March 2025 Treecologist Tribune

That old saying about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb seems to be holding true this year. As I write, it’s a beautiful spring day with perfectly pleasant days on the horizon. I bet you were all as weary as I was of the stubborn grip of Jack Frost during the second half of February.

Weather Notes

Typically, we would have had more than two and a half inches of rain over the last month, and we got some, falling a bit short of expected. Most of it came in two events a couple of weeks apart in early and mid-March. Not bad. Let’s hope for some more soon.

Rain Summary:

• 2” since 3/25 (historic average 2.7”)
• 6.5” Year-to-date (historic average 8.6”)

Sleuthing in the Spring Garden

That miscreant Jack has raised all kinds of alarm over the past several weeks by damaging the tender shoots of many plants. Arborvitae, cryptomeria, wax myrtles and other evergreen plants show bronzing and browning of newer growth. Frost damage to magnolias was particularly apparent in the Triangle this year, with brown, curled, and drooping leaves making these icons of the South look rather sad. The recently planted ones were especially vulnerable. The good news is that it looks worse than it actually is. Magnolias are resilient enough to withstand some frost damage. Truly steely gems they are (vague pun intended).

Take a close look at any of your trees and shrubs that show signs of frost damage. In many cases, you’ll discover that the bud at the end of the branch is still healthy. For example, magnolias have nice, fat, fuzzy buds. Leave the trees alone and observe how they respond as they recover.

A burst of insect life in spring is a good sign of a healthy garden, but it’s also a reminder that there are some insects, such as crape myrtle bark scale that we need to keep an eye out for. You can spot this scale because it makes the bark of affected crapes black with sooty mold. The insect itself looks like a fluffy white dot.

You might also notice emerging tree diseases such as bleeding canker which looks like dark tarry ooze from lesions low in the tree trunk. Call us if you see things like this. We can help.

While healthy trees and shrubs will usually recover on their own from frost damage and most insect and disease pressure, providing them with some TLC is always beneficial. The healthier your plants are, the more resilient they become, allowing them to tackle health threats and recover from setbacks more quickly. It’s similar to how we live, right?

My good friend Ernie Earthworm wants me to remind you that great TLC starts with good soil and a nice mulch blanket. Good soil is full of beneficial life and air that keeps roots healthy. Amend your soil with compost or compost tea, leave the leaves from fall, and top it all with a few inches of quality mulch. Arborist wood chips are the very best mulch, and you can often get them for free. How often is something free too good to be true? Most of the time, right? So, take advantage of this glorious exception.

I’ll never stop reminding people that if your soil resembles hopeless baked clay, it can be transformed into great soil. Leaf & Limb can do this for you by using an air spade to break up hard soil, aerate it, and stir in dollops of quality compost. The good news is that it only needs to be done once. Contrast that to endless rounds of pesticide treatments or other interventions to shore up poorly performing plants. It’s really getting to the roots of the problem. Oh, I’m on a roll today!

Flower Power Supports Diversity

The froth of early cherry blossoms and the big blowsy blooms of saucer magnolias proclaim that spring is really here to stay. Look at us, they insist! The glow of the red maples has been happening since February and seeds are already starting to form, but a lot of people don’t realize that this redness is the maple in full flower. All trees have flowers, but it’s hard to notice because they are usually very small and often high up. The oaks will be flowering soon. You might need binoculars to notice oak catkin blooms.

The insects know where the flowers are though and are out seeking the nectar and pollen of all these floral offerings, big and small. Soon, birds will be looking for nesting places, and looking for these insects. Places with lots of insects and suitable trees and shrubs for cover are great real estate for birds.

Any time now, you will see hummingbirds as they make their trip from tropical places to summer homes all across North America. Most people know that hummers like nectar-laden flowers and well-maintained nectar feeders, but they like lots of insects most of all.

All birds rely on healthy insect populations to raise successful families. A great way to ensure that you have prime real estate offerings for birds is to avoid spraying pesticides and have lots of native trees and shrubs. Native plants host far more insect diversity than typical Asian shrubs like hollies and loropetalum sold at garden centers.

Shameless plug: Make a reminder to yourself now to contact your Leaf & Limb rep later this year to install native trees and shrubs in your landscape.

Q&A: You Are Good to Go!

Reader Anne L asks:

Q: I took to heart the February news about not prematurely clearing the winter habitat of creatures. However, this week is looking like it may be the beginning of more consistently warm weather, so am looking for advice on the timeliness of clearing last year’s plant stalks from my garden beds.

A: Hi Anne, thank you for being a kind gardener to all the small critters that have been wintering in our leaves and plant stalks. A good benchmark is when the soil temperature reaches about 50 degrees and we’ve reached it. I look for a burst of insect activity to indicate when it’s time. I believe spring is truly here, and any gardening maintenance or tidying you would like to do is good to go.

That’s the quick answer but indulge me in a little garden philosophy. Our gardens are a personal labor of love, and the things that are important to us are not all the same. At Leaf & Limb we stress the importance of doing what we can to promote a healthy sub/urban ecosystem. Taking care of your garden thoughtfully, like Anne does, means you can have a well-maintained garden and still tread lightly in our delicate ecosystems.

You could also leave the leaves undisturbed, allowing the new growth to emerge through them. You might choose not to cut down spent stalks, simply letting the new growth rise between them while they decompose naturally. It all depends on your vision for what your garden should be.

Fast and Fun Items Before I Go

• For our Raleigh readers, nominate a tree for Raleigh’s 2025 Tree of the Year. Since 2022, the City of Oaks has been awarding “Tree of the Year” status to one of the trees that make our city so special. Trees are nominated by residents, and then the public votes to select the winning tree, which is announced at Raleigh’s Earth Day/Arbor Day Festival. Starting on April 2, look on this page for the link to nominate and vote for a tree.

• If you are interested in learning more about pocket forests and thickets, Basil will be co-hosting a virtual class with Margaret Roach on April 24. Sign up here

• Last but not least, Basil is teaming up with Doug Tallamy’s Homegrown National Park to offer a free Earth Day Webinar on April 17 at 12 pm. Sign up here

Until next month, remember to sniff the blooms and listen to the birdsong.