Covering a tree's roots above ground can limit the tree's access to oxygen and moisture which helps them grow and stay healthy. Avoid cutting, trimming, or removing tree roots because it can make the tree woody and unstable, especially during storms. To discourage root growth at the surface level, try using mulch to cover the roots, loosen compacted soil, or hire a pro arborist. Despite their seemingly breezy maintenance requirements, trees can be tricky to care for especially if not done properly—this also extends to their root systems. Is it better, for instance, to cover tree roots or leave them alone? To gather these answers and more, we reached out to an expert tree arborist to share their best insights. Meet the Expert Eric North is a certified arborist and urban forestry program manager at the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest tree-planting nonprofit planting trees. Should You Cover Your Tree Roots Above Ground? No, you should not cover the tree’s roots. according to Eric North, a certified arborist and urban forestry program manager at the Arbor Day Foundation. “Oxygen and moisture are typically most available to tree roots in the open pore spaces of the upper soil, often in the upper 18 to 24 inches,” he explains. So, the deeper you go, the more compact the soil gets, which means less space for the oxygen and moisture tree roots need. If you cover the tree’s roots, the tree will only work harder to reach closer to the soil’s surface to reach water and nutrients. All the more reason not to cover your tree’s roots. “The exception to this is when soil erosion or any other disruption to the soil environment exposes fine roots that had been below the soil surface,” North explains. In cases such as these, you can add some soil to cover any newly exposed roots. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Don’t Cut Your Tree Roots But above all, don’t trim your tree’s roots. Avoid trimming, cutting, or removing tree roots when the tree is young or old. “As roots continue to age, they become woody and their primary role changes to providing energy storage and stability for the tree,” North says. So, damaging even old roots can kill the tree’s roots, result in a reduction in the tree’s growth, or lead to unstable trees that will need to be straightened or else may fall down during storms. What to Do Instead It’s normal for roots to want to be near the soil’s surface. North explains how when roots grow near or at the soil surface, it’s typically because that’s where the most ideal conditions exist. However, there are several things you can still do to discourage root growth at the surface level. Correct the soil conditions at the time of planting. Loosen compacted soil and add in some new organic matter (such as compost). Hire a certified professional arborist to improve compacted soils and encourage root growth below the soil surface. Professional arborists have tools that use pressurized air to blow away and loosen soil without minimal damage to existing roots. Cover the tree roots with mulch. This will help the soil retain moisture while remaining covered by the mulch. Are Exposed Roots a Sign of Good or Poor Tree Health? Trees have adapted to a wide range of conditions, and their roots spread out to help them find the most nutrients. Above-ground roots are not necessarily indicators of tree health, North says. However, they can be a reasonable indicator of soil conditions. “Surface roots frequently form when soils are heavily compacted or there is a high-water table,” North says. Both situations can impact your tree’s ability to gather water and nutrients. Are Some Trees More Prone to Above Soil Roots? Yes, some tree species are genetically prone to producing shallow roots, North says. This can include such species and varieties as Ficus, mountain spruces, and trees adapted to areas prone to flooding. “In this latter case, the shallow roots nature is likely an evolutionary adaptation to manage limited resources,” he says.

The butterfly pea plant, Clitoria ternatea, is a tropical, perennial, and climbing vine that blooms in the summer with flowers noted for producing natural dyes. Although they're mostly grown for their vivid blue, purple, and white flowers, their plants also produce long flat pods containing six to ten peas, which are edible when harvested young. Vines grow to ten feet in length but have a twining habit that keeps plants to a tidy three feet tall. Leaves are medium green and broader at the base tapering to a point. Native to Indonesia, this is a short-lived perennial that grows in USDA zones 9 to 11. It is cultivated as an annual in northern zones or grown in pots and overwintered indoors as a biennial. The blue flowers are edible and are a natural food coloring in Asian cuisine. They are added to beverages and are a popular ingredient in "Butterfly Pea Tea."1 Butterfly pea plant is widely grown as an ornamental and reclamation plant that fixes nitrogen in soil. How to Plant Butterfly Pea The butterfly pea is a hardy plant that requires warm growing conditions with plenty of sun. Easily grown from seed, both plants, and seeds are offered by specialty growers. When to Plant Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the final frost in your growing zone, or directly sow the seed in the garden in early spring in zones 9 and higher. Purchased plants and seedlings can be planted in the garden when average air and soil temperatures reach 60 degrees F. Selecting a Planting Site Choose a location that receives 6 to 10 hours of bright direct sunlight daily. Making sure the soil is well-draining is