| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| RuralSuburbia |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 4:18:56 PM
OK, I'm really mad and stomping my feet!
EVERYTHING in my backyard is dying!
It's really hot here, it is every summer. It's 110 degrees in July. We planted three white birch trees last January, with advice from the nursery owner, and I even called her this week and told her they're dying...she won't take them back, changed her advice, I'm really angry! Apparently planting them on the west side isn't such a great idea...too much sun!
It's so hot, things are just browning up no matter how much water we give them. This is our first summer in this particular house. It's a new development, so it's unlandscaped, poor dirt, no surrounding trees, center of California so no sea breezes at all...I feel like such a BABY and I'm ready to rip out everything and live with weeds and rocks! OK, feeling better.
Does anyone here live in extreme heat? What on earth do you plant? How does one create shade without transplanting huge oak trees? Any advice at all? HELP!
*I've got stars in my eyes and exactly $1 in my pocket!* |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 10:44:44 PM
the wax myrtles have survived hurricane strength winds here:0) no splitting of limbs/trees they are pretty hardy.:0)
~I Dream of a Better World..where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned!~
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| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 2:21:05 PM
I have lived on my ranch/farm for over 35 years, as of yet never had any of my polars split or break off in the wind, and beleive me I get wind and huge dirt devils. I have them all over my property and the last ones I planted, ( they were about 2 ft tall at planting) are now well over 30 feet and they are 7 years old this fall. I but most of my trees form www.starkbros.com, mailorder, they are in Missouri, this includes my fruit trees, never had a problem with them, this is also where I got the poplars from, sorry about my earlier spelling, lol.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 12:40:15 PM
Maybe the thing to do is plant the fast growing to shade the slower growing trees and then remove the fast growing trees once they become a hazard? Maybe that would give the slower growing ones a chance to get established.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
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| Betty J. |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 11:56:17 AM
The one thing that is not so good about fast growing trees is that they split and break off in the wind. Our local extension agent advises against it. I live in the desert also and we have been having hot days, but only a few over 100. The AC runs constantly. Ask you extension agent about trees to plant in your area. That may be a help.
Betty in Pasco |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 11:53:00 AM
Really! Wow! Poor sunflowers!
Yes the Hybrid poplars grow amazingly quick. That link about quick growing trees mentions them. I think I have some in my back yard.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 11:32:22 AM
try wax myrtles..they are a super vigorous grower, but you will need to give them a steady watering for the first couple of months until they get established..but they are heat/drought tolerant. I planted some here about 4-5 yrs ago, they were waist high specimens..now they top out at about 20 ft. tall.Lush green and provide plenty of shade and privacy.
Wax myrtles/not the same as crepe myrtle..Wax myrtle.
~I Dream of a Better World..where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned!~
blogs:http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and http://thevictorygardener.blogspot.com
magazine: www.stliving.net
etsy shops: http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com
and http://myvictorygarden.etsy.com |
| RuralSuburbia |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 11:20:53 AM
Alee, (big crocodile tears here,) Jonah & I planted about 50 mammoth sunflower seeds last month and only about 14 have made it, and even those are only 6" off the ground. :(
Hybrid Populars? Poplars? I'll have to do a search on those. Lancaster. Yeah, you know the heat I'm talkin' about. AND the wind! Thank you for the tip!!
*I've got stars in my eyes and exactly $1 in my pocket!* |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 10:41:20 AM
The best , fast growing shade, wind block trees that will grow where you are, are hybrid populars, with minnumal water, and they are ok in bad soil, you can leave them branched to the ground, or trim up as trees. They are disease resistant, and do well in extreme temps, from very hot, ( we were 115 yesterday) to very cold, ( minus 10 in the winter). and they will suvive the worst wind storms I have had, that will take down elms and oaks. Plant them in staggered rows, 6-8 feet apart from each other.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 10:13:28 AM
Another thing you could do to get almost immediate shade is plant a big stand of the giant sunflowers. They will love the heat and at least provide a little shade. I might even be tempted to put in a big thick block of the close to the trees that you are trying to save.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| Bellepepper |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 09:43:16 AM
We are HOT and DRY here in S.E. KS. Have not had rain for almost a month. We have the water running at least 12 hours a day. I don't water flowers only food. The grass is all brown. I have the soaker hose on the new blue berry patch now. Lost the 6 raspberries that replaced the 6 that died earlier. Put in a strawberry patch last spring, babied it along and now it's dead.
We only plant trees and bushes in the fall. It helps the roots get established and we get more rain in the spring. New trees have to be watered when it gets this hot and dry. We have lost 8 of our big oak trees. Don't know why. So planting some fast growing shade trees.
We had several weeks of over 100 degrees. It has cooled off some but still no rain yet. 40% chance tonight and tomorrow. Crossing our fingers.
Belle |
| RuralSuburbia |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 09:11:25 AM
We peeked into a couple of backyards that have been professionally landscaped, by the same people who did all the front yards. I guess everyone's yards look the same for a reason! Grass, bark, ornamental grasses, a few scraggly-maple trees that look somewhat diseased. Nothing that would provide shade. My neighbor said she's lost a few trees also.
What DID grow are the cosmos and marigolds, geraniums and a few other random wildflowers. The boxwoods are hanging in there, but they are small. I think I'll continue to throw wildflower seeds out there every year and leave it 'wild', lol. I have a ton of hummingbirds, so I know at least they like it! I'm going to check out those websites Alee, thank you. I'm in climate zone 8 or 9. We don't get cooler temps until October.
The hardest part is driving around town and seeing all the houses we DIDN'T buy and all the trees around them...Big sigh...thanks girls.
*I've got stars in my eyes and exactly $1 in my pocket!* |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 6:00:42 PM
Leslie, I am so sorry. It's hot and scorched here, too. I hate to water so I hold out til the last minute. I have lost lots of tomato plants so far. I am not going to plant trees til fall. It's just too hot and dry. We have not had rain since last week. It was supposed to rain here but missed up by a few miles.
You said it's a new development. Maybe all the top soil is gone. You may need to get a few dump truck loads of good top soil and good compost and start over but wait til fall. You will have trees one day. It might just take a little more time and effort than you thought. I wish you better weather and cooler temps.
Hugs, Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 5:24:34 PM
http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Gardening/Top-10/Trees---Shrubs/Top-10-Fastest-Growing-Trees
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 5:22:42 PM
The best thing you could do is to put mulch around everything to try and hold moisture around the roots and lower the temperature. Water at night once the sun has gone down and in the morning to help keep the soil moist during the day. Water really helps lower the temperature, but with poor soil the water just goes away and doesn't stay to do it's work. You can layer newspapers a couple inches deep and then put a mulch on top to hold them down and make it look neat and tidy.
You could also plant some fast growing tree/shrub varieties and plant around the base of things to help shade the soil-
http://www.waysidegardens.com/gardening/GP/listpage/wg-fast-growing-shrubs
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| Bear5 |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 4:46:20 PM
Leslie:
So sorry about your trees. My goodness, 110 degrees!!!! Here is SW Louisiana, a couple of weeks ago, we were getting temperatures around 99 and 100. Our front lawn was so scorched looking. But, the last two weeks, we've been getting periodic rainfalls. Our lawn looks so much better. Hopefully CA will soon get lots of rain.
Take care.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
