It’s that very special–and very limited–time when the Dogwood Festivals begin to happen. Dogwood trees are beautiful flowering trees that help usher in the warm spring weather with style. They are woody plants from the Cornaecae family. The dogwood tree has about 30 to 60 different subspecies, some of which have flowers. And there’s no good reason to not be planting a Dogwood in your own garden.
Bare Root Trees
Dogwood trees are bare root trees, relatively easy to plant, and add natural beauty to any yard or garden. Before you start planting the tree, you need to find the right location. A dogwood tree needs an adequate amount of light and moist soil. That said, dogwood trees can grow in many different soil types, but it’s still best to choose a soil that has enough moisture and organic matter.
How to Plant
After finding the perfect spot, it’s time to dig a hole in the soil. Try to dig a hole that’s at least three times the diameter of your tree’s root ball. Carefully place the root ball into the ground and keep the top part even. Don’t forget to spread out the roots and cover them up with enough dirt. You don’t want small pockets of air to form, as that tends to dry out the roots. After you adjust the tree position, you can finish covering up the plant with soil.
Need for watering
To settle the soil, water the tree immediately after planting. Remember that if your area’s climate gets little or minimal natural rainfall, you may need to water your tree about once a week. You will need to pay close attention to your plant’s watering needs as it grows. If your plant has tiny green leaves sprouting, you may be watering your plant too much. However, if you see dropping leaves, you may not be watering enough.
Dogwood Trees and Fertilizer
It’s important to point out that dogwood trees don’t need fertilizer. That said, you can still use fertilizer if you want, just be sure to use the fertilizer in the early spring.
Proper maintenance of this tree also requires keeping a close eye on the tree. It’s important to make sure the tree doesn’t develop fungal issues. One particular plant disease that affects dogwood trees is dogwood anthracnose, which is caused by Discula destructiva. This fungal infection first appears as light brown spots on the leaves. These small spots eventually grow into larger discolorations and from there, the fungus spreads to the twigs, limbs, and roots. Dogwood anthracnose will eventually kill your tree so it’s important to catch the disease early on.
If your tree is exhibiting any signs of this disease, it’s best to hire a local tree care professional to look at the tree and give the accurate diagnosis. If your tree is infected with the disease, the tree specialist will help you find the right fungicide. That’s the trick to a dogwood. They require maintenance and care, but that’s also why you might find yourself really dedicated to your dogwood.