Rain and gardens (moving, yard, trees)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by caution

I planted several (over 40) trees from the Arbor Day foundation back in March. Now they're all growing, but some of them have begun to turn yellow since there's too much rain. I suppose they'll all bounce back, but a few are really yellow -- like the dawn redwoods. :-(

They may be hungry? Some sort of fertilizer like miracle grow or something specific for trees?

[caution]

I don't like to use fertilizer on trees. It's the evergreens and they're just drowning. I think they're just hungry for oxegen. I went out yesterday during a break in the rain and pulled back the mulch to let them drain off.

You know, I had built up the soil around each tree to HOLD water, like they say in the directions. Now I have to go build it back up after things dry out.

It will be worth the work though if they live. I'll have a suburban woodland! (Unless, of course, a 'nader comes and throws them all on the house one day)

[33458]

Shouldn't fertilize new transplants...even though some nurseries will suggest you do, it's stressful to process during acclimation. I almost killed my new Crimson Birch last year by doing that...but then went on the various arbor sites to read over and over that this should not be done the first year...had to flush the roots and rework the arrangement.

This year she's fine and happy. Leaving well enough alone.

Alrighty then.

Pulling the mulch back was a good thing to do - keep it away from the trunk anyway.

When I planted my roses, I went way beyond the usual and dug crazy monster holes, filled the bottom with mulch and rocks for drainage (shy on sand) and then worked in my humus/compost mix. I invested in soil. It worked - drains right through. Whew.

Caution - keep an eye on them...if it looks like they are rotting instead of reviving...you won't like this...you might do well to pull them out and replant with better drainage and less clay. How big were your holes? Or perhaps dig a channel to allow the overage to drain away. I did that with the Dolgo - it's on a slight slope, so I needed to make a solid barrier to hold water, but also an escape route to avoid root rot.

On the bright side, looks like we'll have some drier weather now...subject to change.

XOX

[HB2HSV]

I was going to do some serious gardening this weekend but the rain held me back. Among them was to plant a few rose bushes, so 33458's advice on roses are well-taken.

So far I've planted trees from "the wild" (friend's farm) and those bought from "Home Improvement Stores". I've notice the trees from "wild" adapt better while the trees from home improvement stores have one problem or the others.

Question for those more experienced gardeners, when I plant those tree that comes in plastic buckets, should I just take them out and insert into hole, or should I loosen the planter soils & roots (down to bare roots) and insert into hole?

ps-
I am going to rent a jack-hammer from now on. Digging those tree holes with this manual labor is exhausting & tiresome for this 'keyboard jockey'.

[milledj]

I had just put in my garden seeds (hope they haven't floated away). Planted some of my tomatoes and peppers...just bought 12 Strawberry plants that are waiting to get their final spot. I don't know if I will have to re-plant or not (yet). My garden is wet but not drowning. The lawn, that is another story. I guess it will have to wait!

Now, on the strawberries, does anyone have any tips for them here? My thought was to make a hump in the garden for the row, cover it with fabric, cut holes for my plants and let them grow.
??

[33458]

MILL - I know nothing about strawberries, except that they are dandy with fresh whipped cream. I'm sure Harry or Reactionary can help with that. I plan to try a funky strawberry planter, but might do various herbs within it instead.


HB2 - Loosen the root ball by teasing...gently. Otherwise the roots will stay compacted and stunt further growth. Don't need to remove the soil but want the roots to be loose enough to expand.

Teasing the Rootball of Plants

Jack hammer? I have a pick-ax you can borrow...helps work off the strawberries and cream, too.

[harry chickpea]

The bigger issue with tree roots is creating enough looseness in the soil around the rootball so the roots want to expand. A smooth hole in clay will likely result in the roots all bunching up around the base. Crack open the sides of the planting hole in a few places and even put a little peat moss or vermiculite in those holes to keep them open. All you have to do is get them started in the right direction.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by 33458

HB2 - Loosen the root ball by teasing...gently. Otherwise the roots will stay compacted and stunt further growth. Don't need to remove the soil but want the roots to be loose enough to expand.

Teasing the Rootball of Plants

Jack hammer? I have a pick-ax you can borrow...helps work off the strawberries and cream, too.

Thanks 33458, I do have a pick-ax and that's what I've been using. I usually dig a 3 feet diameter base at planter's depth for a 1/2 inch diameter tree, so I get plenty of loose soil around the tree. I still have 2 trees to plant so I think I will rent a backhoe next time!!!

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

The bigger issue with tree roots is creating enough looseness in the soil around the rootball so the roots want to expand. A smooth hole in clay will likely result in the roots all bunching up around the base. Crack open the sides of the planting hole in a few places and even put a little peat moss or vermiculite in those holes to keep them open. All you have to do is get them started in the right direction

OK. Sounds like I did it right. It's good to know. I mixed the original soil with peat moss and some organic soil around the base of tree. I also made sure that there are no roots wrap around itself. I just did not loosen the potting soil before I put it in the hole. But since the soil is loosen, it's not that much trouble to take the tree back out and loosen its planter soil, "tease the root ball", before I put it back in the hole.

[Sarges Dad]

I have water standing all over. I have 8 acres and tried to cut some grass in the higher elevations of the property and hit a low spot. Well my 72" 31 hp mower is stuck and I am afraid to take my truck out in the grass. I may have to bring a compact rubber track loader home to pull it to dryer ground..........that may be several days the way the weather is looking.

I heard the house make a loud popping noise last night. We built the house about 3 1/2 years ago and it has been dry until this year. I think the ground is making the house settle. My 3/4 acre pond is out of the banks and now a 1 acre pond. I had a hard time keeping water in it up until last year and then it was bery low. And my property is not low ground. It still beat the drought though.

4:23 this morning.

[Bones]

Harry, same problem up here in TN. Lost the first batch of taters...replanted...lost them again and the 1st row of corn with over 6" of rain a couple of days ago. Rocks are growing like weeds though....