Location: Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Hardiness Zone: 6
Happy Spring!!! :)
This is my first blog entry documenting my yard and future garden. Right now, I'm trying to get an idea of what plants I do have (provided by the builder) and what to do with all the open space I have for plantings.
Checked on trees planted by builder. There are seven total: 6 unclassified maples and 1 unclassified pine.
The three trees in the northwest side of the house (front yard) have blossoming buds in the upper branches. They seem to be ahead of their other maple brethren with blooms and new growth.
Two of the trees on the southeast side (back yard) are still exhibiting the strange scaling on the upper branches and trunk. It does not seem to be interfering with the formation of buds (although they are still tightly compacted).
It is possible the trees in the backyard are experiencing a different microclimate, thus are behind their front yard brothers? I've noticed that when the wind kicks up (which it often does here), the backyard behaves like a wind tunnel as the wind is funneled between our house and the neighbor's house at a high rate of speed (I've had difficulty standing at times!!) I've read that wind chill does not affect plants.... could it be humidity or just the stress from the wind turbulence?
Image by Christine Klocek-Lim
I've also noticed that the pine tree is recovering from the browning of its needles on the lower branches of the east side of the plant (the tree is located on the southeast side of the house with some protection from the wind). I have also noticed the upper shoots on the top of the tree are starting to brown (white pine weevil?). I don't think this is a good sign! :(
The miscellaneous bushes planted on the northwest side of the house (near the house itself), seem to be doing okay. Some have developed new shoots, however I'm concerned about the deer problem with these plants. The deer seem to love them, and have done some pruning on some of these young plants. Got to get some deer deterrent out there!
The lawn appears to be doing okay. A decent layer of grass has poked up through the straw in most places except along the hill in the backyard ~ it appears the runoff from one rainfall washed the seeds and straw downhill, leaving a few patches of bare soil.
Hopefully, by my next post, the maples will be in full bloom....
Weather Conditions:
Temp: 49.2 °F / 9.6 °C
Windchill: 42 °F / 6 °C
Humidity: 35 %
Dewpoint: 24 °F / -4 °C
Wind: 15.0 mph
Wind Advisory in effect until 10 PM EDT this evening...
Pressure: 29.88 in / 1011.7 hPa (Falling)
Waxing Gibbous, 99 % of moon is illuminated
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