Re: cherry tree
In a message dated 8/24/00 2:25:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ron4880@home.com
writes:
<< Subj: cherry tree
Date: 8/24/00 2:25:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: ron4880@home.com (Ron Lauener)
Sender: owner-pumpkins@mallorn.com
Reply-to: pumpkins@mallorn.com
To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
Hello there:
Two years ago I constructed a small raised (about 8 inches) bed/plot
(8 ft X 25 ft) in my backyard (urban grower) for growing atlantic giants. Due
to the size of my property the only location i could use was over existing
lawn about 20 feet from an old rather enormous native cherry tree (trunk
about 3.5 feet in diameter). Has anybody heard of a situation like this
where the cherry tree could negatively affect the growth or vigour of the
pumpkin plant in the nearby plot for example, by sending roots into the plot
and draining nutrients away from the plant or harming the root system of the
pumpkin plant? A couple test cores of soil around my pumpkin plant did show
roots (probably from the cherry tree). I ask this because my plant this year
seemed to be growing great and a set pumpkin doing well when suddenly growth
of both plant and fruit slowed down to nearly nill and the whole thing looked
kind of sick. I have been regular with foliar and drench fertilizers as well
as starting to employ sytemic fungicide and systemic insecticide (benomyl and
diazinon respectively), both since the plant became ill, but to no avail. I
cannot see any overt signs of disease or infestation, but may be I'm grasping
at straws blaming the cherry tree !! And no, getting rid of the tree is not
an option.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions offered.
Ron Lauener
New Westminster, B.C.
Canada
>>
Some trees give off a natural growth suppressant to prevent competition from
other plants. I will ask someone who is in collage now studying trees if the
Cherry Tree could be doing this. As far as roots you could remove the top
soil and put a soil fabric down in between the subsoil and top soil. A big
job obviously.
George Brooks
North Tewksbury, MA USA
Approximately 25 miles Northwest of Boston
in the Merrimack River Valley
Zone 5N
Personal Bests
617.6 1991
641 1993
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