Hi,

I'm glad I found this group. I have 3 crepe myrtle, 1 Japanese elm,
and 1 Saphire dragon that were in pots for years. Now that they are in
the ground, they don't want to grow anymore. They've been in the
ground for at least 3 or 4 years. I give them blood meal, acidifying
plant food, and aerate their roots every year. I also feed their roots
with those hammer in type food pellets at the same time I aerate them.
They all get new leaves and flowers, but they don't want to grow up;
it's as if they've been bonzai'd. I was thinking of shooting them up
with butyric acid, but I'd like to get expert advice before I try
anything drastic.

Thanks in advance,

Randolph

"HealingMindN" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I'm glad I found this group. I have 3 crepe myrtle, 1 Japanese elm,
and 1 Saphire dragon that were in pots for years. Now that they are in
the ground, they don't want to grow anymore. They've been in the
ground for at least 3 or 4 years. I give them blood meal, acidifying
plant food, and aerate their roots every year. I also feed their roots
with those hammer in type food pellets at the same time I aerate them.
They all get new leaves and flowers, but they don't want to grow up;
it's as if they've been bonzai'd. I was thinking of shooting them up
with butyric acid, but I'd like to get expert advice before I try
anything drastic.

Thanks in advance,

Randolph


Sounds to me like you're fussing over them too much. Did you check the
soil's pH before fiddling with it? And, "aerating the roots" - HOW DID YOU
DO THAT?

I believe I started fussing over them too much when I noticed they
weren't growing. I've always been meaning to get one of those soil pH
kits. Outside of making my own compost, I'm just rough and tumble with
my plants.

The hardware stores have a long metal tool wherein you attach your
garden hose and it sucks air a la venturi, so you can insert the end
into the ground to aerate the roots.

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

Sounds to me like you're fussing over them too much. Did you check the
soil's pH before fiddling with it? And, "aerating the roots" - HOW DID YOU
DO THAT?

"HealingMindN" wrote in message
oups.com...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

Sounds to me like you're fussing over them too much. Did you check the
soil's pH before fiddling with it? And, "aerating the roots" - HOW DID
YOU
DO THAT?



I believe I started fussing over them too much when I noticed they
weren't growing. I've always been meaning to get one of those soil pH
kits. Outside of making my own compost, I'm just rough and tumble with
my plants.

So, in other words, you're throwing additives at the plants with absolutely
no idea whether they're necessary or even harmful. Sorry to be blunt about
this, but "rough & tumble" is the precise equivalent of "I don't care if
they die". Go to google. Search for the words "cooperative extension" along
with the name of your state. Go to the web site, find the phone number for
the closest location, call and ask how they want soil samples packaged, and
let them test samples from 2-3 locations. They'll do it cheap. It's their
job. Tell them what you're trying to grow.


The hardware stores have a long metal tool wherein you attach your
garden hose and it sucks air a la venturi, so you can insert the end
into the ground to aerate the roots.


Whoever told you to do this.....set their hair on fire and push them into
busy traffic.

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

So, in other words, you're throwing additives at the plants with absolutely
no idea whether they're necessary or even harmful. Sorry to be blunt about
this, but "rough & tumble" is the precise equivalent of "I don't care if
they die". Go to google. Search for the words "cooperative extension" along
with the name of your state. Go to the web site, find the phone number for
the closest location, call and ask how they want soil samples packaged, and
let them test samples from 2-3 locations. They'll do it cheap. It's their
job. Tell them what you're trying to grow.

Actually, I did look up on the web to try and find what they like. For
instance, I found that crepe myrtle likes blood meal for the nitrogen.

I guess "rough and tumble" has different connotations for different
people, I mean I don't treat them with all TLC, but thanks for the
suggestion on the state coop ext.


The hardware stores have a long metal tool wherein you attach your
garden hose and it sucks air a la venturi, so you can insert the end
into the ground to aerate the roots.


Whoever told you to do this.....set their hair on fire and push them into
busy traffic.

Why do you say that? Please elaborate. Why would anyone put a tool on
the market that's bad for plants? I've used the aeration tool on other
trees and I believe they are very healthy because of it.

"HealingMindN" wrote in message
ups.com...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

So, in other words, you're throwing additives at the plants with
absolutely
no idea whether they're necessary or even harmful. Sorry to be blunt
about
this, but "rough & tumble" is the precise equivalent of "I don't care if
they die". Go to google. Search for the words "cooperative extension"
along
with the name of your state. Go to the web site, find the phone number
for
the closest location, call and ask how they want soil samples packaged,
and
let them test samples from 2-3 locations. They'll do it cheap. It's their
job. Tell them what you're trying to grow.

Actually, I did look up on the web to try and find what they like. For
instance, I found that crepe myrtle likes blood meal for the nitrogen.

I guess "rough and tumble" has different connotations for different
people, I mean I don't treat them with all TLC, but thanks for the
suggestion on the state coop ext.


The hardware stores have a long metal tool wherein you attach your
garden hose and it sucks air a la venturi, so you can insert the end
into the ground to aerate the roots.


Whoever told you to do this.....set their hair on fire and push them into
busy traffic.

Why do you say that? Please elaborate. Why would anyone put a tool on
the market that's bad for plants? I've used the aeration tool on other
trees and I believe they are very healthy because of it.


Why put it on the market? To sell things. There are hundreds of silly garden
tools available. The key to good aeration is preparing the planting hole
well. And, if your plants are having problems, the last thing you want to do
is introduce more variables, like disturbing the roots.

Go get the soil tested before you do anything else.