The Brushpile

[Brushpile]

This is Sunscald.

Sunscald can also be Southwest injury, but this Sunscald was caused by blazing Sun during the 2012 drought. This tree died, as did several other apples exposed to afternoon Sun.

Hybrid Poplars planted to provide protection from afternoon Sun, saved the surviving apple trees in the row.

 

[Brushpile]

Here sunscald damaged bark has been removed to reveal the damage.

 

[Brushpile]

Trees that are stressed, have Southwest injury or sunscald are prone to insect damage. This tree was damaged by Southwest Injury and then polished off by a Flatheaded Apple Borer. The borer is a white legless beetle larva that tunnels into the tree; notice the hole.

 

[wbpdeer]

Brush,

You just keep rolling like a stone down a hill. Your thread is better than a plant manual. Your photos are better.
I had heard of about 10 to 15 percent of what you explanation and show. Mulberry, elderberry and hazelnut might be it. Your thread is loaded with shrubs and plants. Keep teaching us - I need it and guess others do as well.

 

[Brushpile]

Loblolly x Pitch Pine (LLP) is the fastest growing pine and it tolerates fire. This LLP was burned, as was the orange flag beside it, but it's recovered and putting on growth.

 

[Brushpile]

Brush,

You just keep rolling like a stone down a hill. Your thread is better than a plant manual. Your photos are better.
I had heard of about 10 to 15 percent of what you explanation and show. Mulberry, elderberry and hazelnut might be it. Your thread is loaded with shrubs and plants. Keep teaching us - I need it and guess others do as well.

Thanks Wayne, I'm just giving back and helping others... same as you. I've learned more from the people on this forum, than I can ever give back.

 

[Brushpile]

Weather in Missouri. In the eight years I've lived here I've had drought, flooding, a tornado, ice storms, 90 MPH wind, late frost, 100+ degree heat, below zero temperatures, and am still waiting for normal weather.

The river has looked like this.

Then there's the other extreme. Notice the depth on the street sign, that's 150 yards off the river.

 

[Brushpile]

Ancient Post Oaks with trunks three men couldn't get their arms around lined the edge of the woods. First an ice storm broke their limbs and then 90 MPH wind and a tornado finished them off. 100+ year old trees were destroyed in the first two years of ownership.

Tornado!

90 MPH straight line wind.

 

[Triple C]

Good stuff as always Brush! Just curious...how much rain have you had on your place this year? I remember reading the trials and tribulations on the Brushpile when I joined the now defunct forum in 2013, and particularly the drought of 2012. We had the same incredibly hot conditions along with drought in 2012 but have been blessed with normal rainfall since then.

 

[Brushpile]

Triple C, I can't give a quantitative answer to that question because I don't keep records and just a few miles can be the difference in rainfall . Springfield is 15 miles South and has .02 of an inch for the month of August, while Pleasant Hope is 5 miles downstream/West and has .56 of an inch, but sometimes it's raining in Pleasant Hope but it's not raining here. Yesterday I got .2 of an inch., while Pleasant Hope had .06 and Springfield had .02. In the last 21 days there has been .66 of an inch in Pleasant Hope, with temperatures topping 100 degrees.

Concordia Oaks have aborted all their acorns, the acorns on DCO are not growing, and neither are AC. A storm is headed this way, and future cast shows the force field around The Brushpile; I hope it's wrong, or I'll be stretching hose!
https://weather.com/weather/radar/interactive/l/USMO0703:1:US

 

[Brushpile]

As fate would have it, I had just done TSI to create space between trees, when the 90 MPH straight line wind hit. If I had not done TSI, the trees would have been mutually supporting, and there probably would have been less damage. While TSI frees trees to grow, it also leaves them exposed to adverse weather events!

The mess Mother Nature created in the above pics has produced thick brushy cover.

 

[Brushpile]

Lumite weed mats. Lumite comes in 6'x300' rolls.
http://shawfabricproducts.com/Framify.php?Page=LumiteFabricMulch.php
Lumite being cut into 6'x6' weed mats, indoors, where wind doesn't blow the fabric, and where there's electricity.



Lumite rolled out and doubled over.


Lumite is wolven and will fray unless edges are melted at each green line.


The green lines are fused with a heat gun, and a square mat is cut.


Competed Lumite weed mat.

 

[Brushpile]

Lumite and organic matter keep trees alive in drought. Moisture is constantly evaporating up through the soil, and Lumite will trap that moisture. Organic Matter applied on the surface of the soil will be worked into the soil by microbial action, worms, insects...

 

[dogdoc]

I use that exact compost when planting trees. Don't use lumite but I do use a landscape fabric. I also add some water crystals with my trees.

 

[Brushpile]

Lumite, organic matter and a tree tube greatly improve seedling survival and growth. This seedling is being Fall planted to give it a jumpstart.
Sequin/Chinese Chestnut from Wildlife Group, planted in a deep hole.

Protex Tree Tubes come in sheets that are then rolled... not joined by the tabs, and inserted inside a rigid mess tree tube. The reason I use this method is because my seedlings were being chafed on the sharp edge of solid tubes, but they don't chafe on the top edge on Rigid Mesh.
Protex Tube.
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/Products.asp?mi=16231&itemnum=17022&redir=Y
Rigid Mesh.
http://www.benmeadows.com/rigid-seedling-protector-tubes_36811405/
Tree tubes create a greenhouse effect and protects seedlings from elements and rodents. The tube will deter deer browse, but a cage is needed for deer protection on high value plantings.
A sleeve is placed around the seedling.

The Protex tube is rolled up, placed inside Rigid Mesh, and then the tube is placed over the sleeve.

The sleeve is removed, leaving the seedling tubed.

The tube is staked and a weed mat is in place.

 

[wbpdeer]

I use landscape fabric - it is a local purchase. I use moisture miser which is a water absorbing product. I started this year brewing compost tea and got my method down. Next year I will feed my premium trees that at least twice before July 1st. Compost tea improves the trees ability to take in nutrients. You just have to get it to the trees rather soon after brewing it.

I will put pine needles down around a chestnuts. Improves the pH for the tree. Caged or tree tubed!

 

[Brushpile]

The rigid Mesh tube can be telescoped up as the tree grows.

 

[Brushpile]

Japanese Beetles on two year old Sequin.

 

[Brushpile]

dogdoc's Okie Persimmon Scion gone wild!

 

[Brushpile]

I use that exact compost when planting trees. Don't use lumite but I do use a landscape fabric. I also add some water crystals with my trees.

In our neck of the woods, we need every trick in the book, but nothing replaces rain. It looks like the force field is on overdrive; I can hear thunder in the distance, but no rain will fall on The Brushpile today; 80% chance of rain tomorrow though.
https://weather.com/weather/radar/interactive/l/USMO0703:1:US