More than maples

Fall color is everywhere

New England is known worldwide for its fall color. People swarm here from all over, largely to see the color of our sugar maples. As a senior citizen I am legally entitled to drive around at 25 miles per hour, holding up traffic and enjoying every brilliant red tree I see. But I rarely do — I’m too busy in the garden, most of the time. But there is a lot more to see than maple trees.

For color I really enjoy the leaves of oaks and American beech. They hold on to their leaves much longer than the maples, often long into winter. Why is that? Probably because they have only migrated north after the last ice age, and where they came from — the American South — they did not have to drop leaves in the fall. That’s one theory I have read, anyway.

On sunny fall days the yellow leaves of beeches just glow. I enjoy them in the woods or alongside the road, but do not plant beeches or recommend them to others. There is a disease caused by the Neonectria fungus that is spread by scale insects. It mars their smooth gray bark and eventually kills the trees. So I advise enjoying them where you see them in the woods. Yes, there are systemic poisons you could apply to kill the scale insects and perhaps hold off the decline of an existing tree, but I don’t want poisons in my landscape.

Oaks vary considerably in their fall color. Deep reds, purples and browns are often mixed with reds depending on the locale, soil and species. Yellows and greens are often displayed on leaves, too.

One of the great features of oaks is their stamina: The “George Washington Oak” was only recently declared dead — at the age of 600 years. It grew in Bernards, N.J., and grew to have a trunk circumference of 18 feet and reach 100 feet tall. Oaks routinely live to be 300 years old if not abused by soil compaction and urban smog. Yet they are relatively fast growing when young: The pin oak can grow 12 to 15 feet in five to seven years.

Although I am tremendously keen on promoting native trees and shrubs, I do believe we can have a few imports, and one of my favorites for fall color is a large shrub called disanthus. It is listed as a Zone 5 plant, but I have had one in my Zone 4 garden for at least 10 years. Mine is now nearly 8 feet tall and wide. In the fall the leaves turn a brilliant purplish red, as good as or better than that dreaded invasive, burning bush, that was so popular before it was listed as an invasive. In October some years (but not every year) my disanthus bush has tiny pink-purple blossoms that you will only notice if looking for them. They come right out of the bark, without stems.

Witch hazel is one of the few native trees that flower in the fall. It is an understory tree that will grow in shade, partial shade or full sun. It has yellow fall foliage that pretty much obscures the yellow blossoms until leaf drop in October or November. Then the blossoms become prominent. The blossoms have four strap-like curly petals that are less than an inch across. Witch hazel usually has many, many blossoms.

Scientists have only recently discovered what pollinates witch hazel. Bees and other pollinators are no longer buzzing around when they bloom. But witch hazel produces nectar and brightly colored flowers to attract insects. No one knew what pollinated them until naturalist Bernd Heinrich discovered that it is the night-flying owlet moth. Apparently that moth can raise its temperature by 50 degrees by shivering. If only that would work for me!

The seven-son flower tree is another fall bloomer. It was imported from China in 1907, but sales never took off. It was reintroduced in 1980 and immediately became popular for its fast growth (I have seen stems grow 6 feet in a year) and fabulous shaggy bark in winter. Its mature height is said to be 25 feet, but I keep mine to 15 feet with pruning. It will grow in full sun or partial shade.

This year mine was still blooming in late October. The blossoms are small, white, lightly fragrant and appear in clusters of seven at the ends of branches. Later, if there is no frost, the sepals turn pink.

There is one other tree I grow that blooms in the fall each year, usually in September, and then only a few blossoms at a time. It is a magnolia, a hybrid called Jane, one of the Little Girl series. It blooms first in late spring, and then re-blooms once a month or so with a few fabulous deep pink 4-inch blossoms, with a light pink interior.

Jane grows in six hours of sun or more in moist, rich soils. The leaves are deep green and glossy, good enough to put in a vase. It is listed as a Zone 5 plant but does well in Zone 4 for me. Because it blooms in late spring, frosts in April do not affect it. It is a small tree, perhaps 15 feet tall, with a nice rounded shape.

Spring and summer will always be the best seasons for flowering trees, but I like to extend the seasons with trees that flower and look good well into winter.

Featured photo: Heptacodium blossoms are small, but lovely. Courtesy photo. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 21/11/11

Family fun for the weekend

Science Thursday

As mentioned in last week’s Kiddie Pool, there are some science opportunities for kids who have this Thursday, Nov. 11, off school.

