Angela Nelson

Thanks--
I had some native shrubs picked out from a few WA catalogues and then --poof-- they were gone, before it was really warm enough to plant. Will have to see what I can find locally.

Hi--I have not been on this forum in a long time, hope I am posting this in the right place!
Last year we radically downsized and we now have a small house on a small in-town lot. We are definitely not farmers--my husband has no interest in doing stuff outside, and severe allergies have curtailed some of my gardening enthusiasm. I pretty much feel sick through the month of June, but I still love gardening and permaculture ideas. Anyway I would like to do what I can with the bit of land we have while keeping it low-key and low-maintenance. I got really frustrated with fruit trees at our other house, so probably no fruit trees! I'm thinking shrubs and berry bushes, plus herbs and perennials in front where it's sunny. But I'm getting ahead of myself . . .

Right now I'm thinking through a hedge to visually separate us from the eyesore of a rental next door. I'm debating whether to do a line of sea buckthorn bushes (I saw sea buckthorn planted along the river in the the Tri-cities and really liked it!), or a mixed hedge of ---- Maybe I could underplant with something?

The land on that side of the house slopes down with a short, old retaining wall that needs redone (I'm hoping to get away with leaving it as is and just planting a hedge. The slope is only a few feet). The natural soil is here is crappy--hard clay, low in nitrogen. I don't want to invest much money on this part of the lawn  I would like to focus more time and attention on other areas. Then again, it gets good sun exposure, whereas my back yard is mostly shade. The hedge would be 15-20 feet long, and our summers are dry, dry, dry--it would be nice not to have to irrigate once it's established. Any ideas or wisdom for me?

No juniper or arborvitae. This neighborhood has waaaayyyyy too much juniper!

Thank you, Angela

I sure didn't mean to open a can of worms! I am really new at this, and spinosad was recommended in organic fruit books and raintree catalogue, so I used it. Next time I will try the house and handpicking, but that never even occupied to me.

The trees were baby trees, no buds or fruit yet. So I feel a little less bad! I notice on my walks the large established trees around here do not look to have problems. Hopefully mine and those of / the original poster will get there.

I have never tried freestyle, will have to give it a look. Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks all, will order some soon

Thanks--I printed out the order form to use, in case there is no one nearby!
You really think they'd do ok in 90+ temp everyday and no rain for weeks? So hot and dry this year, and the soil I am wanting to plant them in (to improve the whole area!) is pretty hard.

Just wondered--I'm Angela from pullman--would this be my "region" on this forum?

What is the best way to get some comfrey plants? Not much money here. Tried to start seeds but they died on my husband's watch when i was away for a few weeks. Is it difficult to start seeds, or is there an inexpensive way to get plant starts?

Have never seen plants to buy locally. I'm in the moscow/pullman eastern Wa area if someone has any around here.

I'm sure I'll have to wait for less heat to do anything. Can comfrey be planted out in the fall, or should I wait till spring to try again?

Thanks, I read it. I have a ton of violet and Vinca. I chopped and dropped it around the berry bushes and fruit trees the other night, just to try and protect the soil from the heat. Not ideal plants maybe but the material I have available.

I have the same with my Apple trees-- leaf roller caterpillars.
Last year I tried waiting it out while those caterpillars damaged every single leaf on my newly planted baby Apple and cherry trees. Then I read like crazy and got some spinosad spray (captain jacks) and that worked. The caterpillars at least do not seem to do permanent damage, trees leaves out beautifully 2nd year.

I was told if I sprayed dormant oil late winter and early spring then no caterpillars. But alas, I followed that advice this year and I have the caterpillars again. So I sprayed captain jacks a lot sooner. And am keeping a watch to spray as needed.

The caterpillars seem to be gone now, maybe in part because of our crazy dry heat. But there are lots of tiny black eggs? Or is that caterpillar poop?

I'm frustrated, in my old house 20 minutes away I never had any problems with the fruit trees. Here I've had leaf rollers, canker on the cherries, and the trees just aren't as happy in general. Loosened up soil and enriched when planting, but it's just not the same. My old house had amazing soil.

But wild abandoned Apple, plum and cherry trees bear like crazy here so I keep hope that once the trees are established, they will do well.