Dogwood Tree Care And Maintenance

The cornus kousa korean dogwood or just kousa tree is more resistant to diseases that plague other dogwoods it thrives in zones 5 9.

Dogwood tree care and maintenance. The best time to prune is in the late fall or winter while the tree is dormant. During summer months and dry spells it is important for the tree to get shade in the afternoons to thrive. Powdery mildew an unsightly fungal infection doesn t usually kill the tree but probably weakens it until another pest comes along and delivers the final blow. Dogwood trees have a naturally attractive rounded shape so they require little pruning unless needed for aesthetic reasons or to improve their vigor.

Planting and transplanting the flowering dogwood dogwoods grown in containers can be planted or transplanted any time of the year with regular watering while bare root or burlap dogwood trees should only be transplanted in the late fall or early spring when it s less likely that you ll lose them to a sudden frost. It is sometimes referred to as the chinese dogwood. If your soil doesn t meet these conditions amend it with compost before planting your dogwood. It blooms around late spring and early summer.

A dogwood should be planted about two thirds the depth of its root ball. Excessive fertilizing can kill a young dogwood tree. A dogwood tree planted in clay soil will eventually rot and die as it will hold water for too long. Kousa is native to japan china korea and taiwan.

Dogwoods need slightly acidic well drained soil that is rich in organic matter. You can test the ph of your soil easily with a kit purchased at the nursery or online. The soil quality shouldn t be too sandy nor should it be heavy clay. Dogwood trees need well drained humus soil that is ideally slightly acidic.

Make sure the soil is moist enough because this tree is not. Disease and pests aphids and powdery mildew can be a problem but a fungicidal application and horticultural oils in spring can help prevent insects and diseases. Dogwood trees do require some special care to help them thrive as they are fragile and susceptible to mechanical injuries and several insect and disease conditions. Give larger well established kousas 1 cup of fertilizer for each 1 inch of trunk diameter measured 4 feet above the soil line.

Before planting select a location that receives full sunlight to partial shade. Kousa dogwood is easy to grow and requires little maintenance. Planting dogwood care bare root and burlap dogwood trees should be transplanted in late fall or early spring.