Posted by Leska Emerald Adams on 3/6/2008, 10:34 am, in reply to "Re: young Camphora in creek"
71.193.226.172
Gus, your memory is very good! This yard was a swamp and leach field with hard stinky clay. Had to dig 5 creeklets for drainage and import 1000s of yards of horse manure and 4-way blend (black topsoil, cow manure, sand, and compost). That imported layer is anywhere from 3' to 3". But the amount of rain and water going through leaches out the nutrients. It is getting better. We put large rock slabs in all the creeklets as multiple dams and erosion control vertical rock shards lining all trenches and planted erosion control clover and grasses so the earth is finally staying put. Also tree roots are finally growing. Hopefully no more moles will collapse the banks!
Therefore the chlorosis that was so noticeable the first year is greatly lessened now. This will be our last fertilization with commercial fertilizer before we have enough wormcasting for everything. We used a 20-20-20 last year that was a bit too harsh so will do the whole yard with Lilly Miller Rhododendron, Evergreen & Azalea Food (10-5-4) for acid-loving plants plus Ironite. We've had super results with the Rhody food before. Available now at Costco. Frank also recommended Osmocote and some other stuff I have to locate.
We're late with our 1st fertilization this year because our yard helper hurt his foot. He's better now and hopefully this weekend the 3 of us will work hard and get the whole yard done. Noticed last Feb 1 fertilization caused tremendous lengthening thickening and hardening of wood. Something is causing the roots to go bananas now, probably just establishment, very exciting. No lankiness yet.
I think we needed more fertilizer than normal because of what was here and the amount of water washing everything out of the soil. These conditions are becoming stabilized. Based on the trees we've already wormcasted, it looks like the wormcastings are tree manna from heaven and will do the trick!
Gus, you're absolutely right, it's because we planted so many trees and bushes that we need to fertilize and provide max nutrients for each tree in its little spot because of the competition.
Here's a recent picture of the baby Euc scoparia that survived its 1st winter and will probably go gangbusters when it warms up. It's in a 1 1/2' raised bed with a creeklet at the bottom of the retaining wall and if it does what our other one has, will cover the roof within 2 years. Love the Scoparia!
Lynn's favorite tree is the Euc camphora. She likes the light coming through its leaves and the fluttering raindrop leaf shape. The scarlet burgundy with the spring green and the shimmering translucent light is striking. Very graceful lovely tree, exotic.
Wee baby Scoparia: 
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