propagating sedums and succulents

I am learning how to propagate plants for my yard. I am now into Sedums and other succulents. I am trying to learn how to propagate Echeveria x hybrida “The Rose.” This one has me totally baffled. Can you help?

First, here is some general information. The propagation method you choose for Sedum depends on the habit of the plant, according to the American Horticultural Society’s Plant Propagation (edited by Alan Toogood; DK Publishing, 1999). Most species will root easily from cuttings in 1 to 6 weeks.

Tender species can be propagated from leaf cuttings. Take leaves off a stem. Place on damp newspaper in bright shade at 61 degrees F. Roots and plantlets should form in 3 to 4 weeks. You can also use stem cuttings by taking 2 to 3 inches from the tip of a stem and allowing the cutting to callus for a day. With hardier forms of Sedum, use 3/4 to 1 1/4 inch stem cuttings.

The book Echeveria Cultivars by Lorraine Schulz and Attila Kapitany (Schulz Publishing, 2005) offers directions on propagating from offsets, cuttings, cuttings from crests, head cuttings, leaf and stalk cuttings, and seed.

proper time to prune Arbutus unedo and other plants

When is the proper time to prune Arbutus unedo? How much can be pruned at a given time? Same question for Osmanthus decorus, Viburnum odoratissimum, and Quercus reticulata.

According to The American Horticultural Society’s Pruning & Training edited by Christopher Brickell (DK Publishing, 1996), you can prune Arbutus unedo in spring, as soon as danger of frost is past (that would be early April in Seattle), but keep pruning to a minimum. Some people choose to remove lower branches to create a taller trunk on younger trees.

The book Pruning: A Practical Guide by Peter McHoy (Abbeville Press, 1993) says that Osmanthus decorus can be clipped in late summer. If you want to limit its size without clipping, prune back long shoots to points far inside the shrub in late spring or early summer, after flowering. If the plant is overgrown, you can spread this type of pruning over two or three years, but do not do it annually. I am not familiar with this species of Osmanthus, but I do know Osmanthus delavayi, and grow it as a hedge. It is sheared after it flowers, and then probably two more times
before winter. I did have to prune the top back quite hard last year, and this did not seem to cause any problems, but O. decorus may have different needs.

I could not find information about Viburnum odoratissimum specifically, but most pruning books have general guidelines for Viburnum species. Unless you do not mind losing the flowers, it is best to prune when flowering is done. If you are growing V. odoratissimum as a tree, then special pruning may be needed. George E. Brown’s The Pruning of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers (Timber Press, 2004) says V. odoratissimum is somewhat tender, and may grow best as a standing bush with the protection of a wall, using ties in places to keep it close to the wall. The only
pruning he mentions is cutting out older wood after flowering, and tying new growth back to the wall (if you are growing your plant in a site where you can do this).

According to the Peter McHoy book, oaks do not require routine pruning. Brown’s book says not to prune oaks between mid-spring and mid-summer, as a means of protecting against oak wilt and beetle infestation. If you
must prune, do it in winter.

Quercus reticulata is not a common tree, nor are the species of Viburnum and Osmanthus you are growing. Unless there are compelling reasons to prune harder, I would suggest sticking to the 3 D’s of pruning: take out only dead, diseased, and disordered branches. Another general rule of thumb is never to remove more than 1/3 of the plant at one time. You might want to consult a certified arborist as well. You can find arborists through Plant Amnesty’s referral service or the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture.

on transplanting root-bound Bougainvillea

I have a Bougainvillea that has been in a container for a year. I would like to move it to a sunnier location, but it has taken root to the ground. What should I do to move it? I don’t want to just pull on it for fear of tearing and harming the roots.

The best time to move or transplant your Bougainvillea is in early spring, before active growth begins.

Since your Bougainvillea is only a year old, it shouldn’t be too difficult to transplant, but you should dig carefully around the base of the pot to try to loosen the roots which have made their way into the ground. You may have to break apart the container to get the plant out. Try to get as much of the root system as you can. Bougainvillea has very fine roots. According to Sunset Western Garden Book (2007 ed.), “the roots do not knit soil together in a firm root ball, and they are highly sensitive to disturbance.” Are you repotting the plant, or planting it directly into the garden? In pots, Bougainvillea likes its roots to be somewhat crowded and potbound. The August, 2006 issue of the Master Gardener’s Newsletter from Travis County, Texas, says, “Don’t place a Bougainvillea container directly on the soil or else risk the plant rooting out the bottom and creating quite a surprise when the plant is moved.” So you are not alone in having this experience!

