Re: Walnut Confusion
thanks Lisa for the URL's
snip
Lisa asks:
> I have a couple of questions for you, too. You say you want to make a 3
> foot raised bed--how far would it be outside the drip line?
The tree is on top of a 3 ft slope that heads east down my driveway towards
the street..the slope is about 15' long and about 1/4 of the trees
circumference. Presently about 12' of it is in the drip line, but I am doing
some trimming of the tree (taking branches out in thirds for the past year,)
so the drip line will be smaller within 2 years, down to about 10'
I wanted to backfill about 4 ' from the tree, put bulbs and shallow growing
perennials closest to the tree in the soil presently under the tree, amended
with compost and mulched, with the larger plants further out, towards the
street and along the street going away from the tree.
Presently growing within the drip line are an old heritage rose, a volunteer
hawthorn, a NW Holly with volunteer Hawthorn intertwined, naturalized
daylillies, daffs and scilla.
The scilla cozy around the tree trunk itself (were here when I moved here 24
years ago).
I plan on removing the hawthorn volunteers, encouraging the heritage rose (as
yet un named) and planting more bulbs.
3/4 of the trees root system will be undisturbed and left alone.
After more reading last night, I think I am going to buy a cheapo rhodie and
azalea from the mega center and plant them this year..see how they do next
spring and then decide what to do.
I am really interested in keeping this tree, as we have lots of ground and
tree squirrels and birds that depend on it for food and shelter, besides it
is the only tree that has stood our very wet and windy winters the past few
years..I lost my large Hawthorn, and several apple trees .
(every year I repot volunteer walnut trees out of my perennial beds..things
the squirrels have planted for me)...
>You will need to
> be careful how close to the tree that you place your raised bed. Would
> your plants be competing with the tree for water?
In this part of the country, water is never an issue except for a couple of
months in Summer.
I have a vegetable garden that gets deep watering mid summer, quite close to
the tree.
> Another thought
> might be to plant juglone-tolerant plants near the tree, and further out,
> place another flower bed, raised or otherwise, to hold your roses and
> rhodies.
yep..this is what I think I will do..although the roses are on their way, I
can plant them in another area right now and wait a year to see how the cheapo
rhodies do..I'm always moving roses and perennials anyhow so this is nothing new.
I usually try and plan a year ot 2 out and research things well..I *WAS*sure I
had a Calif Black walnut, not the east coast black walnut with the juglone but
I don't want to take that expensive of a chance, so I can wait another year
and see what comes.
snip
> Hope you have fun creating your new bed and that I have been of some
> assistance.
yes, Lisa, you have been very helpful..and hubby was glad to hear we freed up
another weekend d for him to do what he wants to do..We were going to the
traditional Mothers Day Rhodie sale here (the day before is the traditional
Mothers Day Lilac sale) and I will pass on it for now don't think I could go
and not want to buy!
Good planting to you all
elle in cedar mill OR
USDA z 8
Sunset z 6
North Willamette Valley
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