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| Watering Advice http://www.weetrees.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13860 |
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| Author: | Brahma [ 05 Aug 2015, 20:49 ] |
| Post subject: | Watering Advice |
I have a question about watering that I wanted to ask you all. I slip potted the pines that I got earlier this year into bigger pots to help get them growing - this was before I really read and understood what you guys recommended for compost / substrate. I've put them in a mix of chopped bark (20%), compost (20%) and horticultural grit (60%). The mix is really open and drains very well. The problem I have, is that the original substrate that the trees were in when I got them is nearly always very moist. This substrate seems to be very peaty and as they are pines, I didn't want to "bare root" them (based on advice on here). The substrate all around the rootball is ok, but I'm worried the rootball is too wet. How should I manage this? I have been letting the rootball dry right down and then drownping it? I can only water these trees every 3 or 4 weeks so am feeding very sparingly. I am worried the trees are going to die as they are too wet. Should I report them now and take my chances, and remove a good chunk of the rootball? Or just carry on with what I have been doing? Many thanks, Andy |
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| Author: | NickB [ 05 Aug 2015, 21:17 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Watering Advice |
If you can only water every 3-4 weeks then it will be very difficult to over-water. Under-watering would be my main concern. Pines should be allowed to dry out a little between waterings, but watch the new growth as long shoots can droop before they lignify if the weather is hot. |
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| Author: | Bill [ 05 Aug 2015, 22:00 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Watering Advice |
substrate sounds ok to me but like Nick i would be concerned about them not having enough moisture if there are extended dry periods. organic components in the soil mix hold nutrients better than modern substrates, akadama, cat litter etc. i wouldn't have any worries about the different qualities of soil, i have 2 the same; slip potted with peat still under the trunk, but if you can't watch the trees, water when needed and see how they respond then you will just have to hope for the best. i wouldn't recommend bare rooting. |
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| Author: | Brahma [ 06 Aug 2015, 14:55 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Watering Advice |
Thanks for your reply gents. This may sound a bit weird, but I thought about getting a big screwdriver and pushing it down through the rootball to the bottom of the pot to make 3 or 4 holes about 1/2" or so wide and filling these with acadama or some more horticultural grit. I thought acadama might be good as it might draw some of the moisture out of e rootball. What do you think? Baste of time or worth a try? Andy |
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| Author: | stymie [ 06 Aug 2015, 15:16 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Watering Advice |
Not a bad idea Andy but fill the holes with grit which will not break down into mush later like Akadama does. |
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| Author: | Sven [ 08 Aug 2015, 11:14 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Watering Advice |
Hi Andy, I have much to same problem with a number of my acquisitions. I have tended to water and feed regularly (daily on hot days) the surrounding new 'soil' (expanded clay), and very rarely water the central original soil. My goal is to keep the trees as vigorous as possible at this time a year, thus able to store plenty of energy back into roots by autumn, so that any sorting out of the route ball and can be done over winter with as much stored energy as possible to aid recovery. |
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| Author: | paulpash [ 08 Aug 2015, 21:39 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Watering Advice |
Use the half bare root approach and gradually replace the substrate with a more suitable mix. Take out the tree from its pot (keeping it on the dry side so the soil doesn't clog together and weigh down the roots) and see if you can assess the rootball. If one side is obviously more colonized than another then do the weak side first - leave the other side alone. During this process it's best to leave all needles on to regenerate roots. If healthy, complete the other next season. |
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