Fall Color in the Yard

Acer Palmatum, dissectum

Acer Palmatum, 'Seiryu' dissectum

Vine Maple

Acer Palmatum, dissectum

Fagus 'Weeping Red Birch'

Acer ginnala, 'Bergiana Flame'

Quercus 'Pin Oak'

R. mucronulatum, 'Crater's Edge'

Japanese Maple

Pruning the Dawn Redwood

We have a large dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) in our front yard that had a difficult summer. A few of the larger branches began to sag and then break off. I called our local tree experts at Sperry's Tree Care to come and take a look.

Before

They concluded that most of the trees leaves and branches were growing on the very ends of the limbs. Perhaps they had been shaded out by the large maple we had cut down earlier in the spring. The weight from the growth was causing the branches to sag and eventually break. Their solution was to trim off the ends of the larger branches and remove a few of the damaged limbs.

Sperry's work crew came out last week to do the work. It took three guys a couple hours to trim the entire tree. My boys loved to watch the men climbing around the tree and chipping up the debris. The tree looks great now and I've very glad we did not attempt doing this ourselves.

After

What's cool about this tree? I love the latin name, Metasequoia glyptostroboides. It rolls off the tongue like an incantation. It is deciduous, the needles turn a rusty orange in late autumn (it just beginning to turn color in the "after" picture), then it drops all the needles for winter and leafs out again in the spring. Before 1941, this tree was only known by fossils from the Mesozoic Era (the age of the dinosaurs). Then a stand of the trees were found in China. Since then it has become a popular ornamental tree. It's our own living fossil!

What's Growing in My Bathroom?

This year I decided to try taking cuttings of some of the rhodies in the yard. There are a couple plants that are not doing well and I fear they will die in the next few years. While I hope to revive them before that happens, I thought I'd also try growing new plants from cuttings.

I've listened to a couple talks about how to propagate via cuttings and decided that the worst that could happen is having a bunch of dead cuttings to dispose of in a few weeks. I may even get lucky and end up with a couple baby plants. I had all the material, so what's to lose?

I started off by gathering up all my small pots. I thought I had a collection of 2" pots, but it turned out that they were all 4" size. So I decided to use a few 6-cell packs with 2" holes that I had kept from the annuals for the patio containers. I rinsed the packs and washed them in a 10% bleach solution, then lined the bottom of a large, transparent plastic container (my own, hopefully, smart idea for housing the cuttings).

 I then made the cutting mix following Terry Henderson's formula (with some modifications). I used 50% hemlock bark, 40% pumice and 10% sharp sand. Terry uses 40% fine fir bark, 40% pumice, 10% sharp sand and 10% peat. I had hemlock on hand and no peat (I personally don't like dealing with peat). I don't know if it will make any difference, this is all an experiment for me.

Next I soaked the mix until it was spongy wet and filled the containers. Now for the fun part! I had 36 spots to fill in my box. I started off with the plants mentioned above and then took cuttings off of some plants I'm 90% sure will root and a few that I'm just curious to see what happens. I ended up with eight varieties:
R. adenopodum, 'Jingle Bells', 'Carolyn Grace', 'Avalanche', 'Golden Gate', 'Blaney's Blue', 'Rainbow' and 'Yamimoto.'

I chose cuttings with leaf buds instead of flowers and ones with eyelets at the base of the bud. Leaf buds are smaller than flower buds, although on some plants it is difficult to tell which is which. I looked for healthy looking new growth with as long and as straight of stem as possible.

Initially I just cut off the stem of interest and placed them in a marked ziplock bag. After I gathered all the cuttings, and got the kids to bed, I was ready to prepare the cuttings. I started off by rinsing them to get rid of any dirt or pests that may lead to disease down the road. I also rubbed off any indementum, because this is also a great growing medium for disease.

 Next I cut the cutting at 45 degrees leaving a stem a couple inches long, or as long as possible for the shorter varieties.

Then I scrapped off about a 1/2" section along the stem, cutting diagonally into the growing layers. I only scarred one side of the stem. I also left the leaf buds on. Some experts say that removing them only opens up more wounds for disease to enter.

