Goodbye Good Friends

Earlier this week Elaine placed a phone call to us.  Her house had been sold and if we wanted to dig any more plants there, we had to get a move on.  All of our Arbutus plants were dug from her front lawn.  We thought about asking for more next spring so that we could have this wonderful plant in our new shade garden.  With the sale of their home we had to move now.  As has been our habit, we took a large patch of soil to lessen the transplanting shock.  Appropriate soil from under a white pine tree was taken since that has always resulted in a successful move.  We hope that this last chance ever will give us another Arbutus patch located where visitors can easily see it.

We knew absolutely nothing about this plant that grew at the end of Steve and Elaine's road.  Recent generous rainfall had pushed this Slime mold to sent up its fruiting bodies.  Contact with other bloggers indicated that this was a Slime mold.  We cannot say no to an interesting looking new to us plant.  We need to find a suitable location for this bizarre new arrival.  When the morning trip down the hill was made to water our new plants, this one looked quite sad.  It quickly responded to some water and puffed up its pink fruiting bodies.

Wintergreen has not been successfully moved here in the past.  Our last attempt is still alive but has not grown any new leaves.  We do not usually transplant this late in the year but it was now or never.  If the new plants do not survive their move, we will still have a chance for plants from seed.  Evergreen ground covers are frequently eaten as winter ends.  These plants have been placed under a hastily placed wire cage to protect against raids by hungry rabbits, deer or woodchucks.

All of these plants grow in acid soil.  These white pine needles will provide an appropriate acid mulch for all of these new arrivals.  They will be watered frequently until the ground freezes.  We do expect that not all of these plants will survive here but at least we tried.  Both Steve and Elaine have helped us on many occasions and we already have many of their plants growing here.  We will do our best to help these plants survive here.  This special couple will be missed and we wish them well at their new location.  Thanks to both of you for all that you have done for our family.

Successful Move

Fringed polygala, Polygala  paucifolia, has held a fascination for us since we first found it growing in our woods.  Its numbers were small and some years we could not find it in bloom.  Unable to find a source to buy gay-wings we considered taking one plant.  Our forest floor is thick with ferns and briars. Any previous attempt to pry common plants out here ended in frustrated failure.  I could not separate the ground's fiberous root mass from the plant I wanted to move.  Knowing that polygala grew from a large underground system of slender branching root stems, I left it alone.  Last summer I found a plant growing around the edges of a sizeable flat stone. Carefully the stone was lifted.  The network of roots was visible.  With great care and gentle prodding, the entire plant was lifted and replanted in our shade garden.

When the snow melted this spring we were surprised to find green leaves still on the plant.  In the upper right corner of the photo, the dark green leaves are last year's growth.  Evergreen in nature makes polygala suseptible to smothering by fall tree leaves.  Fortunatly our shade garden is in a windy location.  Fallen leaves are quickly blown away. Stick like stems from our locust tree hold some organic matter in place but the polygala easily grows through them.  New bright green leaves and flowers seem to indicate that the move to our garden was successful.

An orchid by structure, this flower captivates me.  Its color is a draw but the diverse arrangement of its parts holds my attention.  Reproduction is by a cleistogamous flower.  This on the ground flower has so far eluded me.  Daily inspection of this transplant may allow a sighting of the fertile flower.  For now we will take good care of this plant recognizing it for the treasure that it is.

Plant A Stump

It is amazing the extent of the ignorance that is my constant companion.  One would think that a well rotted stump could easily be removed from the ground.  That is not the case.  Tree roots remain in their natural surroundings after a tree dies.  Well suited for life underground, they remain solid long after death.  Earth moving equipment would be required to safely dig out even a small tree stump.  Several failed attempts taught  me this lesson.  One stump was removed from the ground so that it could be planted in our shade garden.

Why plant a stump is a natural question.  A friend has a Lady Slipper growing naturally next to a stump.  Despite a past encounter with a bulldozer, this plant returned after being missing for several years.  Her belief is that the stump added something to the soil that favored the growth of the plant.  Since my past attempts to plant Lady Slippers here ended in failure, I figured that a stump might support a successful plant move.  Becky spent part of Mother's Day at Catskill Native Nursery where she found a sizable clump of Yellow Lady's Slipper for sale.  One day later both the plant and the stump have found a new home.