• From noon to 2 p.m., SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) will host the UNH students from Team Cooke, who are taking part in a research project that will go to the International Space Station. They will be at SEE to discuss doing science experiments in space and lead hands-on activities, according to the website. Make reservations for museum admission online; sessions are available at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Admission costs $10 for visitors ages 3 and up. The center is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Planetarium (2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is open Fridays through Sundays (with admission times at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) during the school year. It will also be open Thursday, Nov. 11 (Veterans Day). Go online to reserve a time slot; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $8.50 for children (ages 3 to 12), $10.50 for students ages 13 through college and for seniors.

Or head outdoors

Or make your discoveries outside.

• In the Nov. 4 issue we list some of the spots to get in a little hiking. Find a rundown of locations (many of which offer online maps for trails of varying degrees of difficulty, some with some stroller accessibility) on page 21 in the issue, the e-edition of which you can find at hippopress.com.

• And speaking of the big outdoors, another spot for an outdoor excursion is the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill in Bedford; efjh.org, 472-4724). The farm is open daily from dawn to dusk. See a map of their trails on their website.

Indoor fun

If you’d prefer to spend some family fun time indoors, check out the Oct. 14 issue of the Hippo, which features a listing of area bowling alleys, which open at noon or earlier on Thursdays. See page 12 for that story. On page 10 of that same issue you’ll find a rundown of local arcades where you can introduce your kids to the glories of Pac-Man and Skeeball.

Meet Zoom Squirrel

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) will hold a Book’s Alive program on Friday, Nov. 12, and Saturday, Nov. 13, all about Zoom Squirrel, star of author and illustrator Mo Willems’ Unlimited Squirrels series. The program will feature Unlimited Squirrels storytimes and a visit with a costumed Zoom Squirrel, according to the website. Admission requires advance registration for either the 9 a.m.-to-noon or the 1-to-4 p.m. time slot on either day. Admission costs $11 for everyone over 1 year of age ($9 for age 65+).

For the theater kids

• The Community Players of Concord’s Children’s Theatre Project will present All Together Now!, a show being performed by theater companies around the world to celebrate the return of live theater, on Friday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m., according to communityplayersofconcord.org. The show will feature current Children’s Theatre Project teen performers as well as adult alumni performing songs from Come From Away, Waitress, Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll and Hyde, Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Matilda, Newsies and more, the website said. Shows take place at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Tickets cost $15 via the Community Players of Concord website.

Upcoming dates to save

• Make plans with the littlest kids for a free screening of Free Birds (PG, 2013), a Thanksgiving-themed animated movie about two turkeys trying to stay off the menu (featuring the voices of Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson) on Friday, Nov. 19, at Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Manchester (707 Huse Road), Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.) and Pelham (150 Bridge St.). The show, part of the theaters’ “Little Lunch Date” series, starts at 11:30 a.m. Secure a seat by purchasing $5 food vouchers for attendees at chunkys.com, which said the lights will be only slightly dimmed for this kid-friendly screening.

• If you’ve got a ballet-loving kid, it’s time to get those The Nutcracker tickets. The Southern New Hampshire Dance Theatre will present its production of the classic Christmas ballet at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Friday, Nov. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 21. Shows are Friday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 21, at noon and 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $46.

Tree death prevention

Save trees from bark mulch and rodents

If you have cleaned up the vegetable garden and cut back your perennials, you might be feeling just a little smug — especially since this gardening guy admits he is behind you in completing those tasks. But there may still be tasks for you to do, and important ones for the trees on your property.

Are you one of those gardeners who has fallen in love with bark mulch? Do you use it not only in flower gardens but also around trees planted in the lawn to keep down weeds, hold in moisture, and keep the deadly string trimmer at bay? If you do, take a few moments to walk around and check out your trees and shrubs.

Bark mulch should never touch the stems of woody plants. You need a doughnut hole around your trees: a 4- to 6-inch area bare of mulch on all sides of your beloved trees. Why? Tree bark protects the tree from rain and snow, but it will eventually rot if it is covered with soil or bark mulch. And if the rot extends into the cambium layer — the layer beneath the bark — it will, eventually, kill the tree. But mulch is not the only culprit. Many trees are planted too deeply and the flare is covered with soil, which is just as lethal.

If you look at a tree that Mother Nature planted – or perhaps it was a forgetful squirrel — you will see that tree flares or widens at its base. That part of the tree needs to be planted above ground at planting time. Unfortunately, trees sold in pots often have the trunk flare covered with soil and get planted just the way they were in the pot. I have seen trees in large pots with the trunk flare covered by 4 inches of soil or more.

