Dallas Morning News – February 2, 2017
Q. I have property in downtown New Braunfels that is in horrible condition and it has a bamboo issue on it. And, there are two beautiful trees that seem really old on it. Well I was taking the 5th lesson of your course, Trees #2, and came to the part about woodpeckers knowing where the sugar is concentrated in a sick tree. Well I have heard a woodpecker on the big tree on this property. Turns out this tree is dramatically sick. And I’m afraid I may be too late. Yet I will do everything I can to try to save it. These are the major problems: 1. It has these huge wounds on it that are wet and looks like sugar is coming out. They may have been caused by deer or just from being sick. 2. The bamboo around it has been choking out the roots and growing way near the root flare. 3. The property had a 500 yr flood on it in 1998 where I think this is why the flare may have been covered up by debris and sediment. When I began digging there was a lot of glass, rocks, metal and other trash mixed in with the dirt. One part is pure gray clay and the other is rocky. 4. There was a huge amount of moisture at bottom of tree. So I began clearing out some the bamboo clumps that had begun to grow near the base. The roots were so thick. So in the picture you can see where there will be a lot of root flare on one part and then it will look like telephone pole right next, then flare, then telephone pole. Question: 1. Can the root flare start at different heights? In the video it seemed that some trees had to be dug out quite a bit on one side and not the other. Can it alternate between flares instead of just from side to side? 2. Super sick tree, do you think it can be saved? 3. Some of the roots are above ground for close to 20 feet. Is that okay? 4. In the video you said there was a paste of DE and two other things mixed together. Should I put that paste on these large wounds?
A. Sounds like the first step might be to help the site drain better. The bamboo can be physically removed easier than most people think. Cut it all down, chop up and use to start a compost pile on the site. Stab and cut the runners and mow down the shoots in the spring as they try to grow back. It will all die in a couple of seasons. Here’s the newsletter we did on the subject. https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Bamboo-Control-Newsletter_vq4079.htm The tree looks like an American elm and the bleeding is called bacterial canker. The control is getting the tree healthier with the Sick Tree Treatment. Yes, all places at the base need to be exposed. Roots on the surface are no problem. The Treatment for physical wounds is called Tree Trunk Goop. Mix equal amounts of diatomaceous earth, soft rock phosphate and compost together. Add enough water to make a thick slurry. Slather this wet mix onto the damaged area. Reapply if washed off by rain or irrigation. In the soil, the mix makes a good organic fertilizer. Fireplace ashes can be used if soft rock phosphate isn’t available. Don’t know about saving the tree but let’s try.
Q. My cats like to chew on my african violets. Will garlic pepper tea hurt the leaves? D. D. Dallas, TX
A. The garlic-pepper tea mix should not be harmful to your African violets. On the other hand, it might not repel the cats. It would be worth a try and might work but you know how cats are. If it doesn’t keep the cats away, try daubing some orange oil on the edges of the containers or put some on cotton balls and put on the soil surface. Don’t put orange oil on the violets. That might cause some burn.
Q. Just east of San Antonio, wondering if it is possible to successfully grow goji berries here. If so, are there any tips or conditions we should know? L. S. Marion, TX
A. They should be able to be grown there. Readers in the DFW area have reported success although I have not had good luck. My problem may be too much shade. Give it a shot.
Q. Have 3 large live oak trees in my yard – which I love! All 3 have some brown on the leaves and have already lost a lot of leaves – and just look puny. I know they lose their leaves in March, but this seems early – and my neighbors’ trees have not lost their leaves. Is this Oak Wilt? What should I do about this? I put in a sprinkler system in September, and know that some of the roots were cut – so also wondered if this was shock from that. Thoughts? L. K. Heath, TX
A. First, live oaks are arguably the toughest trees we have. Cutting some of the root system as the sprinkler went in is not serious unless a high percentage (more than 50%) of the roots were destroyed. Leaves releasing and coming down now is also no big deal. Evergreens like live oaks kick off leaves when the weather warms and buds swell. It has been so warm, some plants are already leafing out. The only problem is that we have to continue working on the leaf mess management. The time to worry is when leaves turn brown and stick to the trees.
Q. What is this bizarre looking growth on my squash? L.R. Dallas
A. It’s scary looking, but slime mold sounds and looks much worse than it is. It is mostly a cosmetic issue. Slime molds grow on top of soil, on and in mulch and sometimes on plants with a dusty-gray, black, dirty white, red or yellow mass. They tend to develop during wetter weather and feed on decaying organic matter. These fungi rarely hurt plants unless they grow up onto or over small seedlings. Several organic fungicides will kill slime mold. Cornmeal, cornmeal tea, baking soda, potassium bicarbonate and water or garlic will work. I usually just rough up the surface with a cultivating tool, hoe or turning fork. It’s an interesting fungus, but there are much worse things to worry about. This is definitely one of the most interesting looking ones we’ve seen.
Q. I am working on taking out an infestation of honeysuckle from a wooded section of my property. I wondered if chipping the brush would make decent mulch or if it needed to be composted before use. Any information would be great. J. D. Dallas, TX
A. Even invasive species like honeysuckle can be ground up or chipped and used directly as mulch without any problem. In fact, it’s one of the best uses for these problem plants.