Spring Beauties grow wild in our woods.  Their growth habit makes for a tricky move.  A pea sized corm supports the growth of a long thin underground stem that finally results in an above ground plant.  Any attempt to move this plant will likely break the slender hidden stem.  Lacking nutrients supplied by the leaves, the small corm will simply die.  Finding the corm as the plant is naturally winding down is almost as difficult as finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.  This large old Spring Beauty is growing in a pot with a Smooth Solomon's Seal plant.  So far it looks like both plants have found a new home.  Over time the Spring Beauty will drop a generous load of seeds so this treasure may become common in our shade garden.

Six Jack In The Pulpits were moved from our garden near the house to the garden down by the road last fall.  The move was successful as numerous plants appeared this year in both locations.  Gloves are always worn while working in the garden so no skin irritation followed the move.

Young Sumac trees provide the shade for our new woodland garden.  They are short lived trees but their natural life span should be adequate for our needs here.  The stones visible in the picture have been moved  to this place from various different locations around our land.  Many of these rocks are too large to be moved by hand but so far luck and wisdom have prevented any injury.  The first stones placed can be seen between two of the tree trunks.  We were trying for a natural looking sloped surface to direct rainfall toward moisture loving plants.  The slanted surface works as planned but nature would never have placed three rocks in this configuration.  The other stones have been placed singularly but the natural appearance desired has yet to be found.  To improve appearance, more of the rocks need to be underground.  Tree roots make that task difficult and possibly dangerous to the life of the tree.  Our solution is to bring in our natural soil mix to raise the level of the ground.  Growing plants will add greatly to a more natural appearance.

Here shredded sifted leaves are providing the final touch for the new plants.  Each fall more leaves will be added to support the natural process that builds forest soil.  Plastic bags of fallen leaves are plainly visible in the background of some pictures.  We collect these in large numbers for use in all of our gardens.  Running them through the small mower creates a mulch less likely to blow onto the neighbor's lawn.  Natural decay is faster so the soil builds more quickly.  Speed is important as the difficulties of growing older make more frequent visits now.  Just today I stumbled while trying to stand and stepped on a Bunchberry  plant.  The newly emerging plant may survive the inadvertent stomp.  I watered it and apologized but that is simply how it is here now. 

Second Snake of the Season

It is common here for the first snake sighting of the season to be announced with a piercing scream when Becky nearly steps on a wild wiggler.  That was not the case today.  An Eastern Milksnake was soaking up some warmth from the sun while stretched out across the driveway.  One of their defensive moves is to remain motionless but that is not effective when exposed.  After a good long look, I backed the tractor  away so that I could drive around the snake.  When I returned with the camera the snake was long gone.

Another favorite place to gain some heat from the sun is under my wheelbarrows.  Sure enough when the wheelbarrow was raised a snake was exposed.  The bale of old hay under the stored wheelbarrow is there for the snakes.  Mice and voles are high on the list of food for these snakes so we encourage their presence.  Later in the day I needed my wheelbarrow and found two milksnakes under it.  This time one showed me its vibrating tail.  Impressive but not scary, I found the display some what comical since these snakes pose no threat to people.

Trout lily, Erthronium americanum, commonly occurs here as single leafed nonflowering plants.  This double leafed plant flowered but no flower or seed capsule is present.  I have always suspected that the wild turkeys were eating the flowers.  The flower that opened here was clearly eaten.

When I dug this pinxter azalea, Rhododendron nudiflorum, from the wild, it was replanted in the woods rather than at the edge of the woods.  Located with insufficient light it never flowered.  It would have been easier on the plant if I had relocated it before leaf out but I always seem to be a little late.  The tool of choice for tasks like this is a five foot steel pry bar.  If the plant is levered out with a sizable dirt ball, the move will likely be successful.

A good sized clump of forest soil is coming with the plant.  A pail of forest soil was also taken to line the planting hole.  Overnight rain added to what we hope will be a successful move.

New Growth

Perhaps my repeated visits with Trailing Arbutus are becoming tiresome.  This native plant has a long history of resisting transplanting.  A general Google search looking for information on how to move this plant will yield several articles dealing with a European tree that has arbutus in its name.  Then my 2014 post dealing with my successful move of this ground cover will appear.  First in a Google search might be seen as a big deal.  Today we will take a look at just what these plants are up to six years later.

Arbutus is an evergreen plant.  Old leaves are dark green and leathery to the touch.  Just how long these leaves live remains unknown to me.  Dead leaves are rarely seen.  Now that the season of flowering is past, new growth is appearing in impressive quantities.  Reddish hairy stems extend outward for a great distance.  In the center of the picture a side shoot bearing a new leaf can be seen.  The point of junction between the new stem and new leaf is where flower bud clusters will appear later this Fall.

