Help..Dragon's Eye Pine..never planted tree
mcnabbmcnow
17 years ago
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noki
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agolucy
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Signs of Over Fertilizing
Comments (6)I agree with Maryl - a soil test is a must. I bought a kit today at Lowe's - they are pretty accurate for $11. It's a good deal for at least 10 times of testing. We have dark topsoil on top, but yellowish clay at the bottom. I tested the yellowish clay first: super-high in potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) as Maryl said about heavy clay soil. It's also low in Nitrogen. The dark topsoil is slightly acidic (amended with peatmoss). I test the pH of composted horse manure, it's neutral at 7. I put baking soda in, and it turned to the 8 and 9 alkaline range as expected. I used to dump Bayer granular fertilizer (with insecticides) on my roses. The high nitrogen only encourages more asphids and Japanese Beetles. Then I skipped doing it for a few years - zero asphids and much less Japanese beetles. Later I found that high nitrogen encourages asphids. There's the salt issue, chemical fertilizer is highest in salt, next is manure, next is blood meal, and the least salt is the oragnics (alfalfa, grass clippings, leaves). When I used chemical fertilizer, I had to water my roses. When I don't use chemical fertilizer, I can stop watering my Knockout & Flowercarpet for good. Salt doesn't go away with poor drainage clay. Few years ago my 3-years old daughter "shake-and-bake" my tomato garden with the 10-10-10 pellets fertilizer. The tomato plants got all burnt and yellow. We fixed the garden by scooping all the soil and dumped on a big white pine. That large white pine turned from robust green to burnt brown. It took 5 years and lots of heavy rains in Illinois to undo the damage. That large white pine is never the same, and it's the only one that I have to water out of my 26 trees. Conclusion: If you want your roses to handle drought better, skip the chemical fertilizer, put less salt in soil, and your roses can flourish with less watering. Less watering also means less insects. Insects are attracted to water sources....See MoreWhy no southern pines?
Comments (9)Having grown up in the South, I feel that the pines there look roughly like the Eastern White pines so prevalent here. I would try growing a southern magnolia here before I would a pine. I think the evergreen envy would be more common in the South. They cannot for instance grow blue spruces in most places there. If you want to push the envelope with an evergreen that's truly different then try a monkey puzzle tree which is common in England. Nothing like a tree full of razors to get the neighbors talking. I think the South has more shrubs and small trees that are marginally hardy here that would be of more interest. Crape myrtles, camellias, gardenias, sweet olive, and others would be a delight here with their flowers and fragrance. Some would of course have to be grown in pots that are protected in some way in the winter....See MoreVery nice gardeners helpers
Comments (14)I have barred and great horned owls nearby, as well as various hawks and an ermine. There are no bunnies around this year at all, and it appears they are controlling the vole population that got out of hand last year. Squirrels and chipmunks don't seem to be touched at all. Squirrels don't seem to bother any of the gardens as they seem happy with all the spruce cones in the area to leave the rest alone. Chipmunks are a different matter. It is a constant battle with them to keep them out of the garden, especially the strawberries this time of year. What is really irksome, is that they take a single bite of a berry, drop it, then take a single bite out of another and so on, so they are decimating the strawberry crop. Since the predators don't seem to like chipmunks, and I refuse to use rodent poisons, I may have to resort to the "dipper".... Don't ask....See MoreBlue Mammoth vs Sum and Substance
Comments (5)I wouldn't worry about the Sum and Substance it will grow quickly. I don't have Blue Mammoth but my Elegans grow slower than the S&Ss that I have, but they get big after time. As to the question of planting under trees, it depends on the type of trees. Maples are tough, but the Elegans in my picture are right against a big maple tree. I plant under White Pines and never have any problem. I have Hickory and the hosta love it there. Unless you are still having freezing temps at night I would harden off the hosta by keeping them out if it is say 40 or so and get them into the ground when threat of frost has passed. They will do better in the ground. If we knew your location we could give better advice. Pictures of the area would help as well. Welcome to the group You will find good advice here and especially valuable advice from those who share a similar climate and conditions. Jon...See Moregardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agodcsteg
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agolucy
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agomcnabbmcnow
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agodcsteg
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agolucy
17 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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