Saturday, April 19, 2008

Unhappy dogwood :(

I began today doing chores and running errands. This included a stop
at Swanson's to ask for advice about what to do with my Cornus kousa
which, as you can see, is not doing well. Its bark is covered in white
spots, and it leafs out less and less each year. Last year it produced
almost no blossoms, and this year seems likely to be even worse. "Why
did I buy a supposedly disease-resistant dogwood when this one is
clearly dying?" I wondered.

About ready to chop the thing down, I decided to take photos of the
poor patient to Swanson's where, to my surprise, they diagnosed the
problem as simple underwatering. "These trees are not drought tolerate
AT ALL," Brenda firmly (but politely) informed me. I asked her if deep
watering twice a week - her recommended regimen - would bring it back.
"Not this year," she replied. "It's very stressed."

I hope a year of proper watering will produce a different result. I'll
put it in my calendar to take the same photo a year from today.

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