Strawberry Tree - distressed, how to save?
david1116
10 years ago
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Lime Tree Distress...Please help Diagnose.
Comments (4)You can get rid of a boat load of aphids and spider mites by the careful spraying of plain water to blast them away. Not so strong that you could cause plant damage, but enough to get rid of the critters. Spider mites tend to congregate on the underside of foliage, so pay some attention to that location. Use your fingers, too, to help squish. Then, you might try an application of insecticidal soap, mixed according to label directions. Again, direct the spray to all parts of the plant. I've found that spider mites can be controlled by applications of alcohol and water (in a 1:4 ratio). Save that remedy for when you bring your plant inside or out of the direct sunlight. Same goes for the soap, too. I should say that spider mites can be very difficult to get rid of entirely. Aphids, not so much. But you will have to do a much better job at observing your plant from now on, so that you can continue treatments. Pest populations like that don't occur overnight....See MoreFig tree in extreme distress
Comments (2)I'm not sure about saving the tree as is. It sounds like there is some pretty significant damage. You didn't mention how far down the tree or how thick the trunk is where rot is occurring. You also didn't mention how big the tree is. The first step is to remove the suckers along with any roots attached to them and plant them elsewhere. These will be your backup in case you cannot save the parent tree. I have a tree that has been infested with borers about 12 inches off the ground. This is where the main trunks splits into 3 trunks each about 1 1/2" . There is about 6-8' of growth above the damage. I have devised a plan plan (mind you, I have NOT tested this method yet, and I haven't found anything written on it) to layer the tree above the borer damage. It is just an idea rolling around my brain. I call it Extended Air Layering. Hopefully someone has a solution to save your tree, if not, I submit this: Extended Air Layering (for larger trees) -Scar the bark and surround with moistened moss and wrap with plastic then foil (usual air-layering procedure). Seal it tightly to maintain moisture also so whatever is getting your tree now doesn't invade your air layer area -After roots appear, remove the foil, plastic, and moss. -Working quickly so the roots don't dry out too much, cut a nursery container (I was thinking of using a 3 gallon Air-Pot for this) down one side to the center of the base, then cut a hole in the base about the same size as the diameter of the trunk where you air-layered. -Fit the container around the trunk with the roots inside. -Find a way to support the container while you fill it with your growing medium. Use chopsticks to work the roots outward from the trunk into the growing medium. -Saturate the growing medium in your container with water. -When most of the moisture has drained from your container, wrap it in plastic (preferably white) and seal the ends well. I was planning on leaving it wrapped for 3-4 weeks until the roots had established themselves in the growing medium. -Unwrap the container, and water as if it were any other potted tree for the remainder of the season. -After the tree goes dormant, remove the container and the growing medium. If it looks like there has been sufficient root growth to sustain the tree above it, cut your new tree off and plant it where you want it. The way I see it, the process should be started very close to when the tree begins to break dormancy to give the roots as much time to grow as possible. Also, if the container is wrapped in high heat days, you are just asking for fungal growth. As I said, this is NOT a method I have tried (yet), nor have I read anything similar to this. This idea and the procedure I laid out is something that *SEEMS* to me to be something that will work for saving a larger tree. If there are no other solutions to saving your tree, feel free to be the guinea pig. good luck, ~james...See MoreSaving/preserving food, how I've changed what I do...
Comments (15)I'm still learning and trying new things but there are definitely things I wouldn't can again and did in the first place because I thought I would use them. I'm going to stick to plain tomatoes, stewed tomatoes (which I love and can't keep on the shelf), green beans, deer meat, Annie's salsa, pickled beets, pickled onions, various jams, kraut, relish, and a few pickles. I like my corn frozen and prefer refrigerator pickles. I like apples and peaches dehydrated, plus canned sauce. I dehydrated various odd things last year and they are still in my freezer. I also forget they were there. My few attempts at canned tomato sauce didn't turn out that great for all the work involved. I may have over-cooked it before processing but I have no desire to try it again when I can blender a can of toms for the sauce. I've already harvested my garlic and it is curing now. Plan to keep some for fresh and roast the rest with olive oil and freeze in cubes. It is very handy that way! I may try to dehydrate some kale chips, I have lots of kale and can't seem to use it up quickly enough. I still want to try some new things, though!...See MoreFiddle Leaf Fig Tree in serious distress, HELP!
Comments (4)Miracle Grow Moisture Control, like all "moisture control" potting mixes, are a disaster waiting to happen. They are terrible for most house plants and especially terrible for epiphytes and semi-epiphytic plants like ficuses. Read Tapla's Growing Ficus Trees in Containers post before you do anything, keeping in mind that you're about to do a major repot to save the tree. You need to do repot into 5-1-1 or equal parts reptibark, perlite, and good quality (non-MG) potting mix. Use a garden hose to get down to the bare roots and use pruning shears to cut any roots with visible rot (black marks). Clean your shears with an alcohol soaked cotton ball afterward so you don't transfer the pathogen to other plants. You're probably going to lose more leaves. There are some good posts on how to prune. Cutting the leaves in half so that you're left with an arrowhead shaped leaf decreases the strain on the roots while still allowing the leaf to photosynthesize. If you could tell us generally where you are, that would help in terms of climate & strength of the sun. I'm in south Texas, which is its own special set of growing conditions. If you're in higher northern latitudes, this is not the best time of year for this...but your root rot situation looks dire enough to risk it. To save the tree, you really need to get it out of the moisture control sludge and into a fast-draining, bark and perlite based mix ASAP. Again, before you start, take the time to read up on Ficus Trees in Containers, paying attention to what epiphytic plants need to survive and hopefully thrive. Then you'll know what you need to do to provide the right light, potting mix, and water for your tree. (The Growing Ficus in Containers posts will also tell you when to fertilize. This is super important so that you don't burn the roots.) In the future, water by skewer/chopstick, not calendar. Push the skewer all the way to the bottom. When the it comes out dry, water thoroughly. Good luck....See Moredavid1116
10 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
10 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
10 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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10 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
10 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
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10 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
10 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
10 years ago
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