Updated 8/26/2024
A New Home and New Gardens!
View from the front porch.
As you might know from reading The Farm In My Yard, I moved from Rockville, Maryland to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2013. I worked for a few years, while watching over my elderly mother. After she passed away in 2020, the search was on for a larger property in a smaller town. Must-haves included reasonably quiet surroundings, lots of nature, room to play in new gardens, and no HOA. This article includes information from a landscaper’s perspective that might help first-time property owners.
Success! In late October, I moved to a new home in northern North Carolina. A few obstacles didn’t stop my tireless realtor, Erika, from finding this (almost) perfect little house. There was Covid, for one, and the reluctance on the part of homeowners to list their homes for sale. Very few livable offerings in my price range came to the market. As soon as they did, they immediately went under contract.
As many buyers have done in this tight market, I made an offer on the property sight unseen. Well, truthfully, I did drive by the house before submitting an offer, and liked what I saw. Trees, woods, space, and sunlight—perfect for a gardener! The previous owners made some major improvements, saving me the trouble and the expense. But I had no idea what the interior looked like.
Inspections
When buying a house, have all the inspections done before closing, as recommended by your realtor or for your own peace of mind. Estimate the cost of necessary upgrades and repairs.
Particularly for older homes, check the roof and electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. Look for water damage and mold, pests and wood rot, foundation issues, adequate insulation, storage space, and evidence of ongoing maintenance.
Negative findings could nullify a contract or provide a basis for negotiation between your realtor and the listing agent.
The Lay of the Land
Small towns, farms, and independent businesses dot the landscape in this part of Wilkes County. Several vineyards and state parks attract visitors to these lovely rolling hills, and rivers offer lots of sporting opportunities. Drive along any of the scenic roads, and new vistas open at every turn; the Blue Ridge Parkway is only half an hour away. Beautiful countryside!
The big oaks frame a sunrise.
My new home, a one-story house built in the 1940’s, sits on 1¼ acres of mostly level land. The view from the front porch looks over a field, a few houses, and downslope toward a small stream. Stunning sunrises greet me from that direction almost daily.
Most of the trees’ leaves have fallen from the massive limbs of the native white and willow oaks (Quercus alba and Q. phellos). A few of these trees tower over the eastern border of the property. In the summer, those toward the west will shade the house from hot afternoon sun.
The mighty oaks came first, judging by their size, and then the house. If I were to name the property, Quercus Magnus would seem fitting.
Preliminary Plans for New Gardens
There’s plenty of space for the berries and the vegetables to bask in the sun. Plenty of space to raise shade-loving perennials in the fenced enclosure north of the great oaks. And plenty of space for gardens that will support birds, bugs, bees, and butterflies.
Also, importantly, there’s room to grow plants to sell at the local farmers’ markets, as I did in Maryland for 25 years.
After Moving In
Deciding what to do first depends on the season, your climate, and the condition of the house and gardens. Priorities often reflect our occupations or interests, so artists might first set up a studio while contractors organize tools in the outbuildings. Growing families might rank bicycle storage, a big kitchen, and an extra bathroom at the top of the list.
And gardeners? Well, we look at soil quality, existing gardens, and sunlight. This gardener prefers a large, mostly blank slate. Others call it a lawn.
In April, I’d be concerned about starting seeds for the market, getting the summer vegetables and flowers planted, and cutting grass. But it’s December now. The yard needs tidying, houseplants need to find their homes, and, of course, we must bake Christmas cookies. Not to mention, those boxes won’t unpack themselves!
Moving into a house that doesn’t need major repairs eases the stress. To be sure, there are some improvements that can and will be made, but nothing that needs immediate attention. Wouldn’t mind a new kitchen with a dishwasher, Santa. (Chocolate chip or almond crescents?)
Trees and Shrubs
Poor Pruning Practices
Walking around the property will highlight issues that need attention. Check the trees and shrubs for dead or broken branches or call a licensed arborist for a professional assessment. There are some dead twigs way up in these oaks. A brisk wind shakes them loose, so the truck stays parked under the carport. Fortunately, that debris falls short of the house.
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- Low branches that have been headed back.
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- Some of the daily fallout.
I’ll hire an arborist to clean up the trees and remove branches that have been headed back. Heading back, or bluntly cutting off the end of a branch, causes many epicormic shoots to form. Those are new growing tips emerging from buds concentrated close to the cut. The shoots also can cover the length of the branch. Epicormic shoots have weak connections to the branch, and, over time, most will fail and fall from the plant (photos, above).
