Plant Name

Juniperus virginiana

Common Name

Eastern redcedar, Carolina cedar, cedar, cedar apple, evergreen, juniper, pencil cedar, red cedar, red juniper, red savin, savin, Virginia cedar.

Soil

Chalk, Sand

Sun Aspect

Full Sun or Part Shade

Soil Moisture

Dry

Plant Type

Evergreen Conifer

Height x Spread in inches (cms)
(1 inch = 2.5 cms,
12 inches = 1 foot = 30 cms,
24 inches = 2 feet,
3 feet = 1 yard,
40 inches = 100 cms)

840 x 240 (2100 x 600)

Foliage

Grey-Green with bronze cast in autumn

Flower Colour in Month(s). Cone

Pink Flowers in February-March.
Brown-Violet Cones - see illustration from Northern Woodlands and photo from Arboles Ornamentales.

Use

"Trees can be grown as a speciman becoming picturesque with age. Trees are a great selection for difficult sites. Can be used as a windbreak or screen." from Yahoo Voices.

Comment

Narrow Conical to Columnar form. Junipers need little pruning.

"The most widely distributed eastern conifer, native in 37 states, Eastern Red Cedar is resistant to extremes of drought, heat, and cold. Red Cedar can be injurious to apple orchards because it is an alternate host for cedar-apple rust, a fungal disease." from Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre in America.

"A small erect evergreen tree 20 to 50 feet in height. Trunk is lobed, buttressed, and has thin, red-tinged, fibrous, peeling bark. foliage has needle and scale form. Produces smooth, round, berry-like bluish fruit with 1 or 2 seeds." from Science Views.

"Eastern redcedar’s large range extends throughout almost all of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, but it doesn’t quite make it as far north as northern New England.

In central and southern New England, the eastern redcedars that fill in old fields and line roads and highways look as though they must surely have been planted. The symmetrical, formal, upright, narrowly conical, and tidy trees suggest that a horticulturalist’s dream has come true; but in truth, they are opportunistic native trees, well equipped to invade abandoned fields or wastelands. Far from being fussy nursery stock, they thrive under adverse conditions, in dry, thin, acidic soils.

And it’s birds, not the local nursery, that do the landscaping. Tony Holthuijzen, a biologist who studied cedar waxwings – named for their fondness for eastern redcedar berries – found that it takes 12 minutes for a redcedar seed to pass through the digestive system of a cedar waxwing, and that, after taking that trip, the seed is three times as likely to germinate as one that merely falls to the ground. Waxwings and many other bird species often digest their food while sitting on pasture fences, resulting in redcedar hedgerows that faithfully follow fencelines. If berry-eating birds spend time on high-up telephone lines, the seeds are distributed more randomly.

Cedar waxwings are known for their ability to process fruits, but many other birds join them at the annual fall redcedar berry banquet. Robins, mockingbirds, bluebirds, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, goldfinches, flickers, and grosbeaks all like the berries, as do a long list of mammals: meadow mice, bears, rabbits, foxes, raccoons, skunks, possums, coyotes, and deer.

In between berry crops, eastern redcedar’s dense evergreen foliage is well used for nesting and cover by wild animals. The branches, especially when the trees are young, go right to the ground, providing a safe refuge. The foliage is not a prized edible for most wildlife species but is used as emergency food. Because cattle dislike the prickly branches, they carefully weed the grasses around redcedar seedlings, allowing the little trees to gain a foothold even before a pasture is abandoned." from Northern Woodlands.

"Think twice about junipers if you or your neighbours grow pears. Juniper-Pear Rust is becoming a common fungus that switches between pears and junipers in alternate years. When it attacks pear leaves, they drop early and the yield of pears is reduced. In some pear-growing areas of the USA the planting of junipers is illegal." from Habit Aid.

Juniperus virginia varieties available from R. V. Roger (open ground conifers dispatched between November and the following March):-

"Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl' See photo
A spreading form with horizontal branches and arching silver-grey leaves, resembling an owl's ears. Shapes a lovely open 'vase' shape. Height: 1.2m (4ft), spread 2m (6ft).

