I thought all of my trees were done growing and even posted about it, but darn it if one of my Golden Raintrees didn't put out a whole new bright-pink soft branch of leaves this past week. She's a real show off.

The weather man said it's not a killing frost; he said it will get down to about 36. Would I be prudent to protect that one particular tree because of that new growth that just popped out? I certainly have the means and materials to do so.

Letting nature take it's course is not an option. lol

Don't worry so much - these trees have all been around for a very long time and managed quite well without anyone fussing over them :-) No one to feed them or tuck them in in winter.........it's a wonder any have survived!!

Can't add any more value than what gg provided.

I stressed out way too much this spring over frosts and freezes...never going to do that again!

It's still growing right now.

i will yell... THEY ARE NOT CHILDREN ... they do not need to be protected from cold ...

what would you gain from it all.. besides some excersize ???.. another week.. until the next frost or freeze????

mulch properly.. plant zone appropriate stock.. water properly ... and let ma nature take it from there ..

i like that you are always thinking ..

ken

I'm watering the trees all day today and saw another one of my Golden Raintrees just sprouted a new bright pink branch with leaves.

You said "that new "branch" is really a rachis or modified petiole and will be shed this fall anyway:.

Are all the branches going to fall of this tree as part of the dormancy cycle? If so, Im glad you told me ahead of time. lol I bought it as a 3 foot whip with no branches this past March. All the branches come out pink and have the pink leaves, until the leaves turn green. Why haven't any of them hardened off and thickened up some? They were planted 6 months ago and yet the branches with the leaves on them are so thin, light and billowy.

To see those branches compared to my Hornbeam branches is like night and day.

By the way, Ken, asking simple questions is not about worrying! It's about learning. When I ask a question I am not having anxiety attacks or being a Chicken Little, I am merely curious and trying to strategize a game plan for how to go about something. How would you have liked it if you asked questions when you first started planting and everyone kept saying stop worrying! How does anyone learn anything unless they seek out answers??

This tree is rather well known for being 'branchless' until it develops some age and size. You may even need to do a little pruning in its early years to stimulate branch development. At 3' - really little more than a seedling - I would not expect to see any branching for several years.

And in Ken's defense, there is nothing wrong about asking questions but a great many of us, especially of the older generation before the days of the Internet and instant knowledge access, did learn most of what we know about gardening by trial and error. We planted something and hoped for the best. Odds are very good that's all that needed to be done, other than watering as nature required. Plants are a lot tougher and more durable, even in their infant stages, than most of us consider. A great many manage just fine with minimal human intervention ever. As Ken is fond of saying, these aren't kids - they don't need to be babied, or fed or coddled in cold weather. Stick 'em in the ground, water 'em and let 'em do their thing.

I don't get why Golden Raintrees lack branches when they're young. It seems odd to me. I can't imagine what the point of that is since everything I've read suggests that having branches actually creates a thicker, stronger trunk...

I know, they were made that way and it's been working for them for thousands of years so who am I to question their growth and development. lol

I learned tonight that Thomas Jefferson was the first person to plant a GRT in America, and that he cherished the tree. I'm sure many here on GW don't share that same sentiment but I know where he is coming from.

Thanks again to everyone who gives of their time on here. I am always very grateful.

But they do come around.........+oM