Archive for the ‘training plants’ Category

Can a Snow and Ice Damaged Shrub be Salvaged?

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

Paula from Vashon Island, WA writes:

I have a large Ceonothus that tipped over completely, downslope, after the December snow and ice storms. Several roots were damaged or destroyed. I have no clue how to right the shrub – it’s huge – or if I could prune it severely in order to handle it. Thank you.

Paula, your Ceanothus is not alone in sustaining this kind of damage this year. I’ve seen several that took a beating in our winter storms. Not only are they evergreens, which collect snow & ice loads readily, but they tend to be shallow rooted and oft-times weak-rooted. That combo leads to the kind of damage you’re talking about.

Since I can’t see the shrub, I’m not sure how badly damaged yours is. What I can tell you is that I have seen at least one that I believe will be salvaged with some temporary staking support. I don’t like to see shrubs and trees staked unless absolutely necessary. Too much staking, and they have no incentive to root in and hold themselves up. Instead, they may be lazy and rely on the stake to keep them in place. That said, a temporary crutch can be helpful.

So, you may try staking the the tree. Install ties that are flexible and won’t rub the bark. Install ties as low as possible on the trunk so the plant’s crown can move. And, be sure to check the stakes and ties regularly, adjusting positions as needed so that the shrub doesn’t grow over the ties. And, be sure to remove the ties altogether as soon as the plant has rooted itself in.

More great information on caring for trees and shrubs:

Lastly, you asked if you could prune the shrub severely to manage it. Probably not. Ceanothus is a woody, tree-like plant that should be managed as a tree. If you have broken or dead branches, taking those out is fine. But chopping hard on the shrub isn’t likely to restore it or, for that matter, create a good looking tree at all.

Thanks for writing in Paula!

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How to Install Bamboo Properly

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

I love bamboo. Honestly, it is one of my favorite choices for instant screening in the garden. It is readily available in many shapes and sizes. It will grow in many different soils and exposures. It is evergreen. It creates wildlife habitat (though sometimes the wildlife is a pest, but we’ll get to that later). It rustles in the breeze adding distraction from noise pollution. And, its just plain beautiful.

Contained Bamboo within a Beautiful Planting Bed

Contained Bamboo within a Beautiful Planting Bed

But, let’s face it. This stuff can be invasive. I’ve been invited to consult in gardens where bamboo had no only left the bed it was meant to live in, but it had invaded the root systems of a massive Western Red Cedar, grown over and around every brick in a patio, insinuated itself into a cement house foundation, and busted through the asphalt of a nearby street. Improperly installed and cared for, this stuff can become a nightmare. But, with a little prep work and proper care, bamboo becomes a fantastic addition to the garden.

Here are some tips for installing bamboo. If you do plan to install it in your area I recommend you have a conversation with the nursery owner where you procure your plants. There may be some additional caveots to go along with installing your particular bamboo in your particular location. But, over the years I’ve found taking the following steps should help you keep your bamboo in check:

  • To Clump or to Spread: Determine if your bamboo is a clumper or a spreader and then assume its a spreader no matter what. I’ve had clients insist they put in a clumper because it didn’t need to be barriered only to find out it travelled into their garden anyway. Always plan for the most invasive potential!
  • Don’t Skimp on the barrier: Don’t assume that burying bamboo in a pot in the ground is going to keep it contained. Often bamboo is installed in wooden containers like wine barrels that eventually decompose. Or in plastic tubs submerged in the soil. Know that given the chance bamboo will bust through these flimsy plastics, travel downward several inches to escape through drain holes, and eat away at wooden materials or cracks to be free of any constraints you impose on it.
  • Use Quality Bamboo Barrier Materials:
    White Paint for the Bamboo Area

    White Paint for the Bamboo Area

    Instead of using a pot or flimsy plastics, most quality bamboo suppliers will provide you with rolls of thick plastic sheeting anywhere from 24″ to 36″ deep and as long as you need to line the hole for your bamboo. This material is sold by the linear foot. And you’ll need something to seal it tight.

