Mountain Laurel Question
 

Hi, I have a few transplanted Mountain Laurel plants (youngsters I've
been growing since last Winter) outside in containers. How many months
of dormancy is required before bringing them in and placing them under
artificial light? I live in central Maryland.

thanks,

Mitch

What do you mean by dormancy here? I wouldn't leave them in containers to freeze solid to bring them in, is say, February. Why not bring them in now if you are going to grow under artificial lights anyway. Are these destined to become indoor plants?? If not, why not just plant the darned things and be done with it?? I have transplanted lots of these, usually dug from the wild. They usually do quite well - even mature plants.
Good luck.

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net


"mitch" wrote in message news:M0Osd.68$E_6.41@trnddc04...
Hi, I have a few transplanted Mountain Laurel plants (youngsters I've been growing since last Winter) outside in containers. How many months of dormancy is required before bringing them in and placing them under artificial light? I live in central Maryland.

thanks,

Mitch

Mike LaMana wrote:

What do you mean by dormancy here? I wouldn't leave them in containers
to freeze solid to bring them in, is say, February. Why not bring them
in now if you are going to grow under artificial lights anyway. Are
these destined to become indoor plants?? If not, why not just plant
the darned things and be done with it?? I have transplanted lots of
these, usually dug from the wild. They usually do quite well - even
mature plants.
Good luck.

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net http://www.HeartwoodConsulting.net



"mitch"
wrote in message
news:M0Osd.68$E_6.41@trnddc04...
Hi, I have a few transplanted Mountain Laurel plants (youngsters
I've been growing since last Winter) outside in containers. How
many months of dormancy is required before bringing them in and
placing them under artificial light? I live in central Maryland.

thanks,

Mitch

I thought that they had a dormancy requirement? Are you saying that
they can grow year round in a suitable environment?

I wanted to get some extra growth prior to planting them in beds. Too
many animals here will mess with the small plants.

thanks

Mitch

I thought that they had a dormancy requirement? Are you saying that they
can grow year round in a suitable environment?

I wanted to get some extra growth prior to planting them in beds. Too
many animals here will mess with the small plants.

thanks

Mitch

Yes, they can grow year round if placed indoors, under artificial lights.
Think about it: If plants experience appropriate temperatures, daylength,
and light frequencies (wavelengths) they have no way to know that it's
winter out there and so, generally, keep right on a-growin'. Dormancy is a
term used usually with seeds and germination for which, cold, heat,
scarification may be required. Bring 'em in and grow the heck out of them,
but make sure you plant them out early in spring and that you have equated
your light periods with what they be encountering at this plant-out date.
Mack you plant them in deep leaf-mold or other, similarly organic material.
Good luck, and watch those damned deer.
Mike
--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net

Mike LaMana wrote:

I thought that they had a dormancy requirement? Are you saying that they
can grow year round in a suitable environment?

I wanted to get some extra growth prior to planting them in beds. Too
many animals here will mess with the small plants.

thanks

Mitch



Yes, they can grow year round if placed indoors, under artificial lights.
Think about it: If plants experience appropriate temperatures, daylength,
and light frequencies (wavelengths) they have no way to know that it's
winter out there and so, generally, keep right on a-growin'. Dormancy is a
term used usually with seeds and germination for which, cold, heat,
scarification may be required. Bring 'em in and grow the heck out of them,
but make sure you plant them out early in spring and that you have equated
your light periods with what they be encountering at this plant-out date.
Mack you plant them in deep leaf-mold or other, similarly organic material.
Good luck, and watch those damned deer.
Mike


Thanks alot for the info! I'll let them get larger in doors, then
transplant them in the Spring time.

Mitch

Mountain laurel are native to many different climates in the east, from New
York to Georgia. If you have some from the wild in your region, (Maryland or
wherever), they will be used to a cool/cold winter. They could live indoors
under a grow light, but I'd put them somewhere cool, like an unheated
garage, to simulate conditions they would experience in the outdoors. They
don't need to freeze however, so just keeping them in a cool area should be
adequate. The environment of a heated home is incredibly dry, with humidity
levels of the Sahara desert, so most juicy evergreens are not too happy
inside in winter.
"mitch" wrote in message
news:lBOsd.628$wb7.253@trnddc03...
Mike LaMana wrote:

What do you mean by dormancy here? I wouldn't leave them in containers
to freeze solid to bring them in, is say, February. Why not bring them
in now if you are going to grow under artificial lights anyway. Are
these destined to become indoor plants?? If not, why not just plant
the darned things and be done with it?? I have transplanted lots of
these, usually dug from the wild. They usually do quite well - even
mature plants.
Good luck.