 Next I made a leaf sandwich and removed about the top half of the cutting's leaves. This helps the cutting root by not having to put as much energy into maintaining large leaves. It also helps reduce the size of the cutting so it'll take up less area in the box.

 Next I dipped the stem into rooting hormone. There seem to be many opinions on what hormone is best, I used what my local nursery carried.

Then I used a pencil or stick to make a hole in the pot and gently slid the cutting in. This helps keep the rooting hormone on the cutting instead of sliding off into the potting mix as you ram the cutting into the pot.

Using a spray bottle, I then generously misted the container before putting on the lid.

The box is in my upstairs bathroom which stays very cool during the winter (65ish). I've kept the cuttings under a grow light (the regular light bulb type), turning the light on in the morning and off at evening. Once again, this also appears to be a topic of debate among the rhody community, but since this is my best lighting option, we'll have to see what happens. I've misted the box every couple days and so far things are looking good. I'll keep you posted.

Garden Lasagna

I do not like grass. You have to water it, fertilize it and cut it. A lot of work for a green carpet.

My lawn had a serious trouble spot. It was out by the road, got a lot of sun and was sloped just enough that water tended to run off it instead of soaking in. This area became pretty scraggly after a couple years. The weeds were making serious advances. It was time to reseed the lawn, or rethink the area in general.

Unfortunately the only picture I have from this time is just after we bought the house and I was more interested in the over grown yard. But you can see the lawn getting patchy down at the bottom of the image. It only got worse over the next two years.

I lucked out one day about 18 months ago when I randomly bought a local newspaper. Inside was an article on "Lasagna Composting." It sounded like just the thing to get rid of my nasty lawn spot without spending much energy ripping out grass.

Here is what you need:
1. Cardboard. Lots of it. Go to Costco, just before closing and look for large sheets of flat cardboard. Gather as many as you can. You could ask the employees for cardboard too. Regular boxes work as well, just cut them down so they are flat. You can also use several layers of newspaper, but cardboard will keep the weeds and grass from germinating better.
2. Brown Compost. I used leaves from the yard.
3. Green Compost. I used grass clippings, some leafy plants/weeds that wouldn't seed.
4. Patience. This process will take several months. I started mine in fall and had a bed ready for planting by the following late spring.

This is how its done:
2. Generously soak the area you are trying to redo.
3. Soak the cardboard.
4. Lay the cardboard on top of the grass.

5. Alternate layers of green and brown compost until the whole area is 6-8" deep. It looks like a lot of material at first, but it will settle and decompose over the winter. The thicker the pile the better for killing grass or weeds underneath.

That's it. If you are doing this over warmer months be sure to water the area to keep the compost active. I didn't worry too much about brown/green ratios. I even added material to the area after a few weeks (whenever I was too lazy to drag the lawn clippings to the compost in the backyard).

Now instead of an unsightly patchy spot of grass I have a nice new bed for summer flowers.

Notes From WRRC - Soil Mixes and Fertilizer

2013 Western Regional Rhododendron Conference, American Rhododendron Society

Newport, OR Sept 27-29

Recipes for various soil mixes used when growing rhododendrons.

Cuttings (from Terry):
40% fine fir bark
40% pumice
10% sharp mason sand
10% peat (Terry doesn't actually like using peat, try adding more of other ingredients, or try something similar)

Air Layering (from John Hammond):
1 part chopped up sphagnum moss
2 parts fine chopped bark

Transplant cuttings to pots (From Terry):
Fir bark mixed with zeolite (kitty litter). Zeolite gives something for the fertilizer to cling to.
25 lbs zeolite to 1 cuyd bark
Fertilize with Apex one year slow release 20-4-7 +iron, add epsom salt too.

Planting into Garden (From Species Foundation):
50% beauty bark
25% bark nuggets
25% rubber bark (porous lava rock about the size of bark nuggets)

Fertilize established plants in Feb-March
Apex 21-7-6, cool weather special, better for cooler climates

Notes from WRRC = Rhody Care

2013 Western Regional Rhododendron Conference, American Rhododendron Society

Newport, OR Sept 27-29

"Rhododendron Culture"

Things to consider before buying new rhody:

Size. How quick will it grow?

