GO BACK
SO FAR SINCE 2000
WE HAVE HAD EXCELLENT RESULTS WITH THE GREEN GIANTS. THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF
THE PROBLEMS AND HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY HELP OVERCOME THEM. WE RECEIVE MANY PHOTOS
AND THEY ARE VALUABLE FOR DIAGNOSING PROBLEMS.
THE TWO BIGGEST
PROBLEMS ARE WEEDS, WHICH IS GRASS TOO CLOSE TO THE TREES AND NOT SETTING UP AN
EASY TO USE SIMPLE DRIP-LINE OR SOAKER HOSE RUNNING DOWN THE ROW OF GREEN GIANTS
THE DAY THEY ARE PLANTED.
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WEEDS:
AROUND GREEN GIANTS AND OTHER TREES YOU CAN PULL THE WEEDS OR JUST USE
ROUNDUP (GLYPHOSATE) AROUND YOUR TREES. USE A PIECE OF CARDBOARD TO PROTECT
THE GOOD PLANT, IF YOU DO GET ROUND-UP ON THE GOOD PLANT FOLIAGE JUST CUT
THE FOLIAGE OFF. IF IT IS A TREE THAT HAS SPROUTS AT THE BOTTOM, CUT THE
SPROUTS OFF BEFORE APPLYING ROUNDUP. IT WON’T HURT THE ROOTS, BUT MINIMIZE
WHAT GETS ON THE TREE. DON’T LET IT BLOW ON THE GOOD FOLIAGE. MOST OF THE
REDUCED GROWTH IS FROM GRASS AROUND THE PLANTS. WHEN WE INSTALL GREEN
GIANTS, BEFORE WE PLANT WE MARK OUR PLANT HOLES WITH SPRAY PAINT. SPRAY
ROUND UP 4-5’ WIDE AND THE LENGTH OF THE ROW. THE NEXT DAY WE CAN PLANT. THE
GRASS WILL BE GREEN, BUT THE ROOTS ARE DEAD. THE DEAD GRASS AND ROOTS MAKE A
GOOD MULCH. KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY HAS PUBLISHED SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICAL
RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT AFTER TWO YEARS TREES GROW 200-300 %
BIGGER AND HEALTHIER IF THEY ARE WEED (GRASS) FREE. THANKS, K. STATE, EXCELLENT RESEARCH. IT CAN SAVE US A
LOT OF TREES AND MONEY. IN THIS RESEARCH THEY PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT
GRASSES/WEEDS HAVE ALLELOPATHIC PROPERTIES THAT INHIBITS TREE GROWTH. KEEP
IT WEED FREE UNTIL THEY ARE 6 FEET WIDE. CLICK HERE FOR CUSTOMER PICTURES
OF GRASS PROBLEMS AND K-STATE RESEARCH PAPER.
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WATERING:
THE OTHER MAIN PROBLEM. MANY CUSTOMERS PLANT A LARGE NUMBER OF GREEN GIANTS
IN A SINGLE ROW FOR PRIVACY. THEY THINK THEY CAN WATER WITH A HOSE IN HAND,
A BUCKET OF WATER, OR A TANK ON A TRACTOR. IT CAN BE DONE BUT THEY USUALLY
GET BEHIND INSTEAD OF STAYING AHEAD. YOU CAN HARDLY OVER WATER THE GREEN
GIANTS. IF YOU HAVE A FEW PLANTS USE A SOAKER HOSE OR LAY THE HOSE DOWN WITH
A MIST. MIST A LARGE AREA FOR A LONG TIME TO CREATE A RESERVOIR AROUND THE
PLANTS. THEY CAN GROW IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF STANDING WATER. IF THEY ARE
ON A DRIP-LINE AND WEED FREE THEY REALLY CAN GROW 3-4 FEET A YEAR. EVERYONE
HAS A BUDGET SO IF YOU ARE SHORT PUT THE MONEY IN A GOOD WATER SYSTEM AND
GET SMALLER PLANTS. NURSERIES GROW GREEN GIANTS IN THE GROUND, BUT NEVER USE
MULCH. THEY JUST USE ROUND UP FOR THE WEEDS. ONCE ESTABLISHED THEY ARE VERY
DROUGHT TOLERANT. JUST TODAY (JULY 27) I SAW AN EMAIL WITH PICTURES OF BROWN
DEAD GREEN GIANTS IN A BEAUTIFUL WEED FREE 200’ BY 5’ MULCHED AREA. I
FINALLY ASKED IF THEY HAD A DRIP LINE AND THEY SAID THEY WATERED WELL BY
HAND. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. CLICK HERE FOR A SIMPLE
DRIP-LINE FROM
http://www.rainbird.com/drip/products/dripline/index.htm OR
HERE FOR
http://www.dripworksusa.com/store/heartkit.php#tiptop. THEY
ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE , EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND REALLY WORKS WELL OR GET A
PROFESSIONAL TO SET ONE UP THE DAY YOU PLANT. (I LIKE THE DRIP EVERY 18’’
FROM RAINBIRD.) MOST PROFESSIONAL IRRIGATION PEOPLE WILL SELL YOU A
DRIP-LINE. THEY USE THEM ALL THE TIME IN FLOWER BEDS. (IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
PLEASE GIVE US A CALL OR EMAIL.) TOLL FREE NUMBER 888-855-3300, EMAIL
ADDRESS INFO@BOTANYSHOP.COM
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BAGWORMS:
WE HAVE HAD SOME REPORTS OF BAGWORMS. THEY ARE RARE ON GREEN GIANTS, BUT
ALWAYS WATCH FOR ANY OFF COLOR IN THE FOLIAGE. LIQUID SEVEN IS EASY TO USE
AND VERY SAFE. MANY OTHER INSECTICIDES WILL WORK ALSO, BUT IT HELPS TO SPRAY
WHEN THE WORMS ARE SMALL.
