Polk County Master Gardeners
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Dogwood
One of Arkansas best springtime shows is the dogwood tree. And when those
wonderful white blooms are gone, the brilliant red berries will attract many
fruit-loving birds to your yard. So if you don’t have dogwoods in your yard,
maybe this is the year to add one or two.
The best time to plant dogwoods is during the dormant season. It is perhaps
late enough this year that they may be hard to find, but if you can, they will
have the rest of the winter to extend their root system so that when the leaves
come out in the spring and their need for water increases, the roots will be in
place to provide it.
Dogwoods are understory trees - they do well in the partial shade of other,
larger trees, but they do need some sun. The best combination to encourage
growth and discourage disease is to plant in partial shade and avoid overhead
watering - a drip irrigation system is ideal.
They also require well-drained soil. Just to make things as confusing as
possible, the symptoms of overwatering are about the same as those of drought.
The leaves dry and curl and drop off. This is because the roots rot when they
stand in water and then cannot provide water to the tree. If you’re not sure
about drainage in the area where you want to put a dogwood, dig a hole about 12”
deep and fill it with water. If it takes more than 12 hours to drain, best plant
somewhere else.
If they are planted in a fertilized lawn, you probably don’t need additional
fertilizer for the dogwood. If not, give them a little nitrogen in November and
March.
A heavy application of mulch around the tree can help by conserving moisture,
keeping the soil cooler, and keeping your mower away from the tree trunk. One of
the primary causes of problems in dogwoods is damage from mowers or string
trimmers.
A few diseases cause problems for dogwoods: dogwood anthracnose, spot
anthracnose, and powdery mildew are the most common. Of these, dogwood
anthracnose is the one most likely to prove lethal. A new cultivar, Appalachian
Spring, is resistant to dogwood anthracnose, and would be a good choice for our
climate.
So if you want those snowy sprays around your house in the years to come, now
is the time to get started.
By Barbara M. Tobias
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