Sun Tolerance?

Hardiness?

Bloom color, shape, time, (garden design)

Where plants from? alpine vs. temperate? alpine likes more sun, but cool soil.

Species garden plant tag codes:

(-10/R1/5)

-10 = hardiness temperature

R1 = easy to grow

R2 = moderate difficulty to grow

R3 = hard to grow (the experts kill them)

5 = size (in ft) in ten years

Also have collector number on tag, tells if the plant was made from a cutting (and what the source plant was) or if planted from seed (which expedition and seed lot)

Planting Mix from Species Garden:

50% beauty bark, 25% bark nuggets, 25% rubber bark (porous lava rock)

Garden soil:

If your soil is light and sandy, add organic material.

If your soil is heavy clay, add coarse sand to increase drainage.

Planting Tips:

1. Best time to plant is fall, early spring at latest.

2. Select site, prepare soil. Dig hole, loosen soil in bottom of hole. Backfill with planting mix.

3. If plant is root bound, cut 1/3 of roots off and scar rootball. Loosen roots.

4. build mound in center of hole, spread roots over mound. Stuff planting mix up under roots to ensure no airgaps.

5. Cover with mulch (~3"), build berm around plant to control water.

Rhody Care Tips:

Watch new growth for water cues. Wilty leaves, crinkly new leaves show stress need water.

Rhododendron roots need air, they can't handle being submerged in water.

It is possible to cook roots, if overwatered during hot weather.

Fertilize in spring (feb-march). Apex 21-7-6 cool weather special, better for cooler climate.

Big Leaf and/or large flower varieties need to be dead headed.

Problems:

Chlorosis = soil pH too high, needs iron

Brown foliage = winter damage or sunburn

No bloom = too young or in too shady location

Sudden death = root rot, planted too deep, poor drainage

Notes From WRRC - Garden Design

2013 Western Regional Rhododendron Conference, American Rhododendron Society

Newport, OR Sept 27-29

"Garden Design Techniques"

Things to ponder:

Think three dimensionally, add vertical interest as well as horizontal.

Add multi-seasonal interest. What is going on in winter? fall? spring? summer?

**Sight Lines** Is there a focal point?

Color: pick main colors, add a few contrasting colors, try out choices by scribbling on paper using all of the colors from the pallet.

Use purple foliage as a focal point. Too much purple and the plants get lost.

**What is the purpose of the space?**

Use plants (not only the hardscape) to shape movement through the garden.

Use repetition in a shape in addition to repition in color.

Consider shape of deciduous plants with and without foliage for summer/winter design.

Contrast foliage types. Fine leaves with broad leaves, etc.

Things to do:

Visit gardens. Take pictures of the scenes you like, zoom into the plant that caught your interest, zoom out to plants around that one, and zoom out further to see more of the scene.

Make sketches. Take picture of bed area. Print out, cover with tracing paper. Outline main things in image, including background (trees from neighbor yard, houses, etc) with pen. Draw in bed shapes, new plants. Experiment with heights, shapes and colors.

Notes from WRRC - Propagation Techniques

2013 Western Regional Rhododendron Conference, American Rhododendron Society

Newport, OR Sept 27-29

"Cuttings"

-Rooting mix: 40% fine fir bark, 10% sharp mason sand, 10% peat

1. Look for eyelets on clipping.

2. Clip pencil sized sticks or smaller.
3. Trim top leaves about 1/3 or 1/2.
4. Score one side.
5. Dip in rooting hormone.
6. Stick in 2" pot filled with rooting mix.

-Keep bottom of pots warm, 70-75 degrees, with high humidity, good if top of plants cooler.

-Do deciduous azaleas in the spring, keep wet and cool over summer.

-Spray vinegar to kill liverwort.

-Once there are roots, transplant to gallon pots.

-Transplant mix: fir bark with zeolite (kitty litter), 25 lbs/cuyd bark.