Mulch or soil over the trunk flare does not kill your tree right away. It often takes from six to 10 years to see signs of decline. Look at the tips of branches at the top of the tree. Leaf loss there is a definite sign of decline. Early color change in the fall is another sign. That maple that turns color before others on the property? It may be stressed by bark rot caused by damage to the trunk flare.

So examine your trees. If the trunk flare is covered with mulch or soil, you have work to do. If a tree is straight (like a telephone pole) at the soil surface, you need to pull the mulch away. And if you still don’t see a flared area, you need to re-grade the soil around your tree.

This well-planted maple flares out at its base. Courtesy photo.

Use gloved hands or work gently with a hand tool to remove the soil around the tree until you see the trunk flare. You may notice fine roots in the soil or mulch as you remove it, but these roots can be cut away. You are looking for big roots headed away from the trunk. Keep your hand tool away from the trunk as the bark will be tender, and easily damaged. But the good news is that most trees will recover if you remove the soil or bark mulch and let the bark dry out.

If you have planted a tree on a hillside, I assume you planted it to be vertical. But to do that you had to cut back into the uphill side of the planting area to create a flat spot. If, after planting, erosion has moved soil downhill to cover one side of the trunk, remove that. People with excavators working on your property presumably know not to pile soil against the bark of trees, but check anyway. Remove soil as needed.

Another fall task involves protecting young trees from damage by rodents. The worst is the meadow vole. These are little rodents that look a lot like mice but stockier, with short tails. Think of mice as ballerinas and voles as hockey players. They often leave tunnels in the lawn during the winter.

Voles can reach sexual maturity in just 5 weeks after birth, so they can increase in numbers exponentially, given the right conditions. If hungry enough, they will chew the bark off young trees, killing them by damaging the tender cambium layer and eating the phloem all around a tree, girdling it.

Young fruit trees are the most susceptible to girdling. Older trees have thicker bark and are generally less interesting to rodents. If you planted an apple tree within the last five years, you should protect the bark. Even if they did not damage the tree in the past, you cannot assume they will not this year. If there are high numbers of voles this year, and a deep snow cover to hide them from predators, they may attack.

The best way to protect trees against damage by voles is to surround the trunk with a ring of wire mesh called hardware cloth. Get some with quarter-inch spacing of the wires, and create a ring 24 inches tall. Make the ring of wire big enough to leave a couple of inches of space between the mesh and the trunk. That will allow the tree to get fatter without meeting the hardware cloth. If you have low branches (within 24 inches of the ground), you can prune them off to accommodate the wire mesh.

Hardware cloth comes in 24-inch rolls. You will need tin snips to cut it and leather gloves to protect your fingers. The stuff is like razor wire once cut. But, having seen what rodents can do, I recommend protecting new trees. There are plastic wraps and special cloth wraps that claim to protect against rodents, and may, but I have not tried them. They are definitely easier to use. So check out your trees, and get busy if need be.

Featured photo: Hardware cloth will keep rodents from chewing the bark and killing this young cherry tree. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 21/11/04

Family fun for the weekend

Getting out while the getting is still good

All but the south-southeastern-iest parts of the state are decidedly past peak foliage, according to the state’s foliage tracker (visitnh.gov/seasonal-trips/fall/foliage-tracker) on Nov. 1. But there are still some fun autumnal views worth viewing out in the natural world. (And, as of Nov. 1, WMUR is predicting a mild weekend in the low 50s.)

• Find a list of the New Hampshire Audubon’s 39 wildlife sanctuaries across the state at nhaudubon.org/lands/sanctuaries. The sanctuaries are free and open to the public for “passive recreation” (like hiking) and rules about dogs vary by location. Find locations, descriptions and maps for the sanctuaries on the website.

Beaver Brook Association’s (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org) 35 miles of trails and 12 themed gardens are also free and open from dawn to dusk, the website said. Find trail guides on the website, as well as (on the “visit us” page) descriptions of four stroller-friendly hikes.

• And get some art and nature at the Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Hollis; andresinstitute.org) open daily from dawn to dusk. There are printable trail maps online, where you can also find a rundown of all the sculptures in the park and view the sculptures on each trail.

Science on their day off

• Looking ahead to next Thursday, Nov. 11, when many schools may be closed: Check out the SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) from noon to 2 p.m. when the UNH students from Team Cooke, who are taking part in a research project that will go to the International Space Station, will be at SEE to discuss doing science experiments in space and lead hands-on activities, according to the website. Make reservations for museum admission online; sessions are available at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Admission costs $10 for visitors ages 3 and up. The center is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Planetarium (2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is open Fridays through Sundays (with admission times at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) during the school year. It will also be open Thursday, Nov. 11. Go online to reserve a time slot; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $8.50 for children (ages 3 to 12), $10.50 for students ages 13 through college and for seniors.

