O/T Horticulturists Input Appreciated

[T-TownDawgg]

First of all, thanks to Shrubdog, Diggingdog, Todd French, and others who gave solid advice in a screening hedge thread I started a while back.

We narrowed down to Wax Myrtle and Tea Olive. Went with wax myrtle on account of a risk of root rot tea olives are apparently prone to in heavy clay soils.

Planted about 40 3-gallon plants in October. Dug deep, used mushroom compost as a soil conditioner (about a 10-1 ratio), mulched and watered for about 2 weeks, and then the rains began. After the 1st really cold snap, had some leaves turn brown and fall off, but branches are still green. Seem to be putting on some growth right now. I want it to be about 6-8 ft high and thick. So far so good.

My question: How and when do I trim to promote a less gangly specimen, and what fertilizer to use, and when? Was considering using my remaining compost as a dressing and then re-mulching. Many thanks in advance. Cheers! -TTD

 

[HotMop]

No mention of how you are controlling the mole cricket invasion?

 

[ShrubDog]

Glad everything is going well. Fert in the spring with a slow release tree/shrub (19-8-10?). A horticulture guy would know better thank me. Light pruning to dead branches can be done anytime. Shearing to form a hedge can be done anytime, but I usually don’t do that during the fall/winter.. Cutting them way back should be avoided in the winter and dont prune two months before the frost date, it could damage new growth.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

No mention of how you are controlling the mole cricket invasion?

I sit out on the porch at night when it's quiet. I log into Sixpackspeak. I locate GOAT'S posts. They're easy to find. He keeps himself at the top of the page. I read his posts aloud.

Keeps every damn thing away.

Even the dog will stay inside and hold on to his **** until I finally go to bed.

 

[Digging dog]

Ditto with everything said above.
Only thing I would add is “aggriform tablets” since the plantings are still fairly new.
This is a slow release fertilizer with lots of other goodies for new plantings.
Just drop one or two down the side of the rootball either by punching a hole with a rake handle or cut a slice with a shovel and drop it down below the surface.
If there is a Site one close by they will have them in stock. Think a box is $50 for 500. Good for any plant too.

 

[GloryDawg]

First of all, thanks to Shrubdog, Diggingdog, Todd French, and others who gave solid advice in a screening hedge thread I started a while back.

We narrowed down to Wax Myrtle and Tea Olive. Went with wax myrtle on account of a risk of root rot tea olives are apparently prone to in heavy clay soils.

Planted about 40 3-gallon plants in October. Dug deep, used mushroom compost as a soil conditioner (about a 10-1 ratio), mulched and watered for about 2 weeks, and then the rains began. After the 1st really cold snap, had some leaves turn brown and fall off, but branches are still green. Seem to be putting on some growth right now. I want it to be about 6-8 ft high and thick. So far so good.

My question: How and when do I trim to promote a less gangly specimen, and what fertilizer to use, and when? Was considering using my remaining compost as a dressing and then re-mulching. Many thanks in advance. Cheers! -TTD

This is really what you want to know.*******

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Aggriform. I'll see if county co-op has it. Should this be in addition to a slow release, or instead of slow release?

 

[Mr Todd French]

All good answers above. I will add that you may want a more level fertilizer like a 10-10-10. Think of the plant when you look at the numbers. N the first number promotes leaf growth. P the middle helps the body of the plant. K the last one help promote root growth which for new plants is probably the most important thing. Start in the spring. Every 6 months should be fine. The most important thing is to hedge them straight down. Be sure not to curve in towards the trunk of the shrub. The top of the shrub will shade the bottom front the sun. I wouldn’t worry about the leaf drop. Probably just natural ir a little shock.