Unfortunately I can’t put this into the comment thread for Jeff’s post since it involves a link. Bonnie Appleton sent her 2007 American Nurseryman article on root washing that readers might find interesting. Thanks, Bonnie!
Can’t resist…must add photo…
For the past 11 years I’ve been running a nursery at the University of Minnesota called the TRE (for Teaching, Research, and Extension) nursery where we research all kinds of fun stuff like Dutch elm disease, the dangers of mulching, and what happens when you plant a tree too deeply. One of the most interesting things we’ve done recently, though, is to install Missouri gravel beds into the nursery. Missouri gravel beds are called Missouri gravel beds because they were invented by Chris Starbuck, a professor at Missouri State. … Continue reading this article “Bare Root Trees”
I guess today’s blog should be entitled “The Cranky Garden Professor.” Really, I’m not always cranky, and when I am I go outside to do something constructive in my garden. Last weekend I finally tackled a 5-gallon container of lavender that I’d bought several weeks ago. I had intended to wait until fall to transplant it, but I was watering it every day to keep it from wilting. I figured I might have better luck getting it into the soil where a good mulching would help keep the soil moist without daily watering.… Continue reading this article “Bad roots and deceptive marketing”