essential. Spacing, Depth, and Support Direct sow seeds about 1 inch deep and 3 to 4 inches apart. Plant seedlings 6 to 10 inches apart and at the same level as in their original pot. To grow butterfly pea plants in pots, choose a container 6 inches deep and 12 to 14 inches in diameter. Sow seeds 1 inch deep and 2 inches apart. Thin to one or two per container once they reach 6 inches tall. Provide a support structure such as a trellis or grow them on a fence or wall. Butterfly Pea Plant Care Light Butterfly pea plants need lots of bright, direct sunlight for 6 to 10 hours daily. Avoid locations where the overhead canopy or neighboring plants cast shade. Soil Tolerant of soil type, this twining vine grows best in fertile, slightly sandy, and well-draining soils. Plants require a balanced pH of 6.0 to 8.0. Water Butterfly pea seedlings benefit from 1 inch of water per week. Once established, they are drought tolerant and need supplemental irrigation only in prevailing hot, dry conditions. Soil level irrigation is best for avoiding fungal infections like powdery mildew that can develop on wet leaves. Temperature and Humidity This is a tropical plant that prefers moist air and temperatures between 70 and 100 degrees F. Hardy only in U.S. zones 9 through 11, the butterfly pea plant does not survive frost and is grown as an annual or potted plant where average temperatures fall below 60 degrees F. Indoor plants benefit from frequent misting to raise the humidity level. Fertilizer Add well-aged manure, compost, or balanced NPK fertilizer at when planting. NPK liquid fertilizer higher in phosphorous and potassium boosts bloom for perennial plants when applied twice annually after pruning. Pollination Butterfly pea plants are perfect which means they have both male and female parts and are considered self-pollinating. The flower, however, requires assistance from bees to complete pollination and fertilization for the plant to produce peas. Potted plants grown indoors year-round will not produce fruit unless hand pollinated. Variety vs. Variety Clitoria mariana, also called Butterfly Pea, is an uncommon wildflower found in the southern U.S. which tends to sprawl along the ground. The flower color is violet-blue to lavender with purple centers rather than yellow as in Clitoria ternatea. All parts of both plants are edible however Clitoria mariana is considered a forage plant and not widely consumed. Harvesting Butterfly Pea Butterfly pea plants are grown for their flowers rather than the edible peas. The flowers open for only a day or two but can be harvested fresh, wilted, or dried. The greatest amount of pigment is extracted from fresh flowers, resulting in richer color in food and beverages. Slightly wilted flowers should be left to dry completely and dried flowers produce the best color when combined with hot water.2 To harvest peas, remove flowers to activate the growth of the pod. Harvest pods before peas are too large which causes them to become tough and flavorless. To harvest seeds, wait until pods dry and turn brown. How to Grow Butterfly Pea in Pots Pea plants tend to grow easily in containers as long as the soil drains well and support is included. Seeds can be started in flats in early spring and transplanted or sown directly into individual pots at least 6 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter. Butterfly pea plants are heat and drought-tolerant so keeping pots outdoors in summer and overwintering indoors is a viable option. Plants grow in clay, ceramic, and plastic pots. Fill the container with potting soil. Butterfly pea plants are not picky about soil type but adding compost to make up 1/4 of the mix provides nutrition for young plants. Starting with your own or a purchased seedling, plant it in the center of the pot at the same level as in the original container. Fill in around the roots and add a trellis or stake. Water thoroughly until water drains from the pot bottom. Place in a location that receives at least 6 hours of bright sunlight daily. Move the plant outdoors into the full sun when temperatures average 65 degrees F. daily. Once the plant is established and growing, allow the soil surface to dry before watering. When average daily temperatures drop below 60 degrees F. move the plant indoors to a sunny window. Prune regularly and often by cutting back the tips of vines. Pruning can be done any time of year to avoid a thin, leggy appearance. Pruning Pruning is needed to keep plants compact and bushy. Prune your butterfly pea plant often by removing growing tips. Deadheading flowers increases flower production. If you want to save seeds for propagation or harvest edible peas for cooking, leave flowers on the vine. Harvest edible peas while still small or remove pods when they become brown and dry. Propagating Butterfly Pea Butterfly pea plant grows easily from cuttings taken from mature plants. Gather a snipper, a pot at least 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide, and potting soil. Take the cutting from an older, woodier portion of the vine. Pruned growing tips do not root well. Choose a section 3 to 5 inches long with a bud at the top. Remove lower leaves and place the cutting in a glass of water or dip the bottom in rooting hormone and plant in potting soil. Placed in water or soil, cutting produces roots in two to three weeks, followed quickly by flowers that open as early as three weeks once the plant is established. Keep soil moist and place potted seedlings in a warm, moist location. The morning sun is best with some afternoon shade to allow young plants to acclimate. How to Grow Butterfly Pea From Seed If you are