    • Determine how much barrier you need: I like to paint out the area where I plan to install the bamboo and then measure the area. I usually buy several extra feet to ensure I have plenty of material to overlap or in case I decide to dig my hole just a bit bigger. (Keep in mind that you’ll need the hole to be wide and long enough to get the bamboo into the ground. Less than 2′ wide is generally going to be too tight.)
    • How to seal the barrier:
      Overlapped barrier & bolting system

      Overlapped barrier & bolting system

      Some nurseries will recommend using thick two-sided tape to seal the barrier material. This makes me nervous as I know bamboo will bust through it eventually. Others will supply you with two thin pieces of metal and a matching bolt and screw system designed for this job. As shown in the photo here, the material is overlapped and then the bolting system is installed to tightly complete the barrier loop.

  • How deep do I dig and use the barrier: Depending on the type of bamboo you plan to install, you will want to dig a trench to meet its needs. Again, talk to your bamboo supplier to find out how deep you’ll need to dig and which depth of barrier material to install for your bamboo. (Some bamboos can travel more deeply underground and therefore require a deeper barrier material.
    Tamping the Soil

    Tamping the Soil

    Some bamboos are stronger than others and may require a thicker barrier materials than others.) Once you have your barrier material in hand, you can use it to measure the depth of your bamboo hole or trench. Keep in mind that the top of the barrier material should remain exposed above the soil about 4″ to ensure that the bamboo rhizomes don’t hop over it and escape!

  • Tips on digging your trench: Over the years I’ve found that digging the outer perimeter, which I line with barrier, and leaving the inner soil nearly intact is easier than digging everything out of a long trench. I tamp the middle of the trench hole to help compact it, which may deter the bamboo from travelling downward initially. If it travels outward where it hits the bamboo barrier, it will send up new shoots more rapidly.
  • The barrier I left above ground is ugly: Yes, exposed bamboo barrier is unsightly. But, if you don’t leave it exposed, your bamboo will escape and your efforts will have been wasted. I always leave a nice planting border around a bamboo barrier so I can install evergreen plants to eventually hide the barrier. Since it does take time for plants to mature and completely hide an ugly barrier, I use garden artwork like the willow fence and bamboo fencing shown here. Stone also makes a nice barrier to hide the ugly plastic.
Bamboo installed & Barrier Hidden with Willow Edging

Bamboo installed & Barrier Hidden with Willow Edging

It is critical that you check your bamboo a few times a year, at least, to make sure it hasn’t hopped the border or busted through your barrier. As much as I like to trust my work, I know that being an active participant in my garden’s evolution is critical.

When I’m checking my bamboo, I also keep an eye out for pests. Bamboo mites tend to invade pretty quickly. Bamboo installed in a contained environment is put under stress. Its natural tendency is to travel and grove. The container breaks its natural habit. There are miticides that may be applied, and I’ve heard that compost tea applications can help beat back the mites by increasing the pro-biotic populations. That being said, I have a fairly high tolerance for pests in my bamboo. Why? Well, if the mites come in so do the predatory bees that hunt them and the birds that eat them. I may not get close to the grove when it is buzzing with bees doing their job, but if I leave them be, they leave me be and the bamboo is all the better for it.

Have more questions about bamboo? Please let us know!

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Training vegetables & maintaining the garden after summer rain

Thursday, July 26th, 2007

The sun is shining again in Seattle after an odd week of summer rain. My garden loved the rain & grew rapidly while it was warm & wet. There’s something about rain out of the sky that is so much better than processed tap water from our hoses & irrigation system. Plants just love the natural rainfall. The ground gets better coverage & saturation & the water hasn’t been processed.

Last night I was able to harvest a crookneck squash from the vegie patch. We put it into a Tava Stir Fry — yum! I think one of my crookneck squashes has a virus. I’m pretty sure its squash mosaic virus. I think I’m going to need to pull it so my other crookneck, cucumbers & winter squash don’t get it. Bummer!

Today I got out and noticed that the bush beans I planted are showing climbing tendencies. I put some stakes out, so we’ll see if they decide to climb or do more bushing out. I really hope they do the bushing ’cause where I planted them doesn’t make sense for climbers. I also put out trellises for my cucumbers, which are sending out climbing tendrils. And, I pinched out some tomato flower clusters. I want the tomatoes to have a little stress and begin to put their energy into the fruit already on the vines. This will ensure they start turning red. The one tomato plant in the front beds is pretty stressed & is already producing red fruit. I picked our first tomato from it last night. Yesterday morning, I put some black garbanzo seeds into the front beds. Those beds are seriously depleted, so I want some nitrogen fixers in the soil, mostly to begin enriching it. Any garbanzos will just be a bonus. The plants are beautiful, and the nitrogen fixing properties are wonderful!

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