I am considering buying some trees for planting in my front. I am not familiar with the "language" used by gardeners to describe tree size. I know about 5, 10 and 15 gallon containers - but what is the actual size in length of trees that are sold in said containers? Also, what is the actual size (on average) of trees sold in 24 inch box containers?
There is no set answer for this because there are several things that influence what size the tree is. These things range from the variety of tree to the business practices of the company you are buying from. It is not something that can be generalized because tree heights and sizes vary by so much.
In general, the larger the container, the older and larger the tree. You would need to contact the specific companies you are looking to buy from and ask them how they determine the tree you are looking to purchase is repotted in larger pots. An example might be that the nursery keeps 2-3 year old maples in 5 gallon, 4 year old in 10 gallon and 5 year old in a 15 gallon.
Frankly, having to ask the company about something like this is a good test of the company. If they cannot or will not answer this question, then they might not be the best company to buy from in the first place.
Sorry that I can't be more help with this.
Most of my shrubs and trees are infected with a grey fungus, which I have used umpteen things to try to remove without success. The branches of the affected shrub/tree eventually go very brittle and can be too easily broken off. Some of the shrubs have died. Any ideas what the fungus is and how I can treat it? My garden, despite efforts to fix (including drainage pipes), gets easily waterlogged.
This sounds like lichen, which is actually a symptom rather than a cause of the problems on the trees. Lichen often like trees or branches that are dying or dead, which leads many people to think that the lichen is to blame for the problem.
If your garden is often waterlogged, you may have a fungus in the roots of the trees that are killing them. Are you seeing any other signs of problems in the trees? What do the leaves look like when the branches are dying?
I heard that if you remove a dead tree it is not a good idea to plant another one in the same spot. Is there a certain time frame for doing this? What are the consequences if we plant immediately in the same spot as dead tree?
The reason it is not considered a good idea is because normally a tree dies from a disease and the next tree can be killed by the same disease. Plus, the weakened root system, which tends to live beyond the top of the tree, can attract disease.
If you feel the tree that was there before was disease free and died of other causes, you should be ok planting a new tree there.
I've heard so many different things about putting tree bark on tree roots. Does this hurt or damage the tree in any way?
Just get the soil tested, as decomposing wood can cause acidic soil occasionally. Other than that, it should not be an issue.
Can I cut the grass short and till the leftover grass into the area I'm turning into a bed? Then plant my bushes (lilacs and forsythia) and then put mulch over the whole bed? The info I read says options are: to cut the grass/sod out; smother it, poison it, but not what to do after it is smothered. Thank you.
Yes, you can till it under then plant or you can just simply plant and mulch heavily. Both will work.
How long should pets and humans remain inside after foliage (tree) spraying?
It really depends on the type of spray used. Some you can go out immediately, and others you should wait a few hours.
How do I transplant my tree sucker?
When you remove them from the mother tree, make sure that they have some roots on them. I would actually pot them up and keep them in a somewhat shady location and keep them well watered until you see them producing new growth. Then you can transplant to a new location and treat as you would any other newly planted tree.