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melanie Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2007
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Posted: Jan 20 2010 at 8:36pm | IP Logged
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Can I put this here? I'm having trouble finding a definitive answer online, does anyone have dogwoods? We planted two teeny dogwoods a couple of years ago. They are close to each other in the front yard, but one of them, it turns out, seems to be getting less sun than the other and is growing much more slowly. I'm thinking I should probably fertilize it. I have no experience with trees. Does anyone else?
__________________ Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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JodieLyn Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Jan 20 2010 at 8:43pm | IP Logged
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Did you see this site Dogwood Tree Care? it looks helpful but may not answer your particular question.
__________________ Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Mackfam Board Moderator
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Joined: April 24 2006 Location: Alabama
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Posted: Jan 20 2010 at 8:50pm | IP Logged
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How big is it, Melanie? If it isn't too big, and hasn't grown much, I'd consider carefully digging up the root ball and moving it (important to note that dogwoods send their roots out very shallow and near the surface - you can only successfully transplant a dogwood if it's small enough to gather up those roots).
In general, dogwoods need a lot of tender care in watering, especially in times of drought. Is it possible that the sad/droopy dogwood is not getting as much water as your other?
Also, our dogwoods don't prefer full sun, so I'm wondering if it's more a case of too much sun, rather than not enough.
Here's a nice resource on dogwoods from the National Arboretum.
I found some information about fertilizing dogwoods here:
Quote:
Any general purpose fertilizer, such as 16-4-8 or 12-4-8, can be used. Many recently planted trees are killed by heavy fertilization. Do not over fertilize young trees in an effort to accelerate growth. On small trees 12 to 24 inches tall, apply one level tablespoonful in March and July. A newly-planted dogwood six feet tall re- quires about one-fourth cup (four tablespoons) of a 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 fertilizer in March and again in July. Evenly broadcast the fertilizer on the soil surface covering a radius two feet from the trunk. |
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Hope some of this helps! Dogwoods are beautiful trees, and it is so delightful to watch the birds come for the berries in the fall and winter, as well as the beautiful flowers in the spring!
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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melanie Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2007
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Posted: Jan 21 2010 at 6:51am | IP Logged
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Thanks guys!
It really does seem to get less sun. They are not far from each other at all, maybe 10 feet? And there's another big tree further away that I think has it in it's shade. Our front yard faces east, but we live on a residential street, so basically they get sun until the sun rises over the house across the street until it moves behind our house, at least whatever sun they can get around this big tree. I might try a little fertilizer...it seems healthy enough, just small. These trees have been interesting...we got them to replace a huge old maple tree that the city made us cut down because it was in the way of power lines. Actually, they cut it down, so at least we didn't have to pay for it. They wanted to place a couple of pear trees in it's place, something that wouldn't grow too big,,,but we have two pear trees in the backyard, *everyone* around here has pear trees. I wanted something different, and I'm from Virginia and love dogwoods... :) Anyway, I ordered a pink and a red one. So far they both seem to be white! They only get a flower or two each year though. We got them from the Arbor Day Foundation, so they were just little twigs when we got them.
__________________ Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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