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Q. We have a dwarf peach tree that is full of blossoms in the spring,
has wonderful looking peaches, and, then, about midway through the season,
all the peaches fall off just weeks before maturity. Do you know what
would cause this? Also, what do you recommend for keeping shrubbery around
a house green and healthy? I used to use fertilizer spikes for shrubs
but have trouble locating them in stores now.
A. In mild years when most of the flowers survive, a tree may set more
fruit than it is capable of supporting. The tree may then self-abort some
of the fruit in a natural thinning process sometimes called "June
drop." The tree will drop many small-sized (one-half to 1 inch in
diameter) fruit at about the same time, making for a dramatic show. Horticulturists
think competition for water and nutrients causes June drop. Peaches with
the weakest seeds are usually the first to drop.
Most trees retain some fruit to carry through to maturity. It's unusual
if your tree is truly dropping all of its fruit. Make sure you're providing
adequate water and nutrients as the fruit matures. If all of what appears
to be small fruits are falling off, it may be due to a lack of successful
pollination. If there is frost damage to the pistil of the flower, the
ovaries might begin to swell, and then drop off due to lack of development
of the ovule into seed. Lack of bee activity could also bring the same
result. If the fruit are staying on long enough to size up but are dropping
before they ripen, it may be either a disease, such as scab, or some type
of insect, such as stink bug or curculio. Since the possibilities are
numerous, pay close attention this year, and see if you can narrow down
the options.
Water, fertilizer and your attention will keep shrubs green and healthy.
A weekly trip through the garden, with an eye for discolored or damaged
foliage, will help you find nutrient deficiencies, insects and diseases
before they get out of hand.
I prefer to fertilize with an annual application of llama manure from
a nearby farm and add a granular or liquid inorganic fertilizer as needed
during the growing season. Your own preferences depend primarily on soil
test results. Then you have many options.
Organic sources are slower in releasing nutrients because they must be
decomposed by soil microorganisms before they are available to plants.
Synthetic organic fertilizers have been developed for their slow release
characteristics, reducing the possibility of fertilizer injury to plant
roots. The principal advantage of natural organic fertilizers is that
they improve soiltilth, or structure, while meeting the nitrogen requirement
of plants, if supplied in sufficient amounts. For example, manures incorporated
in surface soils reduce crusting and enhance seedling emergence. Animal
manures, however, may create a problem by introducing weed seeds into
the area.
When nutrients are the primary interest, inorganic fertilizers are often
favored. They cost less per unit of nutrient, contain greater percentages
of a given nutrient and are easier to handle and apply because they are
more concentrated and less bulky. The nutrients are more quickly available
to the plants and are not dependent on the rate of organic decomposition,
which, in turn, is dependent on temperature, moisture and soil composition.
Since nitrogen moves through the soil readily, surface application is
suitable if only nitrogen is being applied. If soil tests indicate a need
for either phosphorus or potassium, placing the nutrients in holes in
the root zone of the trees is preferred. Fertilizer in holes 1 or 2 inches
in diameter and 12 inches deep will reach many of the feeder roots of
trees. Feeder roots of most trees are abundant in the top foot of soil.
Holes may be punched in the soil with a steel bar or drilled with an auger
attached to an electric drill. The latter method is preferred in heavy
soils, since it does not compact the sides of the holes and permits dissolved
fertilizer to move more freely from the hole. Such drilling has the added
bonus of improving aeration in heavy soils. When the added fertilizer
is combined with organic matter backfill, the hole drilling and filling
process is known as "vertical mulching."
Space holes 2 feet apart in a rectangular pattern beneath and somewhat
beyond the spread of the branches. Do not drill holes within 2 feet of
the trunk of trees with a 12-inch trunk diameter or within 3 feet of trees
with an 18-inch diameter. The required amount of fertilizer, based on
the area to be covered and rate of application, should be divided equally
to fill the number of holes and can be applied with a funnel or a can
with the top edge bent to form a pouring spout. After the fertilizer has
been added, water thoroughly. The holes then can be filled with sand,
topsoil or organic matter.
So-called "food spikes" that are driven into the ground at intervals
beneath and around trees and shrubs may be used as an alternative to drilling
and filling holes, but they are more expensive than the method described
above. I have seen fertilizer spikes in garden, hardware and mass merchandise
stores. Keep shopping! I'm sure you'll find them.
Whichever method you choose, make sure you follow label directions. Over-fertilization
can kill plants. For more information, contact the Purdue Extension office
in your county and ask for "Fertilizing Woody Plants," HO-140-W,
or find it online at http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-140.pdf
Q. My concern is about dead-looking clematis vines. I have more than two
different types of vines that grow together. One will sprout leaves on
the previous growth the following season while the other starts regrowth
from the ground. How can I tell the difference when pruning in the spring
or fall? Your answer would be appreciated. Thank you. -- Pat O'Connor,
Wheatfield, Ind.
A. There are two major types of clematis. First, there are clematis that
flower on last year's growth in spring and early summer. Examples include:
BarbaraDibley
Crimson King*
Duchess of Edinburgh
The President
*Also flowers on current season's growth if pruned in spring
Plants in this group can have either large, individual blooms or numerous
clusters of small flowers. Because the flower buds are produced in the
previous year, these plants should only be pruned immediately after flowering.
Pruning in fall or winter removes the flower buds, thus removing the potential
for bloom. In fact, plants in this first group do not require annual pruning
and may actually flower better if leftunpruned for several years. If plants
are badly overgrown and are in need of renovation, a severe, late-winter/early
spring pruning may help rejuvenate the vine, but keep in mind that blooming
that year will be sacrificed.
The second type is clematis that flower on the current season's growth
in late summer and early autumn. Examples include:
Comtesse deBouchaud
Earnest Markham
Gipsy Queen
Hagley Hybrid
Jackmanii
Lady Betty Balfour
Nelly Moser*
Niobe
Ramona*
Ville de Lyon
William Kennett
*Also flowers on last season's growth if old growth is allowed to remain.)
Plants in this group have a tendency to become bare at the bottom of the
vine unless pruned annually in late winter. Cut these plants back nearly
to the ground, leaving at least one pair of healthy looking buds on the
trunk.
Clematis actually display several more types of growth habits other than
just these two simple categories. For the serious clematis enthusiast,
a trip to the library or bookstore is highly recommended, so pruning technique
can be customized to the individual cultivar. In addition, here are some
online information sources on clematis pruning:
The International Clematis Society http://ds.dial.pipex.com/clematis/prune.htm
Growing Clematis http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1247.html
I have inherited some clematis whose cultivar names are unknown to me.
I handle that by waiting until the plants begin to leaf out in spring
before pruning. Then I remove only dead wood. Clematis stems are easy
to break so prune with care.
Q. Our amaryllis are through blooming for this year. How is the best way
to keep them until next winter? -- Clyde Dawson, Urbana, Ind.
A. After the flower fades, cut the flower stalk off. Water and fertilize
as you would other houseplants, and place near a sunny window.
Now that all danger of frost is past, you can plunge the pot into the
soil outdoors in an east- or west-facing location. Late in summer, as
the leaves begin to yellow, gradually cut back on watering until the leaves
fade completely, and the soil is dry.
Dig the pot out of the ground and bring it back indoors. The bulb is now
dormant and should be left in the pot and stored in a cool, dark location
at about 40-55 F. Amaryllis do not require as much of a chilling period
as do many other flowering bulbs, but they do require a period of cool,
dry dormancy. After about two months of rest, water the soil and set the
pot in a sunny window, and resume normal care.
7-7-05
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