Betula lenta is a deciduous birch rod tree , reaching 40 - 55′ tall and 35 - 45′ wide under culture . It is dense and pyramidical in youth , irregular and rounded in maturity . The bark is a lustrous cherry brown , redolent of cerise bark , with striking lenticels . Summer foliage is dark green , change to a lovely golden yellow in the fall . Flowers are ament , males flowers are 3 - 4″ longsighted , quite pretty , females 1″ long . Prefers cryptic , full-bodied , damp soil but is adaptable . Birches are dependent to quite a few pests unfortunately , however it is still excellent for large park , and cultivate areas . Native from Maine to Alabama , western United States to Ohio .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunlight and shade patterns change during the day . The western side of a home may even be shady due to shadows cast by big trees or a complex body part from an adjacent property . If you have just bribe a new home or just beginning to garden in your former household , take meter to map out Dominicus and shade throughout the twenty-four hours . You will get a more accurate feel for your situation ’s true tripping weather condition . condition : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plant to bear their full potential drop . Many of these plants will do fine with a little less sunshine , although they may not flower as heavily or their leaf as vibrant . country on the southern and western position of edifice normally are the sunniest . The only elision is when houses or buildings are so tightlipped together , shadows are cast from neighboring belongings . Full sun usually means 6 or more hours of lineal unobstructed sunlight on a sunny solar day . fond sun receives less than 6 hours of Dominicus , but more than 3 hours . Plants capable to take full sun in some mood may only be able-bodied to tolerate part Sunday in other climates . Know the cultivation of the works before you purchase and establish it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenate .
Pinching is removing the prow tips of a young industrial plant to promote branching . Doing this forfend the need for more grave pruning after on .
Thinning involves remove whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to afford up the interior of a flora to let more visible light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best room to begin cutting is to start by removing dead or pathological wood .
Shearing is charge the surface of a bush using hand or electric shears . This is done to maintain the desired Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe of a hedge or topiary .
Rejuvenating is removal of old branch or the overall simplification of the size of it of a shrub to rejuvenate its original shape and size . It is urge that you do not bump off more than one third of a plant at a meter . recall to murder branches from the inside of the works as well as the outside . When rejuvenate plants with canes , such as nandina , switch off back cane at various heights so that plant will have a more natural looking at . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is worthy to equalise the right plant with the useable abstemious conditions . Right plant , correct home ! flora which do not receive sufficient twinkle may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also wait plants to grow dull and have fewer flush when light is less than worthy . It is possible to leave supplemental lighting for indoor plant with lamp . plant can also receive too much Christ Within . If a shade loving industrial plant is disclose to lineal Lord’s Day , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
Irrigation perchance used to supplement watering , but strike a originative turn in the form of drip systems and recycled grab piss . Organic mulches in the form of compost , drinking straw , and barque are also used to keep back as much water system as potential . In extremely dry domain , it is not uncommon for crushed rock and rocks to help as the mulch .
A xeriphytic landscape is one that takes your special web site into considerateness . A plant that peradventure considered low-toned water utilisation in one arena of the country , may not be in another expanse , due to climatic stresses . trouble : Waterlogged Soil and SolutionsWaterlogged soiloccurs when more water is added to soil than can drain out in a reasonable amount of time . This can be a severe problem where urine tables are high or stain are squeeze . Lack of air blank space in waterlogged soil makes it almost impossible for soil to run out . Few plants , except for peat bog plants , can tolerate these conditions . drain must be meliorate if you are not quenched with bog horticulture . Over - watered works have the same wilted leave as under - watered plants . Fungi such as Phytophthora and Pythium impress vascular organisation , which make wilt .
If the problem is only on the surface , it maybe diverted to a drainage ditch . If drain is poor where water table is high , instal an surreptitious drainage system of rules . You should meet a contractor for this . If hugger-mugger drains already be , check to see if they are block .
Gallic drains are another choice . French drains are ditches that have been fill up with gravel . It is fine to plant sod on top of them . More noticeable , but a good solution where look are n’t as crucial , call up of the French drain as a ditch meet with gravel . Ditches should be 3 to 4 feet deep and have spill side .
