Hi Everyone - Our backyard has a drainage issue and I am going to try the simplest advice I have been given before digging ditches and that sort of things. I read that a fellow gardener was able to treat a standing water situation that he had by planting a few Red Twig Dogwood shrubs. This is the route I have chosen.
I ordered three of these and received them bare root yesterday. The Nursery instructions say to plant immediately. My question now is.......Can I plant the stems in a pot and keep inside until after freezes? I am so afraid that if I plant these things they will all die to frost.
Do I use regular potting soil? Will keeping them in an unheated greenhouse be of any benefit? Please help!! I am not sure exactly what to do with these.
I am looking forward to hearing from those who have faced anything similar to this or those who have a better knowledge of planting times than I do. Thank you all in advance.
Ruby
question for those who are more experienced than myself
I am posting mostly on what I have read...because I have never planted bare root shrubs. From what I understand this is an ideal time to plant bare root deciduous shrubs. A frost or freeze will not kill a hardy shrub. I am assuming that your ground is not frozen solid.
- Brent
Thank you Brent. Wouldn't today with the temps in the 70's be a great time to plant. I am afraid that the earliest I will be able to get them in the ground is this weekend. I suppose that I should do a bit more reading myself. haha Oh yeah, will have to find some type of fencing or other type of barrier to keep those three doggies from chewing on them too. Again, thank you for taking the time to reply.
Ruby
Ruby, just make sure you don't let the roots dry out, but you knew that right? :) If you can get them in this weekend, they should be fine. Brent's absolutely right, this is a great time to plant or move dormant shrubs. If you want to hold off planting, you can use regular potting soil, just make sure you keep the pots in a cooler area - like a garage, basement, or even outside in a spot where you can watch them until you can find time to plant them - the temps we're having now shouldn't harm them although we're not completely "out of the woods" yet with a few more spells of temps in the 20's over the next couple of weeks. If you plant them in the ground however, this weather will not harm them.
I planted red twig dogwoods in Connecticut about eight years ago. I think that I bought them from Burpee. I actually left them in the box unwatered for about a week and a half because I was too busy, and clearly didn't know what I was doing.
When I did get around to planting them, they were fine. I believe that I had to submerge them in water for a few hours before planting.
They are beautiful in the winter. Unfortunately, the deer loved just as much as I did!
Thank you rcn and pennefeather for the replies. I am now feeling a bit better since hearing and reading that this is actually the time for planting the bare root. They will be planted no later than tomorrow, which is Sunday.
I also read another person's comment on how beautiful they are in winter, so am looking forward to seeing that. I am excited about them because when I think about it, my backyard needs a lot of attention in terms of beautification with plants.
I will be back with other questions I am sure as I begin getting outdoors and "digging in dirt." I hope that you all have a good weekend.
Ruby