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Grass tree rotting please help
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Posted by sonbie CA Z9 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 29, 07 at 15:50
I live in the hot Tri Valley area east of San Francisco. I was given a grass tree from a fellow gardener. The tree is about 10 years and had flowered for them. We dug it up in February and took alot of soil with it however, it's roots went through a ginko tree and so in getting it out, some of it's middle roots were severed-to get it free from the Ginko.
I planted it in a very sunny spot-all day sun. It looked good but the last month it has been having more and more dying fronds. The trunk is about knee high. I water it lightly.
Today I went to investigate and found that the top of the tree is rotted, Near the soil level on one side there is an outshoot of some fronds. That was there when I got the tree. Also when I got the tree there were two pony tails of fronds on the top opposite where the flower stem was.
Is my tree a goner? Is there anything that I can try. Right now I am hoping the sun will dry the rot. Is there anything that can save this tree?
Sondra |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Grass tree rotting please help
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- Posted by mallee South Australia (My Page) on
Fri, Mar 30, 07 at 4:15
Hi Sondra,
If you have a rot in the tree, you need to try a fungicide to kill all spores connected with that. Pour it over the crown of the tree making sure it reaches into all crevices.
When watering, it is better to give enough water to soak down to the roots, then hold off watering until the soil is dry for about 2 inches (5 cm) down. Use the 'scratch' test. Dig down to that depth and check before watering again. Grass trees generally grow in sandy soils where the drainage is good. |
RE: Grass tree rotting please help
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Thanks Mallee for the advice. Will any fungicide work or would you recommend a certain one? Because it was under a ginko, I found ginko seeds and leaves in the crown. There were even worms coming out of the rot. The tree is planted at the end of a cement slab on a slight rise. Even though it is in clay soil, it is pretty well drained and no added amendments. I am also noticing little sprouts -not our native grasses but looks tougher-like maybe new seedlings (I did get a good amount of the existing soil and the tree had flowered before.) The main trunk looks very odd now. I few small newer whisps of green on the right crown where no rot is that I found, and on the soil line on the left, two tufts of green fronds. How will this become a tree again? Any thoughts?
Wanting to keep this tree growing-need help.
Sondra |
RE: Grass tree rotting please help
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- Posted by mallee South Australia (My Page) on
Sat, Mar 31, 07 at 6:26
Hi Sondra,
Ask a reputable garden centre for a product specifically for rot in a plant. Something designed to spray on fruit trees that suffer brown rot in the fruit or gummosis may be the way to go. Do read labels carefully.
It is possible, if the rot can be controlled and removed, that the new sprouts will become the new grass tree. Unfortunately there will be the wait for a new trunk if you lose that. On the other hand, the trunk may sprout again at the top near the new sprou that you had. I would get onto the fungicide as quickly as possible. Remove all soft leaf litter that lands on the crown as soon as possible as it could well be that which has started the rot. |
RE: Grass tree rotting please help
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| G'day Sondra, There is one point that caught my attention. You must give a transplanted grass tree a lot of water for the first twelve months especially in dry climates. The tree will be weakened by light watering and even with treatment its natural defense against disease will be down. I am afraid that the only fairly safe way to move grass trees is to take a large root bowl with the plant and cause as little root disturbance as possible. A bobcat is usually the machine to use. But don't give up I have seen them make some miraculous recoveries. Mac |
RE: Grass tree rotting please help
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Hello Sondra,
Interested to hear how your grasstree went? My family have perfected the transplanting and recycling of grasstrees over a 30 year period and I would love to give some advice to you or anyone interested in troubleshooting their sick grasstree.
Cheers
Gracie |
Here is a link that might be useful: Bruinsma Grasstrees
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