Re: Maple Trees

------Original Message------
From: Diann Barbee Thoma <diannthoma@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Sent: March 26, 2001 1:00:17 AM GMT
Subject: [SG] Maple Trees


Folks,

We have a lot of black locusts in our back yard, probably getting old by
now--let's say 30-40 years old. We also have two Norway Maples, one in each
corner of the front yard. As anyone familiar with these maples knows, I must
weed about 500 seedlings/year all over the entire yard.  Also, I don't need
to tell you about the dry and depleted dirt around them and the heavy shade.

Another of these maples is growing in the back next to our small pond
amongst the locusts. It's young and has about a 6-7" diameter trunk. I am
dismayed that my husband (who once grew vegetables for market, but not
perennials) is determined that this tree stay there since "nature put it
there" and since the black locusts are somewhat old. He also, it seems,
refuses to believe me that it does deplete the soil and perhaps he doesn't
appreciate what "dry" means in a shadegarden.

I definitely want it out, and would love to plant an acer griseum
(Paperback) in its place.  However, my husband doesn't have any
understanding/sympathy for my desire to NOT have another Norway.  It's a
stalemate.

So I'm asking here for opinions on the situation. Yes, I will share them
with my husband. If you don't agree with me, that's fine: rounded
discussions are fine. I'd greatly appreciate the knowledge and experience of
this group applied to this question.

Thanks,
Diann


Diann:

I'm experiencing a similar situation - a sycamore that needs to come OUT and
a husband that can't come to grips with the fact that the tree is causing
more problems than it is worth.  There is this little insect that it harbors
naturally - the bug has infested everything else in the back yard to the
point that I've had to hire a company to spray all my landscaping (and I do
NOT like using chemicals).  Plus, it carries a mold/fungus that, if weather
is humid, will start to show up on other plants with far worse effects than
seen on the sycamore tree.  I'm hoping a good thunder storm will take one of
them out.  At least I can grow stuff under it.

Louise in Park Hills, KY (zone 6)
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