TOPIC: Yearlings are down

First year plants are completely down here in northern middle TN. I cant remember the last rain weve had and it's been hovering around 100 for the past couple of days. Im beginning to worry about all those seed that were planted and didnt germinate in the spring.... hope they haven't dried out. We have a forecast that is about to make things a little more tolerable though. Bring on the Fall weather!

Hillhopper

I am with you Hillhopper. I do not see how any seed could survive this weather unless it is a seed wrapped in a red berry protected by its own ginseng berry juice. Any seed from last year that did not germinate is going to be as crunchy and dry as the dirt around it.

I would hope everyone is planting the entire berry and not popping the berries when planting the seeds this year. I would also recommend planting them a good 1 inch deep as 1/2 inch is not enough this year.

Someone mentioned plants looking better that have grown from under a rotting log due to the moisture it holds. I would plant any red berries in areas that have decaying logs, natural springs near by rocks that have natural shaded outcrops or in valleys that hold moisture better with lots of leaf litter.

If one plants berries on a hill where the rain runs off and the leaf litter washes away, the seeds this year will not have a chance.

Too bad we are not allowed to bring home wild seeds and protect them in moist sand to replant later in the woods when the extremely dry weather passes in the late, late fall. Many more seeds would have a chance to grow if we did.

But WE COULD NEVER DO THAT AS THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW RIGHT, AND I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND DOING THAT if you know what I mean huh.

Latt

Pretty dry for mosyt of the summer in northwestern NC, however not a sdry as you guys in Tenn. Too bad it's so dry there for you guys... and am very glad that it's not so bad towards my way.

My 3 leafers lost some numbers during the hot/dry of July and early aug, however most held on.

I am growing on private land, and flagged my 3-leafters w/ small orange marking flags to see just what survived into the fall. did this last visit, and I'll be interested to see what's still growing there next weekend.

Got a half dozen three leafers in two pots left.Put some others out back but was to wet and most died off.One pot I saved and put in a different spot on the porch under a sitting bench which is bya big oak with gentle shade .These plants, about half dozen, are doing well and teaching me a lot.The ones that got too wet, turned red, and stayed that way.learned a lot from those little plants.Probly will set the pots down in basement where it stays a little damp and pretty cool in winter .Is that ba good strategy or should I treat them a different way?

Basement does not get cold enough for plants to set. It takes a certain amount of freezing weather, or more time under 40 degrees. I don't remember the time length, but 6 weeks of under 40 degrees seems good. My garage seems to hang around the freezing mark at the coldest and the one plant I have is doing great, better than wild plants.

Buckeye,
If the leaves turn red too much sun typically. Good luck growing in the planters. Also I agree with Borrowed Time on the wintering over part.
Thanks,
Latt