Could a critter strip a fruit tree BARE???
joellenh
13 years ago
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Okiedawn OK Zone 7
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agofarmgardener
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
How to fill the bare strips along my driveway?
Comments (15)My first thoughts were of heathers and heaths that will flower in summer, fall and winter instead of spring since you mentioned your yard is heavy to spring bloomers. They are evergreen, low maintenance too. There may not be enough sun for heathers though..However if roses thrive and bloom, heather would be fine. Personally, I'd mix it up rather than plant one thing and I would plant ground covers to unify but then I hate bare dirt. I'd be tempted to yank the roses since they are very cottagy and your house and rest of landscaping is classic Pacific Northwest. I'd add ferns and dwarf rhodies, azaleas, dwarf Pieris, there are several, Skimmia would provide berries (if you plant a male with females) and likes shade too. The Cotoneaster would be fine but I have seen them collect trash as mentioned. Ajuga is my current favorite ground cover but I know it is very common and some don't like it. I like 'Chocolate Chip' which is at least different than most. I have a lot of Scotch and Irish moss around my yard too but they want sun, they aren't really moss. There aren't a ton of plants with summer, fall or winter blooms that really fit your house and current landscaping as well as the spring blooming ones I mentioned do but you may not care what I think! You could do some ornamental grasses, my Oriental fountain grass blooms from July to November but it looks awful from January to May. Blue Oat grass or fescue are more evergreen than fountain grass is. I love your house and neighborhood. Those mature trees on the skyline. Gorgeous. My neighborhood just has a lot of butchered Doug firs. Yours looks like the wonderful one my brother lives in in Everett. What have you got planted in the rest of the yard?...See MoreGrafting onto a new bare root fruit tree questions
Comments (5)John: I like your plan except I can't do a whip&tongue on that short of a stub. I've had very good luck with W&T but would need several more inches to work with. Then if the W&T fail, T bud in May on that same stub or a new sprout as soon as the wood turns from green to reddish. I'd do the W&T when the tree first starts to push leaves, probably March where you are. I've had great luck with T budding in May and forcing after 2 weeks if the bud takes. I'd keep more laterals and space them out up and down the trunk. It won't hurt to do two or three of each W&T and the same on budding if needed later. As long as you cut back on all remaining laterals, the tree will be fine starting out with 9-12 branches. Latter select the best of each variety....See Morenew bare root fruit trees
Comments (5)The big box store trees can be a problem. First, in order to sell well, they are grown large. This is problematic even with a good bare-root harvest. Then, to compound the issue, the roots are in pretty rough shape. The combination leads to not enough roots to support the top. So, heavy pruning of the top is advised in order to balance them out until the roots can regrow. IMO, more cutting may be in order. If you do cut them off low, be sure to check for live buds below the point you hope to cut. Most of my experience is with peaches, and doing this to an older tree such as those sold at big box stores can be lethal as there is no live buds along the trunk to grow out. I think apples and pears may be more capable of putting forth new branches low on the trunk, but I'm not certain of that. Either way, I wouldn't be heading those off so severely as I would try to maintain the central form. The shipped cherry, and the store trees may have been treated differently, causing the differential growth. It is possible the store-trees were cooler-stored until just before shipping to the store. Only time will tell. And if they are as dormant as you say, it is not too late to prune further if you so desire....See MoreIn a pickle with my new bare root fruit trees.
Comments (8)I got some trees the middle of last week, couldn't plant until the weekend. All I did was open the packaging up to make sure the roots were still moist, then closed up the box and laid it on the north side of a lilac bush where it wouldn't get any sun on it. Figured they wouldn't be hurt in the same temps. they would have been in if I had planted right away. Daytime highs were mostly in the 50's, maybe a low 60. Nights around freezing. Planted them on Saturday and they all looked good....See Morejoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agokelleyp125
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13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMacmex
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agokelleyp125
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
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13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMacmex
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agokelleyp125
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
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13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMacmex
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMacmex
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agosoonergrandmom
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13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJan Cabral
4 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
3 years ago
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