[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick]

Personally, I think any of a multitude of citrus species would fill your needs and compared to dozens of trees that flourish well in this desert, citrus fares well with most in rate of growth with proper culture and it is hard to find a more beautiful evergreen that will feed you as well but I don't want to impose my own predjuice upon you.

It occurs to me that it might be to your advantage to pay a professional landscaper to assess your damaged trees. An established landscape is a valuable asset that, forced to replace, will cost you substantially in time and money. 

To find replacements, I suggest that you brouse some nieghborhoods and when you see a tree that appeals to you, knock on the door and ask about it. A good technique is to brouse several full scale plant nurseries and shop for what tickles your fancy.  Some of the State and federal grounds and Resort landscapes have excellent species you can view in adult form. A small twig with the owner's permission can be taken to your nursery.

If you have the luxury of starting over, deliberate your options and choices to aviod regrets and add value to your property.

Dick Gross, MGV

Bcc: Arid Gardener, 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Joni Bowers 
  To: Dick 
  Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 1:01 PM
  Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  No, the neighbor was a victim as well.  She was trying to help me feel better.  An Arsonist set fire to our wooden fences and both of us lost our storage sheds.  My trees were planted around the shed to make it look a bit better. 

  We are both still waiting for the insurance company to send someone out.  I'll ask point blank about the trees. 

  What would you recommend to replace them?  I want shade as a number one requirement and a fruit tree would be nice, but I'm sick of citrus.  I'd also love something a bit faster growing.  

  Thank you for the quick response, by the way.

  Joni

   
  On 8/12/07, Dick <rkgross3 at cox.net> wrote: 
  Personally, Joni, I would start over. Recovery with bark intact but no foliage would likely be very slow and the trees will never recover to a decent shape. I would start over from scratch to avoid five years down the road thinking, "Ah, geez, I should have started over!" 

  Won't insurance cover the replacement costs? I would certainly check it out especially if the fire source was a neighbor's home. Bark is a vital organ that will not recover and callus can't repair large areas. 

  Water at their trunk bases can do no good, either, because feeder roots exist only in a band around the drip line. If you decide to try to save the trees, deep water three feet only in a broad shallow trench defining the drip line. 

  Would you mind letting us know your final action and how well it works. 

  Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
  University of Arizona Maricopa County
  Cooperative Extension

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: <joni.bowers at gmail.com>
  To: < arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
  Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2007 7:31 PM
  Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  > Joni
  > 85015
  > joni.bowers at gmail.com
  >
  > We had a fire yesterday that severely damaged my three trees in the
  > backyard.  A 5 year old turkey fig, a 4 year old apricot, and a 10-13 year
  > old seedless ash.  (They were 4 ft. high "sticks" when I planted them.) 
  > The fig is half charred to white on the branches and the rest is crumbly
  > leaves.  The trunk looks untouched.  The apricot is crumbly leaves and the
  > bark is peeling away from the trunk.  The ash is half crumbly leaves and 
  > half okay leaves but the bark is peeling away from the trunk.  I've got
  > water dripping at their bases but am I just wasting water or will they
  > survive like my neighbor assured me?
  >
  > 
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  >
   
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