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net http://www.HeartwoodConsulting.net



"mitch"
wrote in message
news:M0Osd.68$E_6.41@trnddc04...
Hi, I have a few transplanted Mountain Laurel plants (youngsters
I've been growing since last Winter) outside in containers. How
many months of dormancy is required before bringing them in and
placing them under artificial light? I live in central Maryland.

thanks,

Mitch

I thought that they had a dormancy requirement? Are you saying that
they can grow year round in a suitable environment?

I wanted to get some extra growth prior to planting them in beds. Too
many animals here will mess with the small plants.

thanks

Mitch

usually dug from the wild.
Mike

UGH!!!!

UGH Yourself...it beats having them lost as the bulldozers roll over them.
What have YOU done to conserve local genetic diversity lately, GrampysGurl??

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net


"GrampysGurl" wrote in message
...
usually dug from the wild.
Mike

UGH!!!!

"Mike LaMana" wrote:

usually dug from the wild.
...it beats having them lost as the bulldozers roll over them.

That is exactly how I got mine. A developer was bulldozing lots for
houses. I got my mountain laurel from the mounds of dirt before it was
hauled off. Raising local plants is great fun and has a purpose.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

"Mike LaMana" fake@MikeatHeartwoodConsultingdotnet wrote in message ...
What do you mean by dormancy here? I wouldn't leave them in containers to freeze solid to bring them in, is say, February. Why not bring them in now if you are going to grow under artificial lights anyway. Are these destined to become indoor plants?? If not, why not just plant the darned things and be done with it?? I have transplanted lots of these, usually dug from the wild. They usually do quite well - even mature plants.
Good luck.

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net


"mitch" wrote in message news:M0Osd.68$E_6.41@trnddc04...
Hi, I have a few transplanted Mountain Laurel plants (youngsters I've been growing since last Winter) outside in containers. How many months of dormancy is required before bringing them in and placing them under artificial light? I live in central Maryland.

thanks,

Mitch
Mike, I also live in NJ and was under the impression it was illegal for us to move any Mountain Laurel shrubs. I was told many years ago they were endangered. Was I told worng and where can I find out for sure?

I also live in NJ and was under the impression it was illegal =
for us to move any Mountain Laurel shrubs. I was told many years ago =
they were endangered.

Bog laurel (K. polifolia) is endangered in NJ, not mountain laurel.

What have YOU done to conserve local genetic diversity lately, GrampysGurl??

That would be my entire garden.

Mike, I also live in NJ and was under the impression it was illegal for us to move any Mountain Laurel shrubs. I was told many years ago they were endangered. Was I told wrong and where can I find out for sure?


\

I have no Idea where this urban legend came from...it's common in NY state as well. I have never seen a stature proscribing transplanting of Kalmia.

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net

"

"Mike LaMana" fake@MikeatHeartwoodConsultingdotnet wrote in message ...
Mike, I also live in NJ and was under the impression it was illegal for us to move any Mountain Laurel shrubs. I was told many years ago they were endangered. Was I told wrong and where can I find out for sure?


\

I have no Idea where this urban legend came from...it's common in NY state as well. I have never seen a stature proscribing transplanting of Kalmia.

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net

"

Me either but I thought it worth asking. Thanks much

I have no Idea where this urban legend came from...it's common in NY state
as well. I have never seen a stature proscribing transplanting of Kalmia.

It is not urban legend. In most states it is a violation of the state's
Environmental Conservation Laws to collect or destroy plants without the
permission of the landowner. These regulations gives landowners
additional rights to prosecute people who collect plants without
permission. Usually permission is construed to mean a receipt or other
written form of permission.



New York lists its protected plants at:

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/d...pnp/index.html

there are three Kalmia's on its list.
Kalmia angustifolia SHEEP LAUREL
Kalmia latifolia MOUNTAIN LAUREL
Kalmia polifolia BOG LAUREL



New Jersey lists its protected plants at:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandf...endplants.html

the only one on its list is:
KALMIA POLIFOLIA PALE-LAUREL
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA