Summer gardening is in full swing. If you’ve got questions, turn to Ask an Expert, an online question-and-answer tool from Oregon State University’s Extension Service. OSU Extension faculty and Master Gardeners reply to queries within two business days, usually less. To ask a question, simply go to the OSU Extension website and type in a question and the county where you live. Here are some questions asked by other gardeners. What’s yours?
Q: I'd like to know if you can help me with a diagnosis of tree peonies that are showing insect or disease. The plants are prized by the owner. The plant location is crowded with Rosa rugosa, two hostas, the remains of white rose petals from overhead climbers that were soaked and stuck to the tree peony leaves for some weeks, and a cedar tree about 15 feet from the plants. The light is dappled to bright and hot in late afternoon, and there is limited circulation around the plants. – Washington County
A: Though there may be some sign of an insect munch or fungus spot, I think the location of the plant could be the source of any problems.
Tree peonies do not like crowded conditions, as they grow to their 6- to 8-foot size. This plant is beset by overhead vines and an aggressive Rosa rugosa reducing air circulation (and possibly encouraging disease attack). The hosta is competing with the peony’s roots, not to mention the cedar roots nearby. All this is providing less than optimal sunlight – these plants would prefer five to six hours of direct, morning sun.
If it is possible to move the plant to a more suitable location, fall would be a good time to do it. Because they do not like to be transplanted, it might be better to relocate some of the competition, instead. – Claudia Groth, OSU Extension Master Gardener
Apple treeOSU Extension Service
Q: I have a columnar apple tree about 5 years old or so. A couple of years ago it lost its vertical stem in a storm and it now growing sideways. There are two small branches growing vertically. Can I prune all the sideways growing branches this fall or will I kill it? – Multnomah County
A: You can prune apple trees into almost any shape. The only thing I would be concerned about is where the graft on the columnar apple actually is. As long as you are getting the same variety of apple on all directions, prune to maintain the columnar shape. – Sara Running, OSU Extension Master Gardener
OSU Extension Service offers tips on pruning blackberriesRosemarie Stein/Staff
Q: How do I trim my marionberries after the crop is over and how do I recognize suckers. – Washington County
A: You will want to completely remove the canes that bore fruit this year. New canes should already be growing on the ground and can be lifted and tied to supports after the old canes have been cut out. What you might be calling suckers are really the canes that will bear fruit next summer. Please see this OSU publication. – Sara Running, OSU Extension Master Gardener
Vine mapleOSU Extension Service
Q: Some leaves on our vine maple are turning red in late June/July, while other leaves are still green. I have seen conflicting information online as to whether this is natural for the species or if it indicates that the tree is stressed. If it's an indicator of stress, what should we do? It's definitely worse in one area, but also occurring at the top and sprinkled throughout the other side. I circled the spots in one of the photos. It is concentrated where the tree is getting the most afternoon sun and also in the path of our sprinkler.
A: Let me comment on a few issues of this species. They do not do well in full sun. They are relatively shallow-rooted plants. They need more water than some other maples. So, your plant may be struggling with issues related to its location. Too hot, too dry, too much sun. The red leaves may also be a symptom of a nutrient deficiency. How often do you fertilize? I suggest you read this Extension article to see if it provides guidance.
Response: It was very unhappy when we arrived, but since adding a rain garden nearby it started growing a lot. However, we have not been fertilizing. Should we use a fertilizer with phosphorus or nitrogen?
Response: Your plant needs a balanced fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) with 10-10-10. These are the macronutrients. Our clay soil typically contains adequate amounts of the 13 micronutrients. Get an organic or time-release fertilizer; water soluble ones just quickly find their way into the aquifer, rather than providing “food” for your tree. – Kris LaMar, OSU Extension Master Gardener
7 summer reads to inspire gardeners
How to keep chickens healthy and eggs plentiful
Vigilance is key to controlling weeds, pests and diseases
Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
"Give" - Google News
July 18, 2020 at 10:00PM
https://ift.tt/3eGmikS
Ask an expert: Give tree peony more space to insure optimal growth, health - oregonlive.com
"Give" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YqGX80
https://ift.tt/2YquBwx
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Ask an expert: Give tree peony more space to insure optimal growth, health - oregonlive.com"
Post a Comment