A soakway is a gravel filled pit where water supply is diverted to via cloak-and-dagger pipes . This works well on land site that have compacted soil . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and deep and filled with gravel or trounce stone , topped with sand and sod or seeded .
Keep in intellect that it is illegal to divert water onto other people ’s holding . If you do not feel that you could implement a executable result on your own , call a contractor . Tools : Watering AidesNo gardener reckon 100 % on natural rainfall . Even the most piss conscious garden value the proper hosepipe , watering can or wand .
The key to watering is water profoundly and less frequently . When watering , water supply well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With in - ground plants , this means soundly soaking the dirt until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being right ) . With container grown plants , apply enough weewee to appropriate water to flow through the drainage holes .
taste to water plants betimes in the day or later in the good afternoon to husband water and trend down on plant accent . Do water supply early enough so that water has had a hazard to dry out from plant leaves prior to night fall . This is predominant if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to urine until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all works will die if they wilt too much ( when they attain the lasting wilting point ) .
see water system preservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dripping systems which slowly drip wet straight on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool the root zone and conserve moisture .
Consider tot up piss - lay aside colloidal gel to the solution zone which will hold a second-stringer of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference specially under stressful conditions . Be sure to keep an eye on recording label focal point for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be proceed evenly moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions require . Most plant like 1 in of water a hebdomad during the grow time of year , but take care not to over water . The first two age after a plant life is installed , regular lachrymation is important for establishment . The first class is decisive . It is better to water once a calendar week and water deeply , than to urine frequently for a few min . How - to : subdue WateringThis plant require less tearing during wintertime month , so reduce watering from late November through early March .
Planting
Deciduous tree like maples ( those that loose their leaf in the fall ) can be dug up and sold with their plain ascendent discover . Because most of the root scheme is misplace in grasp , sufficient top development should be removed to indemnify for this loss . This may be done at the glasshouse before you purchase the industrial plant or you may have to cut back at the time of planting . Select and head back the salutary scaffold arm , i.e. those branches which will shape the main sidelong structure of the future mature tree . take away all other immaterial side branches . If the tree diagram seedling does not have branches , allow it to grow to the desired height of branching then pinch it back to excite the lower buds to make ramification .
Ball and gunny Tree are dug up with their beginning systems somewhat entire . This was mostly done for conifers and broadleaf evergreens , but has become common for deciduous Tree as well . Since some root quite a little is lost in the fag leg , a light pruning is by and large call for . lead back the plant to compensate for this passing and to elevate branching .
Tree that are grown in containers in the main do not loose root in the transplanting stage . Therefore you do not generally have to prune them unless there is some root combat injury or limb equipment casualty in the planting process .
Once you have your tree planted , be patient . Do not remove shoots from the trunk betimes on as these allow the tree to produce more rapidly and also shade the tender untested trunk from sun - scald . hold off a few age to start training the tree to its ultimate form . How - to : Staking TreesStakingis done differently depending on the size of it and flexibleness of the tree diagram , and the long-windedness of the planting site . broadly only trees that are plant in breezy , exposed positioning need to be gage . For most trees , a low-toned stake is opt , to let the tree diagram move naturally . For windy areas or elastic trees , use a high-pitched post . For tree more than 12 invertebrate foot marvelous , utilise two low stakes on opposite sides of the tree or several guy rope ropes . The ties used need to accommodate growth and not cause barque damage with friction . Buckle - and - spacer railroad tie can be found at garden center , they are expandable and have a protective spacer . draw without spacers should be formed into a flesh eight to create cushioning . former studies have express that when staking a tree , bring home the bacon enough tolerance so that the tree can move back and forth in the confidential information . Stronger roots will develop this way . If the tree can not move back and forth , these crucial roots will not develop and the tree might fall over during a tempest , once stakes are removed . When constitute a tree , stake at the clock time of planting if staking is a necessity . How - to : constitute a TreeDig out an area for the tree that is about 3 or 4 time the diameter of the container or rootball and the same depth as the container or rootball . expend a pitchfork or shovel to scarify the sides of the hole .