Similarly, topping trees is, in my opinion, not recommended. Yes, it reduces the height, temporarily, but topped trees in winter are hardly natural-looking and not attractive (photo, below). They, too, drop twigs over an extended period of time.
An expert arborist might be able to undo the damage from heading back or topping. However, removing the tree might be the most economical solution. Research appropriate tree species for your property and where to plant them. Keep in mind that plants almost always achieve dimensions larger than those indicated on the label. Your local agricultural extension office can help. Check with botanical gardens and sources such as your state’s native plant societies.
A topped tree.
The Root of the Problem
Trees planted close to the foundation can threaten its structural integrity. Consider having them removed.
The same ruthlessness applies to the wrong tree in any space. Keeping silver maples or weeping willows close to the house, septic system, or underground utilities begs for trouble. This is where an arborist or a well-informed landscaper can recommend more fitting species and a pleasing design for better curb appeal. Call 8-1-1 to have underground utility lines marked.
Constricted
Look for old stakes and wires still looped around trunks or branches. Wooden posts rot, but wire and synthetic rope from clotheslines, fences, and hammocks persist.
As trunks and branches grow in girth, they attempt to grow around the obstruction, usually cutting off the vascular system inside the bark. This results in the death of those parts of the tree that cannot receive water from the roots. Early fall color on isolated branches might indicate trouble, such as pests or physical constriction.
In the Maryland garden, a dogwood tree died for no apparent reason. After cutting it down and opening the bark in several places, I found plastic rope deeply embedded in the trunk a few feet from the ground. Although the damage appeared several years after I had moved there, it eventually killed a beautiful dogwood.
Flares and Girdling Roots
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- Flare on an old oak tree.
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- Girdling root on maple tree and no trunk flare.
Most trees flare out where the trunk descends into the ground. If this flare is missing, see if soil has been piled up against the trunk, and remove it.
Construction around unprotected trees can deposit soil that cuts off the oxygen supply to the roots, resulting in the plant’s decline. As little as an additional 1-2″ can damage trees. Also, parking vehicles over the root system compacts the soil, impeding air and water penetration. Keep in mind that tree roots extend well beyond the dripline, or the edge of the canopy.
Check for a girdling root crossing over the trunk at the soil line or below it. As it grows, the root will hinder growth of that section of the trunk, making the trunk look straight-sided where it enters the ground. Cut it out before the tree tries to grow around it. Maples and other surface-rooting trees are notorious for this.
There’s no flare at the base of this maple tree (photo, above) and at least one large girding root is constricting the flow of water and nutrients from the soil. I noticed large dead limbs in the canopy, so the tree might be removed.
English Ivy
English ivy growing up an oak tree.
Vining English ivy (Hedera helix) is growing up a white oak’s trunk, using rootlets to cling to the bark. All the vines will be removed for 4 main reasons.
First, English ivy is a woody vine, so its stems will grow in girth just as a tree branch does. As they wrap around the tree trunk or the limbs and thicken over the years, the ivy stems will constrict tree growth, killing limbs and possibly the tree.
Second, the evergreen ivy holds moisture and debris close to the bark, and could encourage insects and diseases.
Third, as ivy scampers over the ground and up the trees, it provides safe haven for rodents. Birds of prey and other predators cannot see them. Here’s a red-shouldered hawk perched in a dogwood tree, looking for dinner.
Fourth, ivy competes with small native plants, crowding them out.
So, the ivy must go.
Headings
Page 1: A New Home and New Gardens! (Inspections), The Lay of the Land (Preliminary Plans for New Gardens), After Moving In, Trees and Shrubs (Poor Pruning Practices, The Root of the Problem, Constricted, Flares and Girdling Roots, English Ivy)
Page 2: The Lawn (Safety First, Less Grass to Mow, Grass Clippings, Spontaneous Combustion), Drainage (Hold the Water), New Gardens for Old Plants (Virginia Sweetspire), More New Gardens and Less Lawn (The Black Walnut, The Ravine and the Woodland, Passionflower and Phlox ‘Minnie Pearl’)
Page 3: Planting a Few Trees (The Rule of Thirds, Too Cold to Plant New Gardens?, Viola, Different Players—Same Script, All Those Leaves), A Welcome Surprise (A Firm Foundation, Heeling In, Iris, Chores Indoors), Christmas Already?, and Concluding