Now that these wild plants have firmly established themselves we mostly leave them alone.  Fallen pine needles remain where they fell since we no longer remove them intending to keep the Arbutus leaves in full daylight.  This natural sight is seriously marred by the wire cage that covers each planting.  These plants would not exist without this protection.  Both woodchucks and rabbits have heavily eaten these plants in the early Spring when other green plant growth is rare.  It is likely that these cages are the reason why my transplants survive when others failed.

Our late Winter weather was brutal this year.  Repeated hard frosts and numbing cold did major damage to many plants.  Arbutus blooms early and is equipped to deal with harsh weather.  Its leaves remain undamaged and the flowers were beautiful but developing seed clusters have been hard to find. That may have been the result of missing pollinators. These female flowers were unfertilized so the plants continued survival depends on the new leaf growth and next year's blossoms.

Only one developing seed cluster was found after a careful search of all four different plantings. In the past seed clusters have appeared earlier.  The two flower remains at the top of the cluster are developing seeds but are days behind the others. In the past seed capsules have appeared much earlier.   We have watched seeds form here for many years but have yet to see a new plant from our seed appear.  The dense growth would make finding a new plant difficult.  Our attempts to grow new plants from harvested seed always ended in failure while reports of greenhouse attempts are successful.  We are at the point in our lives where just enjoying these plants as they grow on their own is a special pleasure.  The promise of those fragrant flowers makes the spring of 2021 something to anticipate.

Dancing With The Big Stone

I have been waiting in breathless anticipation for this performance.  The weather is perfect and well it should be.  Doing these kind of moves with a partner that is very heavy, a dead weight in fact, is not often attempted.  I am thrilled to be able to catch this on film!  Ed is feeling good and is in great form!  He deftly prepares the spot for the final move with his maddock while his partner waits in stony silence.

Note Ed's unusual move with the side of the potato hook.  It is not often seen, but Ed is a master with his tool!

Now the real dance commences. This lift requires grace and pry bar leverage with a partner that is so dense.  The mud and stones are all prepared  to make a successful landing possible for this incredibly complex move.

The stone missed the landing ever so slightly.  This will require delicate maneuvers on Ed's part.

Ed positions another stone while his partner rests in anticipation of the final landing.

What an exciting move!  Ed and his pry bar are poetry in motion and the unwieldy stone has made an almost perfect landing.

This one leg in the air move is unprecedented, but really paid off.  The big stone is almost exactly where Ed wanted it!!

He places stones at the base of the big stone so that it can remain solidly in place.

Now it is over.  The stone is perfectly placed and Ed is still looking terrific.  What a fabulous performance!  Bravo!!!!!!  What can Ed possibly do for an encore?   I can hardly wait!

Cleistogamous Found

This picture was posted in May.  Fringed polygala is the name of this elusive native wildflower.  We previously lost a large patch that grew impressively from a transplant.  Invaders finished it and we have not been able to move this plant since.

There is some question if the brightly colored blossom plays any part in the production of seed.  This developing seed pod at ground level has no connection to the May flower.  This is the first time that we have been able to find this secondary never opening flower that produces self pollinated seed.  Now we shall attempt to follow this treasure intending to discover when the seed ripens.  This tiny plant is across the lane but we have permission to meddle here.

We have followed this plant for several years.  It displays a more mature stem with several leaves.  It is highly likely that the pictured flower grew on this plant.  At this point in time we have found the locations of two cleistogamous seed pods.  If we can follow developments here, seed will be planted in our shade garden within sight of the highway when the time is right.  An important first step has been taken but much more investigation needs to follow if we are to see a successful move.

 This photo shows newly forming flowers on the more common Partridgeberry.  Aside from the two flowers joined at the base intending to form a single seed carrying berry, this plant will help us remember when Polygala begins its possibly summer long process of making viable seed.

Arbutus Moved

Conventional wisdom says to never transplant trailing arbutus, Epigaea repens, since it will die if moved. We found a location where arbutus grows in the path of a lawn mower.  Regular repeated mowing will likely kill these plants where they are.  These facts allowed me to sail in the face of conventional wisdom.  Actually, I frequently choose my own path in an uncommon direction.  A search of the lawn was made to find small plants of arbutus at generous distance from others.  Since arbutus grows from an underground network of branching roots, small isolated plants might be levered out with their root mass intact.  A complete root system seems to be the first requirement for a successful move. A five foot pry bar was used to unearth large deep clumps of ground.  We do not want the plants to know that they have been moved.