growing butterfly pea plants in pots, allowing seed production is a good way to keep this plant going. Seeds can also be purchased at some greenhouses, online, and from specialty growers. To propagate from seed, you need a sharp knife, flats, or containers 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide, and potting medium. Butterfly pea seeds are not reliable germinators. Choose mature, aged seeds that are hard, and dark brown. To check for viability, pour seeds into a bowl of water. Discard seeds that don't float. Use the sharp knife to nick each seed to allow for better water absorption. Soak seeds in water for 24 hours. Fill the flat or pot with a light potting mix made up of 25 percent compost. Plant seeds 1 inch deep. In pots, space them 4 to 6 inches apart. Seeds sown in flats can be thinned or transplanted into pots or the garden once seedlings have three sets of leaves. Do not plant outdoors until average daily temperatures reach 60 degrees F. Keep seedlings moist. Germination is most successful in temperatures above 80 degrees F. Germination occurs from six days up to three weeks. Nicking and soaking seeds improve the time to germination. Vines grow rapidly, however average time for plants to flower is 90 days. Potting and Repotting Butterfly Pea Repotting annually is recommended to replenish soil nutrients. Plants are also potted up into containers 2 to 3 inches larger once they've doubled in size. Turn the plant's pot on its side, grasp the base of the plant, and gently work it loose from the pot. Add fresh potting material, choosing a larger pot when necessary. Replant and water. Overwintering Gardeners north of zone 9, need to bring potted plants indoors when average daily temperatures drop below 60 degrees F. Place the pot in a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Close to a south-facing window works well. Indoor temperatures need to stay consistently above 60 degrees F., so avoid drafty spots. Add a humidifier or mist the plant frequently to mimic moist, tropical conditions. Allow the soil surface to dry between waterings and continue to prune as needed. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Butterfly pea is not vulnerable to many diseases or pests. Spider mites and aphids can be a problem but can be knocked down with a strong spray of water. Treat infestations with horticultural oil. Overwatering can lead to bacterial soft rot, mold, and mildew.

Growing figs can be extremely rewarding—even beginning growers can learn how to grow a fig tree in a small yard or roomy planter with minimal fuss. With their large, lobed leaves and slender, woody branches, common figs (Ficus carica) have lots of ornamental appeal, but they’re mostly grown for their edible fruit, which turns purple, brown, or yellow when ripe and can be eaten fresh, cooked, or dried. These fast-growing trees thrive in warmer regions and are typically planted in late fall or early spring. However, growers in cooler climates can keep figs by growing hardy, dwarf trees in pots and overwintering them indoors. If you’ve ever dreamed of making luscious desserts with homegrown figs or are simply on the hunt for a unique fruit tree for your garden, you’re in luck. You’ll find all the tips you need to grow fig trees right here. How to Plant Fig Trees Figs are typically sold as either bare root trees or potted plants. Both types of trees are planted using a similar technique. However, if you’re transplanting a potted fig, you may need to tease apart or cut through circling roots before planting to encourage healthy growth. When to Plant While indoor figs can be planted in pots at any time of the year, outdoor trees should be planted in early spring or late fall, when the trees are dormant and the ground is workable. Selecting a Planting Site Figs can tolerate partial shade, but they’ll grow and fruit better in full sun. When you’re ready to plant, select a spot that receives at least 6 hours of direct light daily and has rich, well-draining soil, and plenty of space for figs to spread out. Planting figs in a south-facing location can be particularly beneficial in cooler areas. If you’re growing figs in pots, keep plants on a sunny patio or porch during summer, but move them indoors or into greenhouses before winter arrives. Spacing, Depth, and Support To plant outdoor figs, dig a hole slightly wider and deeper than your tree’s root ball and amend the soil with some compost. Gently wiggle potted figs out of their nursery containers, taking care not to damage their roots. Bare root trees will usually need to soak in water for a few hours before planting. Position the tree in the center of the planting hole. If you’re working with a bare root plant, heap soil into a low mound in the center of the hole to support the tree’s trunk. Then, evenly fan the roots out around the planting hole. Backfill the hole until it’s mostly filled, and then water well to help the soil settle in. If you’re growing multiple fig trees together, full-sized figs should be spaced at least 20 feet from each other and buildings. Dwarf trees can be planted a bit closer together. Fig Tree Care Most fig trees take about 3 to 5 years to fruit, although potted figs may fruit earlier. Providing figs with the right balance of light, nutrients, and water during this time is essential if you want trees to remain healthy and produce a large harvest of future fruit! Light Outdoor figs need 6 to 8 hours of direct light, while indoor figs can do well in sunny, south-facing windows. In low light homes, keep figs under a grow light for 8 to 12 hours a day. Soil Figs can tolerate a range of soils, but