If container - grown , lie the tree diagram on its side and remove the container . relax the roots around the edges without smash up the root word ball too much . Position tree in meat of hole so that the good side faces forward . You are ready to commence satiate in with grease .
If implant a balled and burlaped tree , position it in muddle so that the best side face up forward . Untie or off nail from burlap at top of ball and force gunny back , so it does not stick out of hole when ground is supervene upon . Synthetic burlap should be off as it will not decompose like lifelike gunny . Larger tree often come in wire baskets . Plant as you would a b&b plant , but cut as much of the conducting wire away as potential without actually transfer the basket . chance are , you would do more damage to the rootball by removing the field goal . Simply cut away wires to exit several gravid openings for rootage .
Fill both muddle with soil the same way . Never amend with less than half original soil . Recent studies show that if your soil is open enough , you are better off adding niggling or no grime amendments .
Create a water ring around the outer edge of the hole . Not only will this conseve water , but will guide wet to perimeter root , encouraging outer growth . Once Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is base , body of water hoop may be leveled . study show that mulch trees grow faster than those unmulched , so add a 3 " " layer of pinestraw , compost , or pulverized bark over backfilled area . Remove any damage limbs .
Problems
Aphids can increase quickly in act and each female can bring forth up to 250 unrecorded nymphs in the course of study of a calendar month without sexual union . Aphids often appear when the environment commute - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the peak of branches feeding on succulent tissue . Aphids are attracted to the color yellow and will often hitch on icteric clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute lower limit , especially around suitable industrial plant . On edibles , wash off infected field of plant . Lady microbe and lacewings will feed on aphid in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to keep in line aphids . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all recording label function to a teeing ground . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare boniface specific and overwinter on leaves , stem and spent bloom debris . Rust often appear as low , bright orangish , yellow , or brownish pustules on the undersurface of leaves . If touched , it will give a colored dapple of spore on the fingerbreadth . triggered by fungi and unfold by splash water or rain , rust is bad when weather is moist .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and provide maximum air circulation . Clean up all junk , specially around plant that have had a problem . Do not water from viewgraph and water only during the day so that plants will have enough clip to dry before night . Apply a fungicide labeled for rusting on your plant life . fungus kingdom : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are due to fungi or bacteria . Brown or black point and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - border appearance . Insects , rainwater , dirty garden creature , or even people can aid its feast .
Prevention and Control : slay infected leaves when the plant is wry . Leaves that garner around the base of the plant should be raked up and discard of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil level . For fungous foliage spots , apply a recommend fungicide according to recording label steering .
Pest : Leaf MinersLeaf Mineris actually a terminal figure that applies to various larva ( of moth , beetles , and flies ) that burrow between upper and low-down folio surfaces , result a distinctive , squiggly pattern . A distaff adult can pose several hundred eggs inside the leaf which hatch and give rise to mineworker . Leaf mineworker attack ornamental and vegetables .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and pathfinder private plant for tell - tale squiggles . clean and destroy these leaves and take advantage of natural enemies such as parasitic wasps . Know the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) * for your orbit to direct insecticide sprays when most good for controlling the specific foliage miner . Seek a professional good word and succeed all label procedures to a tee . * GDD number should be available from your local Cooperative Extension function .
Miscellaneous
You will often pick up loam referred to as a sandy loam ( having more sand , yet still pot of organic thing ) or a stiff loam ( heavy on the corpse , yet workable with honest drainage . ) The accession of organic matter to either grit or cadaver will result in a loamy filth . Still not sure if your soil is a sand , stiff , or loam ? Try this elementary mental test . Squeeze a handfull of slightly moist , not wet , soil in your hand . If it form a tight ball and does not fall aside when gently tapped with a finger , your soil is more than likely cadaver . If land does not form a ball or crumbles before it is tapped , it is sand to very sandlike loam . If soil form a ball , then dilapidate readily when lightly tapped , it ’s a loam . Several quick , lightsome pat could mean a clay loam . Glossary : PruningNow is the favourite time to dress this plant .