This document from University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension provides a lot of information about how to grow Bougainvillea.

ideal growing conditions for Bird of Paradise plant

I think that my bird of paradise plant is dying. Last year it had around 8 leaves, now it is down to 3 and they are all starting to yellow. I recently bought some fertilizer, but it hasn’t seemed to help. I moved it to a window with more light, and it still seems upset. What can I do to revive it?

According to Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Indoor Gardening edited by Anne Halpin (Rodale Press, 1980) and The House Plant Expert by D. G. Hessayon (Expert Books, 2001), the ideal growing conditions for Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae is the most common species) are bright light (direct morning or winter sun, southern or eastern exposure), and a humusy soil mix with good drainage. Keep the plant at 55-60 degrees in the winter, and do not overwater. The rest of the year, it prefers indoor daytime temperatures of 65-70 degrees, and nighttime no lower than 50-55. Let the soil dry out between moderate waterings, and keep humidity at 30-35%. You can improve humidity by misting the leaves from time to time. The plant needs to be pot-bound (not overly roomy container) in order to flower. New plants take 4 to 6 years to flower.

As for fertilizing, you can feed every two weeks with a water soluble fertilizer, but do not fertilize in the winter.

There are several reasons it might have yellowed leaves. It could be due to unfavorable light or temperature, over- or under-watering, or the pot might not be draining well. I can’t diagnose the problem via e-mail, but if you try to maintain the appropriate conditions for your plant, it may recover. You can also take pictures and bring a sample leaf or two to a Master Gardener Clinic.

using hair as fertilizer

I have heard that hair used in a garden is good for pesticide and fertilizer. Do you have any information about this? Also does it have to be human hair or is dog hair considered to be the same?

Here is what The Rodale Book of Composting (Rodale Press, 1992) says about using hair as fertilizer. “Between 6 and 7 pounds of hair contain as much nitrogen as 100 to 200 pounds of manure. Like feathers, hair will decompose rapidly in a compost pile but only if well-moistened and thoroughly mixed with an aerating material. Hair tends to pack down and shed water, so chopping or turning the pile regularly will hasten decay.”

I would think that any hair, including dog, would respond similarly. I would not add the hair directly to any planting area without putting it through the composting process described above. Also, hair which is heavily processed with chemicals (perms, dyed hair, etc.) doesn’t seem like anything I would want to add to the garden.

I could not find anything in the literature which mentions the use of hair as a pesticide, although I have heard that hair strewn around the garden beds may discourage animals from foraging there.

root-pruning Laburnum bonsai

I have a Laburnum grown from RHS seed. I wish to bonsai the tree (it is currently about 2″ high and in the UK). I would like to know when the tree should need root pruning, branch pruning (obviously when it is much bigger). What is the best soil mixture and what should the watering regime be. I have looked in my bonsai books, but Laburnum trees are somewhat neglected. Any help would be appreciated.

I consulted the many bonsai titles in our library, and found only one which mentions Laburnum in the index, The Complete Book of Bonsai by Harry Tomlinson (Abbeville Press, 1991). The book offers no specific pruning directions for Laburnum. I will paraphrase what the author says: The bonsai specimen should receive full sun, and daily watering plus feeding every 2 weeks during the growing season. It should be repotted annually in early spring, using basic soil mix. Trim shoots to 2 or 3 buds. Appropriate bonsai styles for this plant are informal upright, slanting, semi-cascade, cascade, twin trunk, clump, and multiple trunk.

The book Bonsai: The Art of Dwarfing Trees by Ann Kimball Pipe (Meredith Press, 1964) offers general directions on maintaining a bonsai specimen. Pruning of roots and branches is probably best done in early spring before new growth begins.

There are also online resources. The website of the American Bonsai Society, used to have a list of bonsai resources which included this list of articles on bonsai trees, written by Brent Walston. Here are links to a few of the articles:

best base soil for raised bed organic gardening

I recently moved to a new house that had what looked like a fair amount of chemicals dumped on the land around it. What do you recommend as a base soil for raised beds for organic gardening if you do not want to trust what you have?

