backyard creosote forrest

9 years ago

Transplanting creosotes is somewhat tricky, but not too difficult if you do it correctly. Have to get them when they are small (tiny). Wet to soften surrounding soil area prior to digging them up. A 1 inch tall baby creosote bush already has a tap root about 5-6 inches long, and not much for branching roots (less than 2 inches. If soil falls away from the roots during transplant process it adds excessive shock to plant. New transplants have to be shaded for up to 1 week and keep wet. It is impossible to over water creosotes. A 1 inch tall creosote baby can be grown to 6 foot tall bush in less than 3 years with daily watering. That bush will shed/drop white fuzzy ball seeds beneath. Sweep or rake up seed balls from beneath bush Just before monsoon season. Prepare area for transplant by loosing soil a few inches deep. Scatter the seed balls and lightly cover with soil. keep wet and let monsoon rains do the rest. In several weeks you will have 100's of new baby bushes. Moonsoon season yields best results for doing this. In fact this is the best way to grow new creosote bushes. When you see thick layer of white fuzzy balls beneath the bushes, that is your opportunity. Once you get one big bush established in yard it can become plush Creosote Forest with 5 foot tall plants in less than 10 years by watering twice per day. Growing creosotes is actually one of the easiest garden adventures I have done. I like plants that grow fast and ones that are not subject to root rot, or insect damage. Creosote is one of the most magical plants of all, they can live for hundreds of years, even without water.

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Comments (4)

1212dusti
9 years ago
Pretty amazing to see how green the desert really is. When I lived back east, used to think the desert was mostly sand with cactus, lol.
grant_in_arizona
9 years ago
Really neat information, and fun pic, Terry, thanks for sharing both. I've heard that they're virtually impossible to transplant from the ground, so it's good to hear it can be done with preparation and care. I didn't know they were fairly easy from seed either. I'm going to try!

I've got a few youngster that I bought as nursery-started plants. They were in narrow but very very tall (deep) pots just as you and everyone mentioned about the long tap root. They transplanted well and did fine, although I've been scared to water them, hah! I may ease them in to a life with more water.

Love yours, and the information you shared is great, please keep it coming! Happy gardening!
Grant
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Juttah
9 years ago
I love creosotes! I have several on my property, most of them from babies I dug up in the desert.

Wet the soil, and 'drill' a soup can that has both ends punched out over the plant until the plant starts turning with the can. Then just lift it out. Sort of like making cookie cutouts.

They can take any amount of water, as long as the soil is well-drained. Water makes them lush with near-constant blooms, but at the cost of losing that "creosote smell." Too much shade seems to be bad for them, I had to take one out because it was COVERED in red spider mites to the point where it looked like it had red foliage.

My neighbor also discovered you can also trim them into quite an attractive, small multitrunked 'tree', if that's your thing.

I was coming down with a cold once, so I made a creosote tea which smelled exactly like a monsoon storm but tasted very bitter. But it stopped the cold. Next time I'll add 1-2 small sprigs to a cup of strong black coffee to help disguise the bitterness.
User
9 years ago
When you see thick layer of white fuzzy balls beneath the bushes, that is your opportunity.

I've never seen this ... I have FAT quail instead.

backyard creosote forrest

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1212dusti

grant_in_arizona

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