-Fertilize after transplant, one year slow release Apex 20-4-7+iron add Epsom salt too.

"Air Layering"

Use if difficult to propagate from cuttings, or if bush is dying.

Tools: clean pruners, clean sharp knife, scissors, damp spagnum moss, fine bark, black garbage bag, cable ties.

1. Choose a branch 12-24" long, sturdy enough to support materials, out of the sun and upright as possible.

2. Cut garbage bag into strips about 10" across.

3. Chop up moss (blender works good). Make rooting mix: 1 part fine bark to 2 parts moss. Mix together with water until wet.

4. Wound the branch. Cut a 3-4" wound down branch to expose the cambium layer, remove the tongue.

5. Use one hand to form the rooting mix around the wound and the other hand to wrap the garbage bag around the rooting mix. Form a tube around the branch, secure with zip ties at top and bottom. Do not make too tight, but also do not leave any air pockets inside the wrapper. Zip ties should not damage the bark on the branch. Water should be able to enter the top and drain out the bottom.  Wrap should look like a Christmas Cracker.

6. If the main branch is bends too much, secure it to another branch using longer ties or support with stakes.

7. Wait. The process may take 2-3 years for roots to form enough to transplant.

8. Maintenance: make sure ties are not too tight, water during hot, dry weather. Replace the ties each spring and autumn. For plants that are dying, fertilize wrap with diluted tomato fertilizer twice a year.

9. After two years, lightly squeeze the wrap. If it feels soft and pliable, leave it for another year. If it feels firm, cut ties and carefully unwrap plastic. Rewrap and leave for another year if there are few roots or if they are small.

10. When roots are mature, cut the branch about an inch below the roots. Carefully tease out the roots and spread them out in 1ga container. Plant diagonally across pot, use a stake to support the plant. Plant in chopped bark. Keep container in cool shade for another year.

Also able to layer in soil in moderate climates. Use a stakes to bend a branch to the ground, score and leave alone, as above.

Notes From WRRC - Plants I liked

2013 Western Regional Rhododendron Conference, American Rhododendron Society

Newport, OR Sept 27-29

"Species for the Pacific NW"

Species I liked. Pictures from hirsutum.info.


R.Camplygynum: small compact plant, full sun, bright pink bell shaped flowers.

R.Concatenans: orange waxy fluted flowers, also known at R.Cinnabarinum ssp xanthocodon

R.Orbiculare: big round leaves, likes shade.

R.Quinquifolium: five leaves, turns red in fall, likes moist shade.

R.Yuefengense: big round leaves, likes shade. Bluish leaves.

R.Basilicum sap Falconera: gigantic oval leaves with cream indementum, dark glossy green.

R.Radicans may be the little rhody back by 'Grandma Barbara'

R.Mallotum







Some Rhodies like to grow in tree stumps. May be something to consider doing with the tree stumps?

Rule of Thumb for Sun Tolerance: bigger leaves like more shade, smaller leaves like more sun.

"Companion Plants"

primula
syneilesis aconitifolia: silver new growth, tropical frond looking
chrysoplenium macrophyllum: small spinachy looking ground cover
prosartes hookeri: Hooker's fairy bells (native)
meconopsis: poppies
bleeding hearts: 'formaso' native
dryopteris sieboldii: drought tolerant fern
hats tongue fern: broad fronds
geranium macrorhizum 'Czakor'
brunnera
podophyllum: big leaves (Jack's back yard)
trillium kurabayashii: native
omphalodes cappadocia 'starry eyes': little ground cover, blue and white flowers
**hakonechloa macra 'aureola': Japanese forest grass, bambooish, short, doesn't spread
**callicarpa dichotoma: shrub with bright purple berries in fall/winter. sun to part shade
enkianthus campanulatus: hard shade with good fall color
oxalis oregana: wood sorrel (native)
arisaema: plant Jack gave kids, tropical looking frond from bulb, likes deep shade, doesn't like to be wet in winter.

