not at all kit ... but a few more facts might get you a better answer .. how wet.. how long into season ... how big a berm .. etc ... i think berm sums it up.. you see them everywhere ... the key is.. roots need air as much as water ... and by raising the planting.. you give the transplant time to get over transplant stresses.. and put it roots where it can cope with the surrounding issues .... and.. if you are talking about a week or two of seasonal water.. i bet the tree can get over it .. ken

I'm glad you're glad. It's very much an academic point to me anyhow, as, very unlike the case with rhododendrons, I seldom see how such crosses are improvements over the parent species. (The main thing you need to improve on with alpine Abies is their weak root system in hot climates, a problem more easily resolved with grafting.) And especially the wondrously subtropical-looking Abies pindrow. I can't imagine how this hybrid of it would be interesting to me...except academically. I was aware of it after all! In a big field of many conifer cultivars at the late lamented (by me at least!) Dilworth Nursery in Oxford, PA, the Abies pindrow really stood out from the pack. I kick myself for not taking a picture of that one, but of course I had no idea the nursery would be gone in less than a year. I guess they were too proud to announce to a potential customer that they were about to go under. Of course, I was crestfallen back in the early 2000s when they converted to wholesale - had they stayed retail/mail order, I no doubt would have bought many plants there over the years when I started my current garden in 2006. By the time they went back to retail sales in 2012 as a last ditch effort to stay in business, I already had a lot of what they were selling.

Sure Sam, of course. Now I have the two larger ones that I'd be more loathe to dig up but I have six newer grafts from Jason that already have great character. I'd just give you one of those, I'm thrilled to see such a young conifer enthusiast. A visit by each of us is overdue, maybe we can set something up in Spring. Henk! Awesome plants and photos. Images like yours literally causes people to go out and buy plants. Thanks for adding them. I have a few more to share. Abies procera 'Pendula'. Despite considerable shade and loathing to be staked, it looks pretty healthy. I'd like to get it all the way to the eaves of my house. 'Blue Spire'. A narrow, 'winding'? selection from Larry Stanley. I believe it might have been named 'Blue Spiral', I need to find out for sure. Abies procera 'Hupp's Christmas Tree'. This can be your plant Sam(!) At Jason Hupp's gardens and nursery, he showed me some of his recent field selections that he has been monitoring for a few years. Often he will just throw them away if/when they don't show signs of being interesting or garden worthy. Being an Abies procera nut and a collector, I was thrilled to take home four Abies procera seedlings showing irregular habits. Maybe dwarves, maybe not, maybe neat and maybe ordinary. Time will tell and I am happy to grow them in my gardens. Abies procera [Hupp's Seedling#4] Abies procera [Hupp's Seedling #1] Abies procera [Hupp's Seedling #3] Abies procera [Hupp's Seedling #2] I'll report these seedlings every year or two so Jason(and anyone else) can decide if they are interested). Another plant from Jason Hupp that he recently found showing some nice variegation. Must be fun to walk amongst the millions of noble firs and look for irregularities! -Will

Sorry to say it but the tree looks like it's dead. I'm on Long Island, NY and find that a lot of Firs are difficult to grow here. From what I've been told Firs don't like it wet for too long. If Firs are planted in soil that stays wet for too long it will eventually die. High heat and Humidity can kill them too. My Abies Koreana Kahouts Ice Breaker died this year as soon as we got hot weather. Another Fir (I Don't know the name) I had for 3 years was brown this spring (It struggled each year). My Abies Alba Pendula in full sun has been struggling for 2 years and it looks like it will be dead this year or next year. Last year my Fraser Fir died during the summer. My Weeping Blue Douglas Fir is not looking too good this summer either (This will be its second year in the ground). Also 2 years ago I lost two Golden Spanish Firs (I believe it was due to overwatering). The good news is that I've had success with some Firs. My Concolor Blue Cloak, Abies Koreana Aurea, Abies Koreana Horstmann's Silberlocke and the Abies nordmanniana Golden Spreader are are all doing well and have been in the ground a couple of years. My Concolor Blue Cloak, Abies Koreana Horstmann's Silberlocke and the Abies nordmanniana Golden Spreader receive some afternoon shade during the summer. The Abies Koreana Aurea gets full sun. I Only watered them a bit during the first growing season but some of them did not respond well when I did. I still water my Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader' from time to time. I also water the Weeping Blue Douglas Fir but it has been struggling. I'm hoping it does better next year. My Abies Koreana Silver Show and my Abies Nordmanniana Aurea in containers are also doing pretty well.