slightly acidic, well-draining, loamy soils with a pH of between 6.0 and 6.5 are ideal. Standard potting mixes will work for potted figs, while compost blended into planting holes can help outdoors figs thrive. Water Water container-grown and young fig trees regularly with about 1 inch of water per week. Established, outdoor trees may not need any additional water beyond rainfall. Temperature and Humidity Figs grow best in zones 8 and up, although cold hardy figs can be grown outdoors in zones 6 and 7 with winter protection. In colder areas, figs should be cultivated as container plants and moved indoors or into greenhouses in winter. Humidity is rarely an issue with these trees; however, indoor figs may benefit from the addition of a humidifier in homes with dry air. Fertilizer Fig trees are not heavy feeders and inground plants are usually content with an annual application of compost or balanced fertilizer in spring. If you add compost to your planting hole when transplanting, you typically won’t need to apply fertilizer until the following spring. Potted figs need more attention than inground plants and should be fertilized about once a month in spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer. Pollination Some figs need insect pollinators, but common figs are self-fertile and self-pollinating plants that don’t need insect pollination or other fig trees to fruit. Types of Fig Trees Growers can find a variety of edible fig trees, but it’s important to choose figs that are well-suited for your growing location. Dwarf figs are best for container gardens, while cold hardy figs are more likely to thrive in chilly regions. ‘Brown Turkey’: A versatile fig choice, ‘Brown Turkey’ can be grown in pots or inground gardens and it yields medium-sized, sweet fruits with reddish-brown skins. ‘Celeste’: Relatively cold and heat tolerant, ‘Celeste’ is disease resistant, and produces ultra-sweet fruit with purple skins. ‘Little Miss Figgy’: This dwarf fig only grows about 4 feet high, but it produces large harvests of medium-sized figs with excellent flavor. Harvesting Figs Figs are harvested in late summer to early fall when the sweet and juicy fruit develops its mature color and starts to soften. A tell-tale sign that figs are ready to pick is when the ripening figs droop on their branches. To harvest, grasp a ripe fig in one hand and the supporting tree branch in the other, and gently lift the fig away from the tree. Ripe figs should be easy to pick! Figs don’t last long after harvesting and they can only be kept in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, try canning, drying, or freezing. How to Grow Fig Trees in Pots Potted and outdoor fig trees have similar care needs, although container-grown plants may need to be fertilized and watered more regularly. Mature trees need 15 to 20-gallon pots to grow, but younger plants can be kept in smaller containers. Be sure to select a pot with plenty of drainage holes, use a well-draining potting mix, and position your fig in a spot that receives lots of bright light. Pruning Pruning is generally not needed for fig trees, although you may want to shape young figs by clipping away wayward branches. After that, simply prune away damaged, weak, or broken stems when the trees are dormant in winter and thin out excess fruit as needed to keep branches from breaking. Propagating Fig Trees Figs can be propagated in several ways, but the easiest options are layering and rooting stem cuttings. Layering works best in warm areas where temperatures never dip below freezing. Simply anchor a low-growing fig branch to the ground with landscape staples so the base of the stem is buried in soil and at least 8 inch of stem and leaves are above the soil line. Allow the buried fig branch to develop roots, and then cut the branch from the parent plant. If you live in a colder area or simply prefer to propagate fig trees from prunings or stem cuttings, here’s how to start: Using sharp pruners, cut several healthy, 8 to 12-inch stem cuttings from the parent fig in spring when figs are still dormant but the danger of frost has passed. Each cutting should be about as wide as your pinky finger and the stem ends should be cut on a slant near a leaf node. Add sealant to the cut stem end to prevent disease and dip the end of the cutting in rooting hormone. Fill a 6-inch pot with potting mix and plant four cuttings per pot with the cut stem ends buried several inches deep. Cover the pot with clear plastic to boost humidity. Move the cuttings into bright, indirect light and water only when the soil feels dry. Once the cuttings produce significant new growth, transplant them into large pots or outdoors into your garden if the weather is mild. Overwintering In warm areas, outdoor figs need little winter care; however, in cooler locations, you may want to wrap fig trees in burlap and protect their roots with mulch. Container grown figs can be grown year-round indoors or in greenhouses, but they typically won’t fruit unless they’re subjected to a period of cold. For maximum fruiting, keep potted figs outdoors until a light frost arrives and the tree drops its leaves. Then move the bare fig tree into a cool, dark, and protected spot, such as a garage or basement, and water sparingly once a month until spring. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Protecting outdoor figs with fruit protection bags can prevent birds and other wildlife from nibbling on ripening fruit. Figs can sometimes develop diseases like fig leaf spot and rust, but minor pests like aphids, whiteflies, scale, and mealybugs are more common, especially in greenhouses.