Master Gardener Q&A
Cultivating Your Yard and Garden Knowledge
2016 Fallby Toby Day
Extension Horticulture Specialist, Montana State University
Q. I had a landscaper put in some balled-in-burlap (B&B) Colorado blue spruce a few years ago and I just found that they forgot to untie the twine around the trunk. Now they are almost dead. Is there anything I can do to save them? I don't want to replant. – Gallatin County
A. This is unfortunate news and it’s not the first time I have encountered this type of situation. Most Colorado spruce planted by landscape companies are planted balledin-burlap, or what we call in the industry as B&B. The trees are dug in the field and placed in a wire basked lined with burlap. The “ears” of the basket are tied to the trunk of the tree, holding the whole root ball together, wire and burlap included. The branches of the trees are low to the ground, and the needles are, for a lack of better term “pokey,” and this can lead some landscape laborers to simply cut the twine to the trunk and not reach under the tree to cut and remove the twine wrapped around the trunk.
As the tree grows the twine can strangle the tree, a term we call “girdling.” Girdling cuts off water, nutrients, and sap from moving through the trunk and, approximately seven or eight years after the tree is planted, it declines, just as your trees have. The only recommendation is to remove the twine and hope for the best. Unfortunately, the tree may never recover and would need to be replaced. If the tree does respond, it may take several years until the tree regains proper health.
Q. I have really heavy soil and want to plant fruit trees. I was told to use “root snorkles” when I plant my trees so that the roots can breathe. I am skeptical. Do they work?. – Lincoln County
A. When I received this question, I had never heard of a “root snorkel” and had to look it up. Apparently, a root snorkel is a vertical perforated plastic pipe buried in the ground next to the tree to help the roots “breathe.” Conceptually this makes some sense, as tree roots need oxygen and fruit trees are often known to be less vigorous in heavy soils (i.e., those soils with a high clay content). However, this practice is not recommended and will do very little, if anything, to help the roots. There is no scientific evidence supporting the practice of installing root snorkels to promote fruit tree root growth in heavy soils. It would be better to rely on the native soil and change your watering practice. Do not work the soil when wet and avoid compacting the soil with machinery or excessive foot traffic. Although many people do not like to hear this, the soil may not be conducive to growing fruit trees. Get your soil tested and take the results to your local MSU Extension agent, who can then make recommendations for amendments and nutrients. If you still want to use the “snorkels,” please refer to a document written by Linda Chalker-Scott (http:// puyallup.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/ root-snorkels.pdf), Horticulturist and Associate Professor from Washington State University. Her findings concur with what I have explained here.
Q. I have chickens and would like to use their litter in my garden. How much can I use without burning my plants? – Carbon County
A. This is a difficult question to answer because it is nearly impossible to determine the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that is in the chicken litter. Also, it isn’t reliable to test the litter as the amounts of each in the litter can change daily. The best general N-P-K analysis of chicken litter I am aware of is around 3-5-2. Based on this general estimate, if you wanted to apply one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of garden area (which is a common recommendation), you would need about 30 pounds of dry litter per 1000 square feet of garden. Again, the actual content of the litter is highly variable. You may want to start with 15 pounds per 1000 square feet and monitor the results. You can always add more later in the season. If the plants continue to look healthy, I don’t recommend adding more. Keep in mind that the first step is to have your garden soil tested to determine what, if any, nutrients may be lacking for growing a garden.
Q. I really want to plant shrub roses along the fence in my back yard. Is there a list of shrub roses that do well in Montana? – Toole County
A. I really like shrub roses, but I don’t think they are planted as much as they were in the past, which is unfortunate. Bush or shrub roses are dense and hardy shrubs that make great specimen plants (i.e., plants grown individually for their appeal) as well as shrub borders, and are very easy to care for. Shrub roses are often planted for their showy flowers, but they can have variable colored and textured foliage, and the rose hips add winter interest. Additionally, they can provide valuable winter habitat for songbirds.
There is a list of shrub rose cultivars and hybrids that do well in Montana in a MontGuide called “Growing Shrub Roses in Montana.” This publication is a great guide for selection and it will help in all aspects of shrub rose planting and care. You can find a free download of this publication online at http://store. msuextension.org/publications/YardandGarden/ MT199603AG.pdf. Also, check with your local nursery, they may have recommendations of shrub roses that do well in your area.