stem) and the sap is white. Break a Sugar Maple petiole and sap is clear.
Our Tree Guy answered a call from a concerned landowner with a tree problem. Several of the maple trees that lined his laneway were showing an out-of-season ‘fall-like’ colour change. Premature leaf colour change is a reliable indicator of failing health. First thoughts were that the trees were suffering from extreme drought stress. The trees hadn’t been watered this year.… READ MORE »Early Fall leaf colour change indicates failing health