The first thing you might consider doing is having your soil tested. There are various labs that can test for toxins as well as for soil type and nutrient deficits. Here is a link to a WSU site, which lists the labs and what they do. These labs primarily serve agriculture, so you might consider getting a soil test from a lab that specializes in home gardens, such as University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Also, if you suspect heavy metals in the soil, there is a link from Seattle-King County Public Health to labs that will test for toxins.

In her book, Backyard Bounty (New Society Publishers, 2011), British Columbia gardening expert Linda Gilkeson says that for your raised bed (or any situation where there was either no native soil, or where you are replacing the existing soil) you should “buy the best soil available, and mix in a generous amount of compost, leaf mold (well-rotted leaves) and other organic matter as you fill (1 or 2 parts compost to 9 parts soil).”

If you purchase topsoil, make sure to find out what the composition of the topsoil is. Linda Chalker-Scott’s factsheet from Washington State University Extension indicates that the ideal percentage of organic matter [abbreviated as OM] in topsoil used for gardens is 5% by weight.

Excerpt from the WSU blog discussion of this topic:
“If you’re purchasing topsoil, check out what you will be getting before it’s delivered. Ask the seller what the topsoil contains and also ask for the producer’s test data regarding pH, salt level, nutrient levels, OM content, and texture. If they don’t have that data available, you may want to consider taking a sample and have it tested yourself. Also, find out if the soil has been screened to remove rocks. Before you’re stuck with unsuitable topsoil, know exactly what you’re getting.
Garden Hint: Topsoil is usually sold by the cubic yard. One cubic yard of soil will cover about 50 square feet to a depth of four to six inches.”

pruning and training young trees

I have two 15 foot maples (2-inch diameter trunk) in our front yard. They shot up with quick growth last year, which was very impressive.

Now, with the recent rains on their thick foliage, they are sagging to an extreme degree. One tree, to the west of the driveway, has its lead trunk bending over at a 90 degree angle — it is now parallel to the ground, no longer pointing vertically.

Why can’t my trees support themselves? Where is their strength? Are they in danger of breaking? Vertical growth is the goal here, not stooping, drooping, sagging maples.

Should I prune them, or tie them up, or let them droop?

From your description it sounds like your trees could benefit from some pruning and/or staking. In general the former option is better than the latter. If you find that, after pruning, your trees still droop, you will most likely want to stake them. The goal with pruning is to slowly train the tree so that its shape fits your needs and the tree’s structure is sound. Below are some websites that will help you prune and/or stake your trees. The last two sites address in detail the issue of young trees.

The City of Seattle offers general tree care information that may be useful, as well as a page on young tree care.

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) has a succinct page about how to prune a young tree.

The ISA also has a section on how to plant a tree. Scroll down to find a diagram that shows how to stake a tree.

The National Arbor Day Foundation’s Nine Things to Know About Trees contains some pruning information as well.

A Grounds Maintenance Magazine column (now archived) by Michael W. Dougherty of Tree Management Co. addresses the specific needs of young trees.

Lastly, the Urban Tree Foundation’s Pruning page shows how to shape a young tree in order to strengthen its structure.

All about Magnolia grandiflora ‘Alta’

I was reading an article in the local paper that mentioned Magnolia grandiflora ‘Alta’ and was hoping that you could tell me more about and its hardiness in the Pacific Northwest and what its mature dimensions would be.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Alta’ is a trademarked Monrovia introduction. According to their website, it is “very slow growing to 20 ft. tall, 9 ft. wide in 10 years.” Since this is a relatively recent introduction, there is not going to be much information about its hardiness in our area until more gardeners have grown it and shared their experiences. The longevity of the species Magnolia grandiflora and its cultivars can only be estimated (between 50-150 years, according to SelecTree.) Trees grown in urban settings are often affected by root disturbance, pollution, and the like, so their lives may be somewhat toward the short end of the expectancy range.