More midweek entertainment

• The Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St. in Pembroke; 485-7851, pembroke-nh.com/library) will present the Toe Jam Puppet Band Variety Show in the library’s parking lot on Thursday, Nov. 4, at 1 p.m. Dress warmly and bring chairs for a show with the “wacky and wild” band, a release from the library said.

• The Palace Teen Company will present The Little Mermaid on Tuesday, Nov. 9, and Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. The show will feature actors ages 12 to 18, according to the website. Tickets cost $12 to $15.

Use the force

How to plant bulbs for forcing indoors

I love the winter, but by March I am ready for spring. I usually have some snowdrops blooming in March on a south-facing hillside, but they are subtle, not bodacious blooms. So I plant lots of bulbs indoors in the fall and keep them cool until it is time to bring them into the warmth of the house, and I get indoor tulips, daffodils and more in March. That’s what forcing bulbs is all about. It’s simple, really, but there are a few tips I can share since I do this every year.

Most bulbs are described on their packages as early, mid-season or late. Go to your local garden center and look for bulbs that are labeled as early bloomers — they are the best for forcing. Buy daffodils, some tulips and maybe some small bulbs like crocus or grape hyacinths. You can plant these bulbs in large pots or even in your window box if you bring it in.

You will also need some potting soil and compost. I make a mix that is half compost, half potting soil for forcing bulbs. I don’t use garden soil because it can be heavy and often stays wet. Bulbs can rot if they are left in wet soil for too long. I often reuse the potting mix that I used for growing annual plants outdoors in summer. I just pull up the summer’s plants, fluff up the soil, add some compost as needed, and make sure it is damp to start. If it is dry, I water it before I plant my bulbs.

Each year I plant about 25 daffodils in a window box that is about 30 inches long, 6 inches wide and deep. I prefer to get all of one kind so that they all bloom at once.

I fill the window box a little more than half full with my mixture of compost and potting soil and place the bulbs, pointy end up, in the soil. Once I have them all in place I push them down more and fill up the box with more potting soil-compost mixture.

Be sure to label each pot with the date planted, and what is planted. Later that will tell you when you can bring it into the warmth. Daffodils take about 12 weeks of dormancy before they should be brought into the warmth of the house, and tulips do better with 4 full months. Little things like crocus can be forced in 8 to 10 weeks.

Often bulbs will send roots out through the holes in the bottom of the pot or send up green shoots telling you they are ready. But don’t rush the process. Tulips brought up early will have nice green leaves, but no flowers.

Ideally temperatures for bulbs used for forcing will be between 32 and 50 degrees, though colder temperatures should not be a problem (my basement often goes below freezing for a few days). Left in a warm location, the bulbs will grow green tops — but not blossoms. Bulbs left in a cold basement or garage will do just fine. Inside the bulkhead to your cellar might be the right temperature, too.

You need to be aware that rodents like eating bulbs (indoors or out) — especially tulips. My basement has, most years, harbored mice and sometimes even a resident red squirrel. Unlike tulips, daffodils are not of interest to rodents as they are mildly poisonous. I keep my pots of tulips covered with hardware cloth (a fine-mesh metal screening available at hardware stores). But wear gloves if you cut hardware cloth to size — the edges are as sharp as razor wire.

You can double your production of blooms by planting two layers of bulbs in a container. Plant big bulbs deep in the pots, add soil, and then plant a layer of crocus or other small bulbs above them.

It is important to check on the bulbs you are forcing at least once a month, particularly if you have put wire rodent-proofing over the containers. I’ve had shoots try to grow through the hardware cloth and get damaged. If the bulbs are sending up shoots, remove the wire mesh. I also don’t want the soil mix to get bone dry, so I check it and water a little if it’s dry. The bulbs will grow roots when first planted, and then go dormant if kept in a dark, cold location.

When it is time to bring up your potted bulbs into a warm place, let them wake up gently. My mudroom is good for starting them: there is some sunshine but it is cool. Then, once the shoots are up and green, I place the containers on my sunniest window sills, either east- or west-facing.

Most bulbs that have been forced are not likely to flower the following year, even if you keep the foliage alive until spring and plant them outside. I’ve done it, and some daffodils will build up the energy to blossom after a while, but tulips are not so cooperative.

