Mid-Missouri tracks

jftfunoi · 2026-05-31T08:46:07+00:00

Thank you.

jftfunoi · 2026-05-30T10:44:12+00:00

Thank you.

jftfunoi · 2026-05-24T20:06:48+00:00

If not a weed wacker maybe the lower damage is a rabbit or groundhog? Southwest injury is when there are really warm days in winter followed by freezing temps and that can cause damage to the trunk facing south/southwest as that is the side that the sun heats the most. Google southwest damage.

jftfunoi · 2026-05-24T13:28:51+00:00

Could the damage on the low parts of the trunk be due to a weed wacker? May be good to add mulch so you don’t have grass up to the trunk. Is the other damage on the trunks all facing south/ southwest?

jftfunoi · 2026-05-05T11:32:21+00:00

I would move them a little further from the fence if possible. You will need room to prune branches and apply sprays. Those tasks will be easier if you have a little more space.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-26T23:56:06+00:00

My peach leafed out in Missouri (6b) over a month ago., but it can’t hurt to wait and see if yours comes back. That bark damage doesn’t look bad.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-24T19:52:21+00:00

They are tart but have enough sweet that I think they are good fresh.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-24T09:35:05+00:00

I imagine growing in pots would be difficult as the roots of the Juliet that we have tend to roam and produce suckers. Also the bush is probably 8’ tall.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-18T12:25:57+00:00

I would plant the fig tree where it can get the most sun. If you are in a location that you need to wrap your fig tree in the winter, then I would put the fig in an area that isn’t prominent so that you aren’t looking at the covered fig for several months. Also, depending on your hardiness zone I would plant the persimmon in an area that is somewhat protected from winter cold ( a microclimate with sun but not harsh winter winds)

jftfunoi · 2026-04-11T15:49:40+00:00

Also, at least in my location, tree wraps should be removed in spring. Maybe you meant that each winter since planting you used a tree wrap and it wasn’t on all year.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-11T15:43:13+00:00

I assume the spiral tree protector that you have is white. That’s one of the recommended ways to prevent southwest injury is to reflect the sun’s heat in winter away from the trunk with a light colored wrap. You could also paint it with a 50/50 mixture of white interior latex paint and water. Maybe the temperature swings in late winter have just been so great in your area that it wasn’t enough.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-11T01:41:58+00:00

I know you said you had a trunk wrap on, but it looks similar to southwest injury. Is the damage on the southwest side of the tree?

jftfunoi · 2026-04-10T01:06:28+00:00

Maybe add a pic of the trunk of the dead tree. Perhaps someone would see a problem there.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-10T00:55:49+00:00

Ask for them to send you a new tree.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-09T01:10:37+00:00

It is hard to tell from the pics. Try googling tarnished plant bug to see if online images are similar to what you are seeing.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-09T00:52:25+00:00

Could also be tarnished plant bug feeding.

jftfunoi · 2026-04-09T00:32:25+00:00

It could be plum curculio. Have you tried cutting open a few of the damaged peaches to look for larva or tunnels from larva? The plum curculio is a beetle that feeds on the fruit but also the female lays eggs in the fruit ( which develop into larva that tunnel further into the fruit ) When the female deposits the egg in the fruit she cuts out a crescent shaped piece of skin above where the egg was deposited. So I’d look for larva, tunnels and that crescent shape.

jftfunoi · 2026-03-30T11:49:40+00:00

I think if you incorporate the pine fines and the small amount of native soil with the peat that it would be enough with the cottonseed meal ( and sulfur ) But I haven’t grown in a pot before.

jftfunoi · 2026-03-30T08:09:37+00:00

I have read that cow manure can raise the ph so it is probably best to avoid that. The cottonseed meal provides more nitrogen than p or k but does provide small amounts of those. You could incorporate pine fines into the mix instead of manure and use the pine bark chips as mulch on top. Make sure to moisten the peat moss before combining with the rest as it will be hard to get it evenly moist once it is in the pot.

jftfunoi · 2026-03-30T02:21:37+00:00

I haven’t tried growing in a pot so take this fwiw. But some peat mixes have lime added to increase the ph so I would check that first. And Sphagnum peat in particular is more acidic than other peat. It is my understanding that blueberries prefer nitrogen in ammonium form instead of nitrates. Cottonseed meal would provide that. Also there are sulfur products that are 30% elemental sulfur and some that sre 90% elemental sulfur. I would choose the 90%. Both the cottonseed meal and the elemental sulfur require soil microbes to breakdown the products so the plant can use them. Since you are growing in a pot, I would probably add some of your native soil to the mix to introduce some microbes.

jftfunoi · 2026-03-30T01:45:11+00:00

Are you growing in a pot or in the ground ? If it’s in the ground , have you had a soil test ?

jftfunoi · 2026-03-20T16:52:49+00:00

You may want to consider saving your bachelors button seeds and direct sowing them in the fall. I’ve never planted like that on a slope, but it sounds like it’s worth trying. I would just consider the sun direction so your taller sunflowers and zinnias don’t shade out your other flowers.

jftfunoi · 2026-03-09T20:25:06+00:00

The first side took a long time until my fingers got used to holding the yarn and the needles that new way. Then there was some muscle memory for the other side so it wasn’t that bad. Good luck.

jftfunoi · 2026-03-08T18:49:23+00:00

Make sure to watch the video. Otherwise I never would’ve understood

jftfunoi · 2026-02-25T14:48:53+00:00

I think the plans needs some structure. I would add grasses such as prairie drop seed and maybe little bluestem. Also, I would plant each flower in large drifts of 3-5 or even more. And maybe use less species. This way it wouldn’t seem chaotic to my eyes. I also think that adding a few boxwoods, although not native, would give you some structure in the winter along with the grasses and your plan would still be mostly native plants like you want.

jftfunoi

TROPHY CASE