Transplanting Rhododendrons

A couple weeks ago I attended the Western Regional Conference of the American Rhododendron Society (ARS). There were several classes to learn more about rhododendrons. I will post my notes from them soon, but for tonight I'll share what I learned about transplanting rhodies.

This weekend I put some of my new knowledge to the test and transplanted one of my inherited rhodies that was being overrun by a birdnest pine. Here is a picture of R. Macronulatum 'Crater's Edge' at the end of its bloom in early spring (this was in April.) It is a vibrant pink, especially at that time of year, but the plant is engulfed by the shrub behind it. Here is picture from later in the year.

Earlier this year I decided to move the plant to a place with more room. I started the process by pruning the plant back by 1/3rd in the spring after it had bloomed. I removed a few larger branches that were growing into or across other branches and removed all the dead wood from the plant. Pruning will make the plant grow new smaller roots that should help it overcome stress from transplanting. Then I waited until fall to transplant.

Once the temperature began to cool off and the rains returned I thought it was time.

Rhododendrons have very shallow roots, which is great if you need to move one, but that also makes them a little tricky to care for (at least for me). The roots dry out easily in hot weather and also rot if they are too wet. You can also cook the roots by watering too much during heat spells...one of my own pitfalls. To overcome root rot, the plants need really good drainage. Good drainage depends on your planting mix and how you plant the plant.

My first step in transplanting was making a good planting mix that has good drainage. The Rhododendron Species Foundation Garden uses a mix of 50% beauty bark, 25% bark nuggets 25% rubber bark, which they said was a porous lava rock from a specific quarry in the Portland area. I used what I had on hand. I used 50% hemlock bark, 25% douglas fir nougats and 25% lava rock as my mix. My lava rock is red, theirs was black, so there may be some issues with iron. I'll have to see.

The next step is to prep the area where you are moving the plant to.  I dug a hole a bit wider that what I estimated the rootball of the plant would be, and dug it about twice as deep.  This plant is about 30" tall. I dug a hole about 30" across and 12" deep. I then broke up the dirt in the bottom of hole, so it was loose for another couple inches down. Then I back-filled the hole with my planting mix, leaving about 2" below the grade of the bed. In the center of the hole, I built a slight mound that I could spread the roots over.

Now its time to move 'Crater's Edge.' Gently dig around the plant. I make a circle around the plant about the same size as the body of the plant. Keep the shovel tip going straight down into the bed all the way around. Once you've gone around the plant start working the shovel down and under the soil toward the center of the plant. Go slow and gently wiggle the blade of the shovel to loosen the rootball, while you go around the plant again. Eventually the plant will pop out.

You may cut some roots. In this case, the rhody's roots were growing into the shrub behind it and I had to cut the roots to get it out. This will stress the plant, but there were enough other healthy roots, that I'm not too worried.

The next step is moving the plant. Here, I was only moving it a few feet away so I was able to carry it in the shovel. For larger plants you may need to use a wheelbarrow, tarp or large piece of cardboard to support the plant while you move it. For smaller splants, I recommend at least putting it into a pot to keep the roots from drying out or loosing all the soil around them.

Now the plant is at its new home. Gently spread the roots out over the mound in the hole. Be sure to stuff planting mix into any gaps under the roots. This keeps air pockets from forming in the roots that can lead to disease. 

Then fill the rest of the hole in with planting mix. Keep the base of the rhody above the level of the garden bed. This also helps with drainage.  

Finally, cover with a layer of mulch around the plant (but off the base). 

Now 'Crater's Edge' has more room to grow and hopefully will look great next spring!

Hello World

I am The Garden Marmot. I live in Oregon and have a 2/3 acre city lot. The house was carved out of a walnut orchard in the 50's and the previous owners have all been plant buffs. The yard has several interesting trees and a large collection of rhododendrons, all very well established.

My husband and I purchased the home in 2010. At that time, the yard was very overgrown. The previous owner had suffered serious health problems and was not able to maintain everything for several years. We've spent the last three years chainsawing, hacking, weeding and pruning in attempt to bring the yard back to its previous splendor.

I need this blog to keep a record of the changes going on in my yard. I will share what I learn along way.