Final Arbutus Move

Four years ago four small wild arbutus plants were moved to this spot.  A fifth plant appeared from seed and the patch has expanded to its present impressive size.  Bright green new growth has almost totally covered the older darker leaves.  It is impossible to tell where one plant ends and another begins.  As an evergreen plant, old leaves are carried over from one year to the next but at some point older leaves must expire.  Dead leaves are almost never seen so we have been unable to determine their life span.  Now that the older leaves are covered by new growth, they can die and decompose hidden from view.

One month ago our year old transplants were separated and placed in pots.  My original plan was to examine their root structure since I have never seen a photo or drawing of the underground parts of this plant.  When the moment of opportunity came, I could not disturb the soil and quickly potted both plants.  Today was moving day.

This site was selected for arbutus planting two years ago.  What little grew under the large white pine tree was levered out.  Last summer arbutus seed was scattered in the area outlined by the three dead sticks.  No arbutus plants from seed appeared so this is where the two potted plants were placed.  Never cultivated because of its increasingly steep stony ground, this is wild native ground.  It should prove to be a perfect location for arbutus.

During its one month in the pot, much new leaf growth has appeared but no new root growth pushed its way to the edge of the pot.  Once again we are denied a glimpse of arbutus roots.

Fallen decaying white pine needles were brushed aside.  Soil from the hole was carefully placed in a bucket to be used to fill in the voids surrounding the potted plant's root mass.  Once the holes were filled, pine needles were brought up under the leaves and stems.  This plant displayed a single female flower this year.  Despite generous pollen tracked into the open flower, no seed was formed.  The companion plant produced no flowers this year so its gender is unknown.  Needless to say we are hoping for a boy.

Water and a wire cage were brought in to finish the job for the moment.  Stones in the background  were moved to the edge the adjacent cultivated field generations ago.  Back then the stones were piled in a wall but the growing pine tree pushed them downhill.  The next picture you will see of this spot will find the rusty barbed wire gone and the stones piled once again in a wall.  It may be an artificial composition but I have long wanted wild arbutus growing into an old field stone wall.

The arbutus seed collected earlier has been drying on a paper towel.  Today the seeds were moved into a waxed paper envelop, placed inside of a plastic bag and tucked away in the refrigerator.  When winter seems like it will never end, these seeds will be placed on soil under lights in the basement.  How we will handle tiny plants that may spring from seeds that are about the size of the point of a pin remains to be seen.

Lingering Frost Impact

Some have not forgotten our late May freeze with frost.  The lasting impact on various plants raises many questions.  Contradictions are all that is clear when looking at what happened to various green growing things.  For the first time in our collective memories, peas were hammered by the freeze.  We have two plantings of snow peas spaced about two weeks apart in time.  The earlier taller plants were hit harder than the younger shorter peas.  As shown by the harvest, these plants made a comeback.  The older plants are shorter than usual and both plantings are ready to pick now despite the difference in when they were planted.

Our wild ginger is planted inside the stone square at the base of one of the walls.  Despite the protection from the rolling frost river, the ginger took a real hit.  Blackened leaves were the only ones open when the frost hit.  Lower bright green leaves opened after the storm.  We probably should trim away the damaged leaves but this is a native wild plant that has survived many generations without human interference.

Our locust tree would prefer to grow 100 miles south of here in central Pennsylvania.  It is late to open its leaves here and has proved to be frost sensitive in the past.  We expected it to drop the newly opened leaves that endured the freeze.  We had absolutely no hope of seeing blossoms because of the cold.  Not only did the tree keep the leaves, it opened flowers. A nearby state road runs along the Butternut Creek valley.  Locust trees line both sides of the highway for several miles.  We were fortunate to travel there when the trees were in flower.  Rich farm fields, a meandering creek and white locust flowers painted a beautiful picture.

We have two varieties of Lily Regale.  Both were covered with a giant plastic garbage can when the frost hit.  Bud-less brown plants mark the location of the plants that show off pure white flowers occasionally.  The variety that has white flowers with red on the outside of the blossoms is apparently more hardy.  We sometimes see many more buds here but at least we will have some open flowers soon.

One of Becky's new purchases was planted out before the cold.  This single remaining flower, smaller than a dime, and a few stubs are all that remain of what was a large beautiful plant.  These pieces may survive but it will take a couple of years before we see a mature Spider Web Hens and Chicks plant.

This astilbe lies directly in the path of the frost river that pours down on us from the nearby ridge.  Despite the protection given be an inverted five gallon pail, impact of the freeze can be seen.  In a normal year this plant would be taller than the stone wall.  Now both the leaves and the flowers look great but short.  Perhaps this plant was forced to put out a second flush of leaves and they did not grow to their normal height.  "Bloom where you are planted!"  It's not always easy!