CELEBRATING 28 YEARS! Welcome to my weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Q: Hello Linda- I have a white dogwood that was planted approximately 5 years ago. It did not bloom the first two years. The last two years, the dogwood blooms, but not all of it. Some of the tree does not bloom and I don't know why. Do I need to fertilize? What kind? Perhaps, I need to do something else? Thank you! - Jane A: Dear Jane, Newly planted Flowering Dogwood trees take a while (years) to fully bloom. They do exactly what you describe in your letter. Ás each year goes by, you'll see more and more blooms. Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) are naturally found growing on the edge of a woodland under the canopy of Oaks, Maples and Hickories. They thrive in a part sun location in normal to moist soil with lots of organic matter. Make sure your tree is well-watered throughout the growing season (especially if it's in full sun). Place 1-2" of mulch around the base of the tree to keep the soil cool and moist, but don't pile the mulch on the trunk. Only fertilize in April with an organic, slow release fertilizer such as Flowertone. Do not fertilize in the fall. You will notice more flowers as your Dogwood grows older, and in no time the whole tree will be full of flowers each spring. WE'RE GOING DIGITAL! DON'T MISS OUT! USE THE QR CODE, OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: Email: info@sprigsandtwigs.net, or Mail: Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 28 YEARS ! Welcome to my weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Q : Hello Linda- I have a white dogwood that was planted approximately 5 years ago . It did not bloom the first two years . The last two years , the dogwood blooms , but not all of it . Some of the tree does not bloom and I don't know why . Do I need to fertilize ? What kind ? Perhaps , I need to do something else ? Thank you ! - Jane A : Dear Jane , Newly planted Flowering Dogwood trees take a while ( years ) to fully bloom . They do exactly what you describe in your letter . Ás each year goes by , you'll see more and more blooms . Flowering Dogwoods ( Cornus florida ) are naturally found growing on the edge of a woodland under the canopy of Oaks , Maples and Hickories . They thrive in a part sun location in normal to moist soil with lots of organic matter . Make sure your tree is well - watered throughout the growing season ( especially if it's in full sun ) . Place 1-2 " of mulch around the base of the tree to keep the soil cool and moist , but don't pile the mulch on the trunk . Only fertilize in April with an organic , slow release fertilizer such as Flowertone . Do not fertilize in the fall . You will notice more flowers as your Dogwood grows older , and in no time the whole tree will be full of flowers each spring . WE'RE GOING DIGITAL ! DON'T MISS OUT ! USE THE QR CODE , OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO : Email : info@sprigsandtwigs.net , or Mail : Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET