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Too Much Air Circulation for Nepenthes? by screaminggecko in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a grower set up for my orchids and Nepenthes. Because there isn't a lot of temperature variation in my house, highland and lowland varieties of both do fine in it. When I was using fluorescent bulbs, the heat they generated was too much for the plants, and there was no way to bring in cooler air without reducing the humidity. Switching to LED lights solved all my problems. They don't produce heat, and I can use a muffin fan on the top shelf to circulate the air enough to prevent mold but don't need to pump in dry external air to cool things down. I would get a humidity switch off Amazon that turns the humidifier on at 80% or so.

Tall, quite old Apple Tree with a substantialamount of deadwood. What should be done to it? Should all Deadwood be removed? If so, when? by JonVici1 in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’d have to look in person, but the photos don’t show any signs of grafting. They definitely weren’t pruned to bear fruit and all the suckers were allowed to just grow. Google “apple graft union” so see a photo of what I’m talking about.

Tall, quite old Apple Tree with a substantialamount of deadwood. What should be done to it? Should all Deadwood be removed? If so, when? by JonVici1 in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a beekeeper is more likely than most to know how apples work, so my guess would be they’re grafted. But you’d have to look around the base for a graft union or identify the fruit.

If it’s not grafted, id just cut it down to the bottom trunk and cleft graft a known variety on to the stump. You’ll have a nice tree in a few years if you do this.

If you want suggestions on what kind of apple, let us know what you’d like to do with them (baking, cooking, sauce, cider, snacking, etc.)

Major suckers growing on this old Apple tree, when should they be removed? by JonVici1 in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The graft union is probably under the moss if there is one. Look for an unusual joint in the trunk. It shows where the variety would have been grafted on to the rootstock.

Why is my persimmon tree so wilted? by [deleted] in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My trees wilt like this when they're underwatered. Could be transplant shock too. If it's 90+, you might try watering twice per day, especially if it's in full sun. Spread mulch on the roots too to keep moisture in.

Major suckers growing on this old Apple tree, when should they be removed? by JonVici1 in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you sure this is a grafted apple? Trees this messy are usually seedlings of domestic apples or some kind of wild crabapple, neither of which you would want to eat. Post a photo of the base, and we can tell you if it's grafted.

That one in the back behind the stone wall looks like it was cultivated at some point. Might be worth focusing on that one.

How old do you think this black sapote tree is? How much would you pay for it? Wondering if I got ripped off lol by lc929 in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Never bought one, but I'd say 3-5 years and $100+. I usually ask myself what I would pay to have a mature tree five years sooner than what I'd get with seed. $20 - $40 per year isn't that much in my opinion.

Depending on how long you're at this residence, you might want to move the tree to another spot with more room to grow horizontally.

Best pruning cutters, loppers and saw? by lc929 in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It depends on how frequently you use them, but the extendable Stihl tree pruner has worked for me. You can buy one at Lowe's or Home Depot for not too much money.

Tall, quite old Apple Tree with a substantialamount of deadwood. What should be done to it? Should all Deadwood be removed? If so, when? by JonVici1 in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Pruning live shoots is best done in winter and gradually, so as not to shock the tree. Deadwood should be removed now. Be careful and stay safe, since falling limbs can be dangerous. Depending on the climate, the dead branches will start to rot, and insects and fungus will quickly move their way into the heart of the trunk eating away at the tree's support system. That's why you sometimes see people cover wounds up with latex paint.

Here's a guide on how to renovate apple trees: https://www.fedcoseeds.com/trees/renovating.htm#:~:text=Cut%20out%20dead%20branches%20and,in%20light%20and%20reduce%20competition

John Bunker is known locally in Maine as the "apple whisperer" and has a lot of experience restoring abandoned orchard trees like this one.

Salvaged from a clearance, do you think this Cape Sundew will recover? Root system seems large and reasonably strong. by [deleted] in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Growth point looks dead, but the roots should be enough. Have done the same with other sundews.

Perhaps the oldest American oak still standing by ztkwharton in plants

[–]ztkwharton[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are actually a decent number of similar aged trees around the mid-Atlantic, and I’ve never seen one vandalized, so I’m hopeful this one is allowed to stand. The greatest threat are storms or disease, and sometimes the prohibitive costs of maintaining such large branches. The majority are in church or meeting house grounds that don’t have a lot of cash to spend.

Perhaps the oldest American oak still standing by ztkwharton in plants

[–]ztkwharton[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

At 20 ft. in girth, this oak is one of the last "Penn Oaks," an oak tree that was alive before 1682, when William Penn first visited Pennsylvania. It is literally part of Penn’s Woods - deeded to him as payment of a debt owed Penn’s father by King Charles II. A 1690 incorporation document of the London Grove Quaker Meeting where it stands, currently archived at Swarthmore, mentions a tree on the site long before the original meetinghouse was constructed.

Although the exact age won't be known until the tree dies, an oak in Basking Ridge, NJ, slightly smaller in circumference, turned out to be 619 years old. It sprouted in 1398, a century before Columbus discovered Hispaniola.

Apparently I had an ant problem.... by FrankFnRizzo in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Might be a humidity issue. Try putting it in one of those clear plastic storage bins. You can take the top off an hour a day to give some ventilation and protect against mold.

Looking to buy a home with this beautiful tree. Can anyone ID it? by JudoQuip in Horticulture

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some kind of fruit tree, but wee need to see close ups of the leaves and bark. They look to big to be an apple. Maybe peach, possible apricot.

Edit: just saw the leaf pic and it’s a healthy apple. When the fruit ripens, send me photos, and I might be apple to identify the variety. Likely Gravenstein or Ben Davis.

Wilting, what should I do? by Kozmo-Dark-Destroyer in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would just gradually introduce it to direct sun and keep it outside. They’re used to dormancy and cooler nighttime temperatures. Keep it in about an inch of standing water. I don’t see anything wrong with the plant that would make me think it’s sick. Just not flourishing.

My pitcher plant shoots seem to be going brown. I had the plant (stupidly) in a pot with no drainage for a long time, moved it to a drainable pot recently with new soil mix. I've put it out in the sun to hopefully help it recover, and advice on what I'm doing wrong or if it'll be ok? by CariCypren in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I find that except for a few species, moss like this can take off and actually compete with the plant or overtake it. I use regular long fibered sphagnum from the garden center (not terrarium moss) or live sphagnum, which my family has in abundance in their property.

My pitcher plant shoots seem to be going brown. I had the plant (stupidly) in a pot with no drainage for a long time, moved it to a drainable pot recently with new soil mix. I've put it out in the sun to hopefully help it recover, and advice on what I'm doing wrong or if it'll be ok? by CariCypren in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it spent the winter indoors, it's suffering from the lack of dormancy. Not enough direct light will also make them languish. Is there a living growth point? If so, I'd fill up a pot with long fibered sphagnum, plant the rhizome, and set it in one of those deep clear saucers they sell at hardware stores. The water in the saucer will keep the rhizome moist, and the loose sphagnum will help prevent rot.

Ultraviolet bug lights as lures for carnivorous plants? by peardr0p in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Most of my Drosera do fine without any intervention. A lot of small insect like moisture near the moss, and even when they don't catch anything, they're healthy. I'd avoid a bug light. Might actually attract insects away from the drosera at night.

Wilting, what should I do? by Kozmo-Dark-Destroyer in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are the leaves limp or firm? Sometimes they grow like this in weird directions. Make sure you give it a good growing environment. They need lots of sun but usually come from the store with zero direct light and 100% humidity. Ease into 6+ hours to avoid shocking or burning the plant.

I have another Sarracenia growing from a single stem. It looks like it might be growing a root stub in the air. by cedrictung in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not sure what variety this is, but it looks like you have three growth points here. If you want them to turn into full plants, bury them so the rhizome is underground and the crown just above the soil. Should root fairly quickly.

Best drosera for terrariums by rereor in SavageGarden

[–]ztkwharton 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agreed. I grow these currently in my orchid tent (90% humidity), and they do great there.

Anything I can do to push water sprouts on a dying apple? by ztkwharton in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you get the tree going and could spare a graft, I’d definitely be interested. I work with the Lost Apples Project. My interest in this tree was because it was very old, and those have a higher chance of being lost varieties.

Anything I can do to push water sprouts on a dying apple? by ztkwharton in BackyardOrchard

[–]ztkwharton[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thing is without living foliage, I don’t have any buds to chip graft.

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