A planting site was prepared well in advance of taking the plants.  Some specific micro-bacterial activity is reported to be a requirement if arbutus is to survive.  An area under a white pine tree was prepared to receive transplants since some believe that the necessary bacteria or fungus grows on white pine roots.  Large flat stones were placed over the site to kill weeds and encourage organic decay.  We believe that the combination of organic matter, moisture and stones causes a unique and beneficial kind of compost to form that we call duff.  These stones were placed around the edge of the transplant circle to direct rainfall onto the arbutus, keep down the weeds and clearly mark the location.  We need to remember to water here for two years when the rain does not fall.

It is likely that our transplants will fail.  If that is the outcome, we will report that here.  If these plants live, we will also report that here.  For now we have a total of four different arbutus plants so it is likely that both genders of the plant are here.  Viable seed may occur here.  For now I will prepare another transplanting hole to receive the stem cuttings that I plan to take six weeks from now.  A different source of these cuttings must be found.  Perhaps I can hobble the friend's mower.

Four Patches Of Mayflowers In July

This is our only naturally occurring patch of that wonderful native plant also known as  Trailing Arbutus.  In the early 1960's the barn burned and the trash that the fire left behind was buried in this area.  A gravel bank was opened to expose material used to cover the remains of the barn.  This spot features the lumpy overburden that was pushed aside.  As difficult as it is to believe, this tiny patch of green may be fifty years old.

When we first found it we knew nothing about it other than it had sweet smelling flowers in April or May.  Some years we found and enjoyed these blossoms while other years no trace of the plant could be found.  What we eventually learned was that this evergreen plant exposes its sweet tasting leaves following snow melt.  Rabbits are particularly fond of feeding on these leaves.  Despite this damage, the plant used the next three years to reestablish itself and flower.  That explains the wire cage that covers this plant.  The dry stone walls surrounding the cage have to date made it impossible for hungry animals to push the cage aside or slide under it.

This area features our first successful transplants and a from seed plant that grew in the soil clump moved with the plant.  Arbutus is described as impossible to move in many books but we found success.  Our understanding of this plant when we moved it was limited since we were unaware that it exists in both genders.  Pure luck gave us three pollen producing plants and one that grows seeds.  The dense leaf growth here makes it impossible to know if any other plants grew from the seed produced here.  Leaf growth has reached the limits of the covering cage and we have no plans to protect these exposed plant parts.

This closeup is intended to show the difference between the new light green leaves that are new growth this year and the older dark green leaves.  We still do not understand the life cycle of these evergreen leaves.  At some point in time some must die but we seldom see a dead leaf.  One may be visible in the second wire rectangle from the left in the center row but we have no way of knowing its age.  Their general appearance may be hidden beneath the vigorous new growth.

Our second successful attempt to transplant can be seen here.  When these four pollen producing plants and two seed growing plants were placed here, we gave them great care.  Fallen White Pine needles were singularly removed so that the Trailing Arbutus leaves were fully exposed.  Recently we have limited our intrusion of the natural turn of events since we want this to be a wild native plant.  This tree suffered great damage from the late heavy snow storm and the Arbutus plants are nearly covered with fallen pine needles.  This cage will be temporarily set aside so that the heavy load of pine needles can be lightened.

When we were digging transplants, we disturbed a tiny cluster of possibly five plants.  These were placed in the corner of our first patch.  Two or three years later exactly two plants remained alive.  They were placed here adjacent to the property line under a huge White Pine.  As luck would have it, both genders are present.  We brought no soil here as we wanted these plants growing from a deep deposit of rotted pine needles.  They are doing well sending out long pieces of new growth.

Trailing Arbutus plants form their blossom buds ahead of winter.  Our next set of pictures will focus on new buds.  This year weather was harsh when the open flowers were expected so we eagerly look forward to next year. 
 

Natural Cycles

Trailing Arbutus has captured and held our attention for the past several years.  Most articles written describe transplanting this plant as impossible.  Patient observations spanning years resulted in the 2011 move of the six plants pictured here.  We are still learning their life cycle by watching and trying to understand what we see.  Arbutus is an evergreen plant but we seldom see an old dead leaf.  Nearby oak trees spread their large dead leaves some of which cover Arbutus leaves.  Fearful that oak covers will kill desired leaves, many late fall days are spent hand picking oak leaves.  That activity may not be necessary.