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DEER:
DEER PROBLEMS ARE RARE, BUT YOUNG PLANTS HAVE BEEN RIPPED OUT OF THE GROUND.
ALSO, DEER CAN DAMAGE ANY 3-7’ GREEN GIANT TREE DURING FALL RUTTING SEASON.
HERE ARE TWO SOLUTIONS.
PUT A 5-6’
STEEL T POST AS CLOSE INTO THE TREE AS POSSIBLE. ALSO, IF THE TREE IS
DAMAGED TIE THE TREE TO THE POST TO STABILIZE IT UNTIL IT HEALS.
TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS PUT A SHORT BATTERY POWERED ELECTRIC FENCE NEAR THE AREA AND FOLD
ALUMINUM FOIL OVER THE WIRE WITH PEANUT BUTTER UNDER THE FOIL. IT WON’T HURT
THEM BUT IT WILL CHANGE THEIR HABITS AND MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER. WE HAVE HAD
EXCELLENT RESULTS FOR DEER RESISTANCE ON THE GREEN GIANTS.
FALL PLANTING:
ZONES 4-5A
(ZONE LOCATIONS VARY SO PLEASE CALL FOR RECOMMENDED PLANTING DATES.)
WE RECOMMEND PLANTING NO LATER THAN MID-SUMMER WITH A DRIP SYSTEM OR A
SOAKER HOSE. WHEN THE GREEN GIANTS ARE SMALL START TRIMMING THE TOPS BACK
ABOUT 1-2 INCHES PER MONTH TO PROMOTE A SHORTER FATTER PLANT FOR THE FIRST
FEW SEASONS. THIS WILL CREATE A DENSE LOWER FOLIAGE TO PROTECT THE STEM AND
BASE FROM COLD WINDS. ALSO, FLUFF STRAW AROUND THEM TO BREAK THE COLD WINDS
THE FIRST FEW YEARS. LEAVE THE DRIP LINE IN PLACE SO YOU CAN HOOK IT UP TO
THE HOSE. IF IT IS WARM AND DRY IN THE WINTER IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE GREEN
GIANTS GET WATERED.
ZONES 6 AND WARMER: (PLANT SPRING,
SUMMER & FALL)
YOU CAN FALL PLANT, BUT SET UP A DRIP LINE. ALWAYS
STAY AHEAD OF THE WATER AND WEEDS. DON’T COUNT ON THE RAIN, WATER BEFORE THEY
GET DRY. IF YOU HAVE A FEW PLANTS (ANY KIND) LAY THE HOSE NOZZLE DOWN AND MIST
2-3’’ OF WATER IN A 5’ BY 5’ AREA OR LARGER. IF ANY PLANT GETS DRY IT CAN COST
YOU 30-60 DAYS OF GROWING TIME. (USE AN EMPTY GLASS TO MEASURE THE TIME IT TAKES
TO FILL UP 2-3’’. OR BETTER YET, MIST IT ALL NIGHT.) IF IT IS WARM AND DRY IN
THE WINTER IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE GREEN GIANTS GET WATERED. THE FIRST FEW
WINTERS FLUFF STRAW AROUND THE BASE TO PROTECT FROM WINTER WINDS. THE FOLIAGE
WILL GET THICK AT THE BOTTOM AS THEY MATURE . DON’T USE AS MULCH, BUT FLUFF IT
HIGH…8-10 INCHES OR MORE TO BLOCK THE WIND. (PLEASE CALL WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR
CONCERNS.)
SPRING/SUMMER PLANTING
ZONES 4, 5, AND 6: PLANT IN SPRING OR SUMMER AFTER
YOUR HARD FREEZES. THE FIRST FEW WINTERS FLUFF STRAW AROUND THE BASE TO PROTECT
FROM WINTER WINDS. THE FOLIAGE WILL GET THICK AT THE BOTTOM AS THEY MATURE .
DON’T USE AS MULCH, BUT FLUFF IT HIGH…8-10 INCHES OR MORE TO BLOCK THE WIND.
(PLEASE CALL WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.)
ZONES 7,8 AND 9: ( INCLUDES ALL
OF FLORIDA AND MOST OF CALIFORNIA) PLANT ALL YEAR. KEEP GRASS AWAY WITH ROUND UP
AND INSTALL A DRIP LINE FOR SUPERIOR GROWTH. WATER WELL ALL SPRING AND SUMMER.
Questions or
comments?
mailto:
Info@botanyshop.com
Updated
October 20, 2009
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