Planting a Dogwood Seedling in Atlanta in January

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gtme89 Atlanta, GA Jan 05, 2008

What is the best way for me to make sure this dogwood seedling has the best chance of survival if I plant it this month (January)?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Jan 05, 2008

Plant it indoors :-) Did it go dormant for the winter, or is this something that you started fairly recently and it has leaves on it? Either way I'd probably keep it indoors until spring. If it's dormant maybe it would be OK planted outdoors, but if it's got leaves and is actively growing then any cold weather you get would likely kill it if you planted it outdoors now. If it's dormant, you could just stick it in your garage or something and just make sure it gets enough water that it doesn't completely dry out. If it's got leaves, then I'd keep it indoors in a bright window. Then plant it out in the spring.

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flowerscapes Albany, GA Jan 06, 2008

With all due respect to the California poster, a dogwood seedling will thrive if planted in January in the Atlanta area, which, due to elevation differences can range from zone 7B-8A. Dogwoods do best in acidic soil, under the cover of tall pines or oaks to protect from afternoon sun in summer. If your hydrangeas bloom blue, the soil is acidic. Dig a good hole, loosen soil at least a couple of feet around the planting. Unless the native soil is terrible, you don't need to amend. If terribly rocky or solid clay, break up and amend with peat moss, compost, or finely shredded leaves (like from a mower bag). Keep mulched with a couple of inches of pinestraw. Don't drown the tree, but it will need supplementary watering for at least the first couple of years. With the on-going drought we have been experiencing, don't let it dry out or it will die. Seedlings don't need any staking. The best fertilizer is going to be a small dose of Osmocote when planted and then an occasional hit with some 1/2 strength Peters every month. With a little TLC, you'll have blooms next spring. :))

Post #4368092
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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Jan 06, 2008

I've only been in CA for a little less than 6 yrs...before that I lived in zone 6 :-) It wasn't clear from the original post how big the seedling is or if it's gone dormant for the winter or not. I suspected it might be a seedling that was started recently enough that it is still green and growing and hasn't figured out what time of year it is--if it's still small and has got leaves on it, I wouldn't even plant it outside here in zone 9 in January until any chance of frost has passed.

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