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HOME SEPTEMBER 2017 6 They also like certain varieties, like maple and birch trees. While wonder- ful trees, there may be rea- sons for not putting a cer- tain variety a specific loca- tion. "They're looking for shade, they're looking for beauty and they want screening for privacy," Reichenbach said. Rare is the tree that can do it all. Conifers are great for screening and provide year- round greenery, but there's a big "but" with ever- greens. "Very few conifers toler- ate shade and they put them there," Reichenbach said of proud new conifer owners. Understandably, people want trees to last, but just because something might not live 200 years, it might get a knock. "If you pick the right tree for the location, they should last. A birch tree is not as long-lived, but you should get 50-60 years," Reichenbach said. Flowering fruit trees might not last as long as some other trees, but there are varieties that outlive the people who plant them. "A crabapple, you can get 50 years, if it's in the right location," Reichenbach said. Insects, disease Then there are insects and disease. Even a lot with mature trees can suddenly find itself in need of replace- ments. Emerald ash borer, anyone? Jesse Ziemienski of American Tree Experts in New Berlin said the inva- sive emerald ash borer is an efficient killer of ash trees, attacking all kinds of ash. "This is a terrible, terri- ble problem," said Ziemien- ski, an arborist certified by the International Society of Aboriculture. Nurseries don't even stock ash trees anymore. While other trees have their share of pests, they can often survive attack, he said. As an example, Japanese beetles can attack more than 200 plants, including lindens and birches, which will weaken the tree, Ziemienski said. Their tell- tale feeding around the veins leaves skeletonized leaves behind. Grub control treatments around the base of a birch can work into the tree and kill the Japanese beetles, which should be done if they are recurring, he said. The bronze birch borer can kill weakened birches, Ziemienski said. Linden borer affects about 10 per- cent of the lindens, so like the bronze birch borer on birch trees, the insect isn't a serious enough threat not to plant them, he said. And while there are many great choices for conifers, there are two that are real draws to a number of insects. "The Austrian pine and and Colorado spruce trees are probably the two worst trees to plant. The Colorado spruce can be attacked by like five insects," Zieminski said. But the beautiful blue spruce is immensely popu- lar with landowners. It's the landscapers and nurs- eries that arborists are try- ing to educate and caution about trees like these, and offer alternatives, he said. Two leafy trees Ziemiens- ki often recommends are ginkgo and Kentucky cof- feetree, given its name because its berries were used in frontier days to brew a hot drink some likened to coffee, which was scarce. (See accompanying story for more on these two trees.) "They're wonderful trees and are basically disease- free," Ziemienski said. Among other favorites he named are swamp white oak, bur (or burr) oak, Miyabe's maple, sugar maple, magnolias like the "Royal Star" magnolia, Japanese lilac and disease- resistant elms. Of the birches, two he cited are the water-loving river birch and the white birch, which doesn't tolerate moisture as much. Because damage to trees can show up in summer or when autumn arrives, homeowners' thoughts can turn to saving them or planting new ones, Reichenbach said. Not to mention the draw of the spectacular fall colors auto- matically makes one pon- der trees. "Fall is a great time to plant trees; it is cooler in fall, and typically we have good fall rains and soil moisture. The trees are heading into their dormant season, but roots are still active for re-establishment after transplanting," he said. Is there a best time to plant a tree? "The best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago. The sec- ond best time is today," Reichenbach said. Continued from Page 1 Trees: Planted in the right spot, trees can often outlast their planters Submitted photo Damage done by Japanese beetles on a linden tree.The tree should recover. However, the stress leaves the tree susceptible to borers. Photo courtesy of Bill Reichenbach The fall foliage of a ginkgo tree.Their resistance to insects is one reason arborists recommend the ginkgo, a tree that dates back 200 million years.The unique bark and foliage of these long-lasting trees also have appeal. Related story See one arborist's choices when limited to five favorite trees. Page 7 Reclaim your garage and restore order with this orga- nizational to-do list. ■ Set aside enough time. Back-to-back days are rec- ommended (an entire week- end) so the items being sort- ed won't sit in piles for an extended period of time. ■ Don't tackle it by yourself. Round up a team of helpers, otherwise, it may turn into an overwhelming task that will be abandoned halfway through. ■ Categorize and group the items in your garage. Typical categories include recycling, sports and recre- ational equipment, camping gear, automotive, seasonal décor, garden gear, tools, trash or donate. After you have your categories, begin grouping them in the drive- way or the center of the garage using a few card- board boxes. Be sure to label the boxes. ■ Determine the best garage layout. Decide where you want each type of item to live, considering its frequency of use and the available space. For instance, recycling should live near the entrance to the home, and tools should live near the workbench. ■ Install built-in cabi- nets or modular storage if needed. Now that you know what you're keeping and how much space you have, deter- mine what containers to use. Make the most of verti- cal space with wall-mount- ed pegboards and wire grids that hold everything from sports equipment to garden tools. Also take advantage of overhead space with sturdy shelves that mount to the ceiling or portable shelves that are easy to stack up. Once organized, set up an organizing schedule quar- terly or biannually and put it on your calendar. Putting things away where they belong after each use will help. Organizing the garage can help reclaim needed space, create order

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