Rejuvenation of Azaleas and Rhododendrons
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- Carol Wallace
- Gay_Klok
- Treeman
- Carol Wallace
- Treeman
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» Carol Wallace - sterilizing
What do you recommend using to sterilize the pruning shears between cuts? I have a few shrubs that have stems that are dying and I know they have to be removed but I also recall that I'm supposed to dip my shears in something between cuts - I just can't remember what!And I also know to remove any dropped leaves or debris so the soil won't be infected by leavings should the leaves or stems be diseased. Bt actually the plants themselves look healthy except for the odd dying stem so I am hopeful. They are planted in shade in a sheltered spot in very acid soil - the ground is literally buried in pine needles! And I don't see signs of galls of pests on the rest of the shrubs - just, as I said, an odd branch or two on a couple of the plants - and I have 9 different ones in this area most oof which look quite happy.
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» Gay_Klok - Re: sterilizing
In response to message posted by CarolWallace:Carol, I hope I am not butting in too soon! It is the weekend
I always carry a jar with metholated spirits and push the shears into that. It is good tip when you are pruning roses too
Watch that the soil doesn't become too acidic with those pine needles - it can happen even with Rhododendrons
-- posted by Gay_Klok
» Treeman - Other possibilities
for sterilizing include 70% rubbing alchohol and a 10% solution of bleach and water. Dip swoosh and move on.I'm not sure about how much pine needles will really affect your soil pH. Seems I recall some researchers reporting the efffect wasn't near as great as purported to be under pine stands. Essentially they discovered that the soil was pretty acid to begin with with no significant lowering of pH. Of course this was forestry research that dealt with changes over the life of the stand. (40 to 80 years). Most of this work was done in old field plantations established in the depression era.
And yes, good sanitation is always helpful.
Considering those wilt pics you exhibited here and there Carol, i would say you are doing something right.
-- posted by Treeman
» Carol Wallace - Re: Other possibilities
In response to message posted by Treeman:The wilt photo shows I'm doing something right??? Although the shrub that starred in those photos is very much alive and happy this year.
My pine stand IS very old - 80 years at least. The only change we made to it is to eliminate the grass by putting huge quantities of mulch over it so that I could plant a few dwarf conifers and heaths on the sunny side and the rhodos and azaleas on the shadier side. And you're right - most of the soil on this property is already acid. The one exception is my wooded area - the old owners used to have a LOT of bonfires there and the soil is thick with ashes - so I move to that side of the yard and need to learn a whole new set of rules about gardening! Although I lined a path down into those woods with baby rhododendrons and they seem to be thriving.
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» Treeman - Re: Re: Other possibilities
In response to message posted by CarolWallace:
Fire and pH... yes ashes tend to raise pH, (less acidic and more alkaline).
Apparently in New England the combination of forest fires and agriculture had resulted in articficially raising stream pH levels for several centuries. As a result of sediment core sample studies we have learnewd that prior to european settlement the streams were naturally acid. With the advent of land clearing and agriculture, pH levels rose as a result of fire and agricultural runoff. Some scientists are beginning to believe the acidification of northeast lakes may in fact be a return to normal as open lands revert to forest- some what refuting the argument that acid rain is the main culprit.
So yes past fire may well have had an impact on your soil.
Even in limestone based soils such as those here in the valley, it is natural for the top soil to be acid...often as low as 5 or 5.5. Calcium, the the pH buffer in limestone is water soluable and does leach out of the surface zone over time. Farmers here do lime their soil here every 3 to 5 years to replenish the calcium and raise pH. You can often see the effect fire (ash) has on nutrition where grass fires have burned over the winter. the resulting regrowth of grass is usually lush... this is due to the sudden release of nutrients formerly bound up in the burnt foliage. There is also a temporary pH rise in the soil on these sites as the released nutrients tend to raise the alkalinity. Since most of these pH raisers are quite water soluable, usually the effect is short lived.
Undisturbed soils in the valley are usually acid. Those derived from the shales and sandstones that underlie our mountains tend to be quite acid... often as low as 4.5.
-- posted by Treeman
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