This year's new leaves are a bright light green while old Arbutus leaves are dark.  New growth stretches upward covering nearly all of the old leaves.  Heavy snow cover presses exposed leaves close to the ground.  The same fate will soon enough present itself to these tall new leaves.  For now one must search to see a nearly completely hidden dark leaf.  A question concerning the need to remove fallen oak leaves remains unanswered.  It may be that the cycle of lush new Arbutus growth will also forever hide the older leaves.

This second attempt to transplant Arbutus was made in 2014.  Three male plants and three female plants were moved here.  New growth has yet to completely overwhelm older growth so patches of old dark leaves are easily spotted.  We expect that in the not too distant future new growth will completely cover this ground hiding the older leaves.

These plants have reliably produced seed for a number of years but very few seed clusters can be found now.  Our early spring weather was unusually mild and these plants opened their flowers slowly over a long period of time.  Usually all of the blossoms open at the same time allowing successful fertilization to happen.  Perhaps next year will see seed here again.  Despite several years of mature seed, we have yet to see a new plant growing from seed.  Any new plants would be nearly impossible to find under the tangled mat of old stems and leaves.  We keep searching the surrounding area for new plants from seed but have to date failed to find them.  It may be that several years on the ground are needed before germination occurs.  A knowledgeable visitor suggested five as the number of years needed.

Only two plants make up our 2016 move to transplant.  Each gender is present and these smaller plants once again are maturing seed.  At the same time lush new growth is expanding the range of each plant. We find it amazing that the female plant grows both seed clusters as well as new stems and leaves at the same time.  Now it is impossible to tell where one plant ends and the other begins.

Twenty-five years ago this wild arbutus planting was found by the new land owners.  Some years we would enjoy sweet blossoms while no trace of the plant could be found most other years.  A disappearing snow cover held evidence that a rabbit was feeding on the newly exposed evergreen Arbutus leaves. It turns out that the problem may not with transplanting Arbutus but with starved animals feeding on the newly placed evergreen leaves.  Wire cages placed just inside low stone walls protect these plants.  Just how an Arbutus plant can recover from having all of its above ground growth eaten remains a mystery.  This cycle of disappearing then staging a come back must be natural for this plant.  When compared with the size of our transplants, this natural occurrence of much older plants is tiny.

Our time on this land is coming to an end.  We intend to leave these Arbutus plantings protected with wire cages.  As new growth extends past the safe area, we will work to keep the new growth moving outward under the cage bottoms.  That way we will still be able to remove the cage for house cleaning.  We will not be surprised to see these unprotected plant parts eaten by woodchucks, rabbits or deer.

Big Plans

These pictures were taken yesterday before the return of more normal January weather.  The ridge above the transplanted Cardinal Flowers is widely strewn with broken chunks of bedrock.  This edge  exposed rock caught my eye because of its unusual orientation.  The last glacier pushed these rocks around  with their largest face commonly resting in contact with the ground.  This rock was pushed into the ground with its thin edge topmost.  In my attempts to create a garden that looks somewhat natural, it never occurred to place rocks in this manner.  Many large rocks have been unearthed by me that remain unused because of their ugly wrinkled and twisted large flat surfaces.  If placed in the garden in this manner their ugliness will remain hidden out of sight and there will be more rocks for me to plant.

Wintergreen growing naturally between moss covered Birch tree roots is what I would like to see in my developing woodland garden.  To date Wintergreen has defied my attempts to move it.  A linear stem grows just beneath the soil surface with small roots penetrating the soil beneath each leaf cluster.  If there is a large system of roots under the central part of the plant, I have yet to see it.  It would be best to enjoy these wild plants where they now grow.

These pieces of rotted tree trunk have been levered out of the ground and carried to the developing woodland garden.  When the ground is free of frost this wood will be replanted.  In addition to adding a possibly natural look to the area, dead wood may hold the secret to successful placement of Lady Slippers.  These plants native to this region have recently become available for purchase.  Their price is steep and the catalogs promise that growing instructions will be shipped with each plant.  It makes no sense to me that the instructions will arrive with the plant.  Having the area properly prepared ahead of the arrival of the plant sounds like a better idea.  I intend to place the stump in soil taken from the area where the former tree grew.  One year will be allowed to pass so that the dead stump can settle in.  Perhaps then we will be ready to part with just under one hundred dollars for one
precious plant.

