Back to My Roots

[Native Hunter]

I ordered a few rooted ROD whips. They were indeed rooted.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Are these willows?

 

[Native Hunter]

Are these willows?

No, they are red osier dogwoods. I did plant some willow cuttings a couple weeks ago and getting leaves on some now.

 

[Native Hunter]

Are these willows?

Here is an example of what my willow cuttings are looking like.

 

[Fishman]

We don't have red osier dogwood in the South, so I am unfamiliar with it. Will you just plop everything in a hole as is, trim the roots, or dig a wide and deep hole and spread the roots out?

 

[Native Hunter]

We don't have red osier dogwood in the South, so I am unfamiliar with it. Will you just plop everything in a hole as is, trim the roots, or dig a wide and deep hole and spread the roots out?

I set them today. I made a wide hole and spread the roots out. They aren't native here either, but they are highly touted in the north as being great deer browse. Years ago, I ordered some red osiers dogwoods (RODs), but what I got were grey dogwoods. These two plants are very similar. Both have white berries, and a similar form. The greys also have a red cast on young shoots that resembles RODs. Since neither are native here, it took me a few years to figure out that I had Greys instead of RODs. However, the Greys have turned out to be great shrubs. They make a great screen and take to wet ground and shady conditions very well. They are browsed too, but not quite to the degree of Arrowwood Viburnums.

Even though I like the Greys, I still wanted some RODs to add even more diversity. Once my RODs grow a couple of years, I can start taking cuttings from them and spread them a little more.

All of this that I'm doing right now is to build a screen in a semi shady and damp ground area. I never had worried about this area before, because the neighboring ground has almost no place for anyone to deer hunt. But when I saw a salt block and feeder a few feet from the property line fence, I got motivated to do some screening at this spot. In the last few weeks, I have probably planted and/or transplanted 50+ different plants that I feel will grow in these conditions. This includes starting some unusual things - like cane (native bamboo). I also planted some pines and cedars where the ground dried out. I should have a good screen eventually.

 

[Mitch123]

How are you planting your ROD? Are you tubing them or just planting in clusters and a fence as a barrier?

 

[Native Hunter]

Are you planting your ROD? Are you tubing them or just planting in clusters and a fence as a barrier?

I'm caging the RODs like I would an apple tree, because they are so small. And, I only had 8 of them. Once they get bigger, I will remove the cages. After that, I will take cuttings and reuse the cages for the cuttings. I'm not caging the transplanted grey dogwoods and arrowwood viburnums. They will get some browsing but survive, because I got a big root ball when I dug them. The RODs are just little bareroot whips that I got from a nursery.

 

[Mitch123]

I'm caging the RODs like I would an apple tree, because they are so small. And, I only had 8 of them. Once they get bigger, I will remove the cages. After that, I will take cuttings and reuse the cages for the cuttings. I'm not caging the transplanted grey dogwoods and arrowwood viburnums. They will get some browsing but survive, because I got a big root ball when I dug them. The RODs are just little bareroot whips that I got from a nursery.

I ordered some from the VA nursery as well. I’m picking up this week and just wanted to get some more opinions on planting. I have tubes, but they are smaller ones. I was thinking about planting a few clusters and caging them as I believe that would be easier.

 

[Native Hunter]

I ordered some from the VA nursery as well. I’m picking up this week and just wanted to get some more opinions on planting. I have tubes, but they are smaller ones. I was thinking about planting a few clusters and caging them as I believe that would be easier.

The clusters sound good.