The local website of Great Plant Picks lists two different cultivars of Magnolia grandiflora, which may give you some idea of how well they do in our area. Here is an excerpt:

“Provide southern magnolias with good drainage and full to partial sun. They thrive in hot spots, where the extra heat encourages better flowering. These flowering evergreens prefer well-drained, sandy soil, but they tolerate average garden soil. Best growth and flowering requires occasional summer watering, but once established, southern magnolias withstand considerable drought. Garden gently under magnolias, for they have fleshy roots that can easily be damaged. The best approach for companions plants is to tuck in natural spreaders and let them flourish untouched.”

From my observations, they do not do well in the occasional winters when we have heavy snowfall, as their evergreen leaf-laden branches are prone to breaking under the weight of snow. Otherwise, they seem to survive here.

pine needles turning yellow and dropping

Recently we noticed that one of our evergreen trees has a lot of needles that are turning yellowish brown and dropping off. I would say about 25% of the needles are affected, some in the middle of the branches, some at the ends. The needles are about 3 1/2 inches long and are in bunches of five – I think it is a pine.

Is this normal for that type of tree? Or is it more likely the tree is stressed for some reason and we need to deal with it?

This will be a lengthy answer and I will assume you live in the Pacific Northwest—the following information will not apply to other areas.

In order to get an accurate diagnosis you will need to take a sample of your plant (including both healthy and affected parts if possible) to a Master Gardener clinic.

Meanwhile, to learn about diseases common to pines in the Pacific Northwest, go to the Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook and search using the term pine. There are several possibilities with good photos. Remedies are included with each disease.

Insect information is more difficult to get, so following are the most likely-sounding pests:

1. Pine (Pinus) – Black pineleaf scale (Nuculaspis californica)

Pest description and crop damage
Mature scales are almost circular, 1/16 inch in diameter, and yellowish brown to black. Young hatch in spring and
summer. Scale feeding is restricted to the needles and results in their becoming splotched with yellow patches. Heavy infestations cause premature needle drop and may result in death of the tree. Affected trees often display a thin crown, yellow or reddish coloration, and a shortening of the needles. This insect attacks various species of pine, ponderosa most commonly, as well as Douglas-fir and hemlock.

Biology and life history
This scale overwinters as an immature. The crawlers start to disperse to fresh foliage in spring. There may be one to three generations per year.

Management-cultural control

Trees under stress tend to be particularly susceptible to attack, as are trees growing in dusty conditions. Avoid creating these types of conditions.

Management-chemical control (home)

Dormant season:

Apply with enough water to cover the entire tree thoroughly.

1. horticultural oil. Apply during delayed-dormant period.

Growing season:

insecticidal soap

2. Pine (Pinus) – Eriophyid mites (Trisetacus spp.)

Pest description and crop damage
Eriophyid mites are tiny, wormlike, whitish or tan mites which feed under bud scales or in the needle sheaths, often
between the needle bases. Symptoms of eriophyid mite infestations include yellowing, distortion, and stunting of new needles, and development of numerous buds where a bud has been infested (rosetting). Severe infestations
may kill needles and cause needle drop, leaving naked branch tips. Rosettes may develop into witches’ broom growths. Two-needle pines, particularly lodgepole or shore pine, are affected.

Management-cultural control

Prune out heavily infested growths.

3. Pine (Pinus) – European pine shoot moth (Rhyacionia buoliana)

Pest description and crop damage
Adult moths are reddish-orange with silver markings on the wings. The mature larvae are about 5/8 inch long and
reddish-brown with black heads. The larvae of the European pine shoot moth feed on tips of branches, boring first into needles or bud bases, then into the shoots. Infested tips are covered with pitch-covered webbing, often develop a characteristic “shepherd’s crook” shape, and may die back. Infested needles are yellowed near the twig tips and eventually turn brown and die. All pines are susceptible, especially two- and three-needle species.

Biology and life history
The insect overwinters as larvae in the mined buds, covered with resin-coated webs. The adult moth lays eggs on new shoots near leaf bases in the late spring. The larvae hatch and bore into the needles, which turn brown by summer. By midsummer, they are mining in the buds and cease feeding by August. There is one generation per year.

Sampling and thresholds: Check for yellowed leaves at shoot tips in midsummer.

Management-cultural control

Prune and destroy infested tips in spring, before adults emerge. Be sure to prune far enough down the branch to remove the insects.

Management-chemical control (home)

1. azadirachtin (neem extract)