Partridge Berry is another native plant that grows somewhat freely here.  Each red berry is formed from two blossoms that were fused at their base.  This plant has the reputation of being easy to move.  We intend to include it in our new shade garden.

This monster was just discovered.  Its size guarantees that it will remain where planted.  Several cracks show where a chisel and hammer could split this rock.  Those cracks also show where an unusually hard section directs them downward.  Any attempt to alter this rock will just make a mess.  It makes more sense to bring some native plants to this rock.  White Trilliums  would look really good here.  We shall see just what happens here when spring returns.

Arbutus Move Plus One

Last week we made public our willingness to fly in the face of conventional wisdom and transplant arbutus, Epigea repens.  Our timing appears to have been perfect.  Daily rain has kept the moved plants moist.  Now is the time that arbutus puts out new growth.  The two pale green leaves at each end of the plant were not present last week.  It certainly looks like these plants intend to adjust to their new home.

The mysterious soil microbe that must be present if arbutus is to survive is reported to grow on or with white pine roots.  Not every arbutus patch that we have seen grows in proximity to white pines but all are intermingled with moss.  We placed our transplants in contact with white pine roots and they brought along their own moss.  If these plants survive we will have no way of knowing what served as the source of the needed microbe.  It could be white pine roots or it could be moss.  Time will tell if the move was successful but for now we are encouraged.

This long picture shows the entire patch.  Last week's post included a similar image.  Purple violets are missing from the new picture but the two light green arbutus leaves were not in the old image.  Present but not visible are numerous brown fuzzy new arbutus leaves.  Each separate plant displays this new growth.  Yes we are excited.

In approximately two weeks we plan to return to the source of these transplants and take new growth cuttings.  We will try and do this right and see if we can start new plants.  We will also look for seeds. More reading needs to be done so that we can recognize ripe seeds.

New Growth And Seeds

These two arbutus plants have been moved twice.  Their first transplantation found them near our older plants.  They were small one year old plants then and we needed them close by where we could watch them.  Last year we felt that these two were ready to be set out on their own.  Placed in the deep rotting mass of decades of fallen white pine needles, these plants prospered.  The many stems sporting light green leaves are new growth that formed in just the last few weeks.  Darker leaves show the limits of the old growth that was present at the time of the second move.  I find both the size of the new growth and the speed with which it appeared to be impressive.

We knew that one of these plants was female and the other male.  Due to their relative youth, we were not expecting to find seed this year,  This young lady has two separate clusters of seed berries.  We visit here daily hoping to see the mature seeds exposed when the cover splits and is pulled back.  Chipmunks live close by in an old stone wall and we are aware that these seed berries could disappear at any moment.

The female plant is to the right in the first photo.  Sharp eyes might find this seed cluster located at the six o'clock position between the long new stem and the shorter one to its left.

Nearly all of the leaves present on the left most plant were blackened by winter's end.  We suspect sun scorch as the cause of the damage despite the shade cast by the huge white pine.  A slope in the ground places the two plants in different orientation to the winter sun despite their closeness.  This male plant carried on despite the leaf damage.  Pollen was produced to fertilize the female flowers.  Impressive new leaves were formed to carry on the functions of the plant.  In many ways arbutus reveals itself to be one rugged plant despite its reputation as impossible to move.

This photo also illustrates the the complexity of the stem structure.  The browned upper leaf and the dark green leaf beneath it are last year's growth.  The pointed structures between the two older leaves are the remains of the male flowers that produced the successful pollen.  The two light green hairy stems that originate between the two leaves and flower cluster are this year's new growth.  I am considering placing a heavy wire U just behind the old growth forcing the old stem into the ground.  The purpose of that would be to see if new root growth sufficient to sustain a separate plant would form.

Here is the current status of the first four arbutus plants that were transplanted here in 2011.  The light green leaves are all new growth formed in just the past few weeks.  Here and there the older dark green leaves can still be seen.  This much new growth was totally unexpected.

The events of last fall have impacted our recent conduct.  We were unable to carry water to our arbutus then as a result of personal injury.  Arbutus set their flower clusters in the fall and the severe drought limited the number of buds set.  As a result, flowers were rather scant this year.  Buds form on the new growth.  We could not have the present lack of rainfall limiting the amount of new growth.  All of our plants have received a sprinkling can or two of water nearly every day for the past several weeks.  The new growth cycle is nearing completion so we can rest easy for some time.  If the lack of rainfall continues, we will resume daily waterings  in about one month.  We really want an impressive set of blossoms next spring.