I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa, many years ago. There I could have flowers blooming every day of the year. It spoiled me, perhaps, because I still want flowers every day. Forcing bulbs is one way to have lots of blossoms when there is snow on the ground. So don’t wait until mid-December to start your bulbs; get on this project now.

Featured photo: Forced tulips are my favorites. .Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 21/10/28

Family fun for the weekend

Halloween fun for everyone

In last week’s (Oct. 21) issue of the Hippo, we looked for all the Halloween fun we could find — from events geared to the littlest goblins to events geared more toward teens (and older folks). Looking for your town’s scheduled trick-or-treat times (page 11), area haunted houses and attractions (page 12), happenings particularly geared toward kids and family (page 10) or events with a more general audience (page 14)? Head to hippopress.com; you can see last week’s e-edition. (And, if you can get a babysitter, check out the live music and costume contests planned at area bars and restaurants; the listing starts on page 15.) Here are some of the highlights:

In-town trick-or-treats

Speaking of trick-or-treating, the kids can get an extra opportunity to put on their costumes — while you can get a chance to browse local businesses or just hang out in your town’s center — at trick-or-treats in area downtowns.

• Milford holds its Trick-or-Treat on the Oval Friday, Oct. 29, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The town Recreation Department and businesses on the Oval will be handing out candy and small toys to kids in costume. See milfordrec.com.

• Head to Manchester’s City Hall (1 City Hall Plaza) on Friday, Oct. 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. to meet Mayor Craig and get a free book from the library’s Bookmobile. Participating local businesses will also have goodies to hand out during downtown trick-or-treat at that same time. See manchesternh.gov for details.

• Intown Concord will hold its Halloween Howl on Friday, Oct. 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Main Street. The evening will feature family activities and trick-or-treating at participating businesses as well as a trunk-or-treat element for businesses and organizations that don’t have a Main Street storefront. See intownconcord.org.

Sounds of Halloween

Local children’s music star Mr. Aaron will hold a Halloween Bash at the Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St. in Concord) on Sunday, Oct. 31, with shows at 10 a.m. and noon, featuring Halloween songs and more. Costumes encouraged. Tickets cost $10; see mraaronmusic.com.

Halloween in nature

Beaver Brook Nature Center (52 Brown Lane in Hollis; beaverbrook.org) for a Halloween Enchanted Forest Walk on Saturday, Oct. 30, with time slots starting every 15 minutes from 3 to 5 p.m. The marked trail is an “‘unscary’ Halloween walk,” according to the website and the event will feature a campfire with cider and s’mores. The cost is $12 per person (a $150 private time slot is also available); register online.

See some real characters

Meet the Witch of Weston Tower, which will run every weekend in October (Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.) at McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Way in Manchester). For $15 per person ages 9 and up (kids 8 and under get in free), get transportation up the mountain, a hayride to the tower, and a chance to meet the witch and play games, according to manchesternh.gov.

Kids are encouraged to dress in costume at the CHaD Storybook Tablescape Tour at the Bedford Event Center (370 S. River Road in Bedford) on Saturday, Oct. 30, with entrance times starting at 11:30 a.m. Costumed characters will greet attendees as they arrive to check out tabletop scenes from fall- and Halloween-themed books, according to ChaDStorybookBall.org. The event will also include sweet treats, live performances and a silent auction. Tickets cost $10 for everyone over 2 (kids 2 and under get in free) and must be purchased in advance, the website said (which also says that masks, of the Covid and not just Halloween variety, will be required).

Kids who don’t mind some creepier characters might like the all-ages Zombie Walk in Dover on Saturday, Oct. 30, starting at 2 p.m. at the Dover Chamber of Commerce parking lot (550 Central Ave.) and proceeding down Central Avenue, ending at Rotary Arts Pavilion. Participants will get a bag of goodies, according to dovermainstreet.org. Non-zombie costumes are also welcome.

Run off that candy energy

There’s still time to register for the Amherst Orthodontics Trick or Trot 3k scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m. in Arms Park (10 Arms St. in Manchester). Runners ages 9 through adult can run in the race, which crosses Notre Dame Bridge. Kids age 8 and under can run in the 3K if they’d like as well as a little-kid-friendly Stonyfield Lil Pumpkin Fun Run. (Photos at millenniumrunning.com/trick-or-trot show both kid and adult runners in past years taking to the course in costume). Register online by Saturday, Oct. 30; the cost is $25 for adults, $20 for ages 12 through 20 (and for a virtual option), $15 for kids ages 9 through 11 and $10 for the Lil’ Pumpkin Runs, according to the website.

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