RE: Conifers

F* C*

Zoe,

your question is difficult to answer because it is much broader than you
probably intended for it to be.  if you could be more specific about the
individual type of conifer you are working with, you may get a more precise
answer.  if you aren't sure, take a cutting to a local garden center for
identification.

in general, conifers transplant well.  success is higher with plants that
have been transplanted in the past than with plants that grew wild from
seed.  digging them properly requires some experience, proper equipment, and
can be terrific fun.  if the ground is not frozen, fall and winter are the
best times to transplant them.  i cannot describe this process well without
pictures, sorry.  if they are small enough to cut around them with a spade
and then pop them up and into pots, it could be fast and easy.  if they
require a large root ball with burlap and a drum-lace you could have
problems.

as for the growth rate... trees like white pine can put on three or more
feet of growth in a single year and some dwarf conifers grow less than an
inch each year.  again, you're going to have to discover the plant's name to
learn it's habits.  

i guess your question is how to encourage them to grow fast (maybe you have
leyland cypress?).  usually after the first year in the ground with adequate
water they do grow fast, even without special attention.  some conifers have
extremely shallow root systems, such as hemlock, which can be killed by
dumping chemical fertilizers on them.  i recommend after planting (and
watering for just the first year) that you let nature take it's course and
enjoy them as they are.

good luck!  

fgc
Community Garden Coordinator
Atlanta Community Food Bank
970 Jefferson Street, NW
Atlanta, GA  30318

-----Original Message-----
From: william rubenzer [w*@excite.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2001 3:34 PM
To: community_garden@mallorn.com
Subject: [cg] Conifers

Please, help.
How to transplant conifers from one place to another.How to care of them, so
they grow fast?  thanks a lot.Zoe

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