Juniperus virginiana 'Hetz' Click on photo
An open conifer with tiers of arching branches with blue-green foliage. Very decorative. Height: 1.2m (4ft), spread 2m (6ft)."

Juniperus viginiana varieties available in America:-

" 'Burkii' - This pyramidal 20' tall plant has blue-green needles with a purplish cast in winter. It is a non-fruiting male clone.

'Canaertii' - A common cultivar, this plant grows as a compact pyramid to perhaps 25' tall after many years. The deep green needles are borne on the tips of the branches and the profuse fruit are bloomy blue.

'Emerald Sentinel' - This is a new pyramidal, columnar for growing 20' tall and only 8' wide. The foliage is dark green and the color is held well in winter. It is a fruiting female variety.

'Glauca' - This name serves as an umbrella for many clones with bluish needles, often fading in summer. Most grow 15'-20' tall with a pyramidal form. 'Manhattan Blue' is similar, growing to 12' tall.

'Grey Owl' - A low spreading form to 18" tall with 3' to 6' spread, this plant bears fine, feathery foliage of a silver-blue color. It is a compact, spreading grower only growing 6' tall but much wider in time. It is an abundant fruiting clone.

'Hillspire' - This male clone assumes a symmetical pyramidal habit with healthy green foliage. The foliage color is maintained in winter.

'Pendula' (also listed as f. pendula) - Many clones carry this name, and most have spreading limbs with pendulous branchlets. They can grow to 40' tall and feature abundant blue fleshy cones." from University of Connecticut Home and Garden Centre.

This table section copied from Plant Botanical Index H page
 

Form of Perennials, Annuals, Bulbs, Climbers:-
Mat-forming.
Stems densely cover the ground and the flowers extend above.
Prostrate or Trailing.
Stems spread out on the ground and the flowers are borne close to the foliage.
Cushion or Mound-forming.
Tightly packed stems form a low clump and the flowers are close to the foliage.
Spreading or Creeping.
Stems extend horizontally then ascend, forming a densely packed mass.
Clump-forming.
Leaf-stalks and flower stems arise at ground level to form a dense mass.
Stemless.
Leaf-stalks and flower stems arise at ground level.
Erect or Upright.
Upright stems stand vertical, supporting leaves and the flowers.
Climbing and Scandent.
Long flexible stems are supported by other plants or structures.
Arching.
Long upright stems arch over from the upright towards the ground.

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What to do about Subsidence caused by Clay? Page explains what to do about trees/shrubs/hedges that may damage the foundations of your property.
What happened to a new building, which was caused by the builder, 6 years after it was built. The new owner was then landed with a large bill. The Builder warranty is first 2 years, then years 3-10 can be covered by NHBC Buildmark.

Most modern houses cannot afford large shrubs, trees or hedges within 10 feet = 120 inches = 300cms of a house wall or a garden wall, so it is best to use:-
Growing Edibles in Containers inside your home,
and
Soft Fruit List with soft fruit bush (Blueberry, Gooseberry, Blackcurrant, Redcurrant, Whitecurrant or Jostaberry) instead of a shrub from the shrub lists provides you with the size of shrub suitable for most current gardens.
The Raspberry may be used as a mini-hedge in the garden to separate areas or against your boundary fences/walls.
The Blackberry, Boysenberry and Tayberry cane climbers can also be used as mini-hedges or to clothe walls/fences/pergolas.
They all provide you with edible fruit. The Soft Fruit Gallery compares colour photographs of some soft fruits,
and
Choosing a top fruit tree or remaining top fruit instead of a tree from the tree list provides you with a plant of a size that is suitable for most current gardens. These trees also produce edible fruit. Further details in these galleries -
Top Fruit Apple, Cherry, Pear
or
You could use 1 of the trees from the Deciduous and Evergreen Trees suitable for Small Gardens.

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The overall amount of sunlight received depends on aspect, the direction your garden faces:-
North-facing gardens get the least light and can be damp.
South-facing gardens get the most light.
East-facing gardens get morning light.
West-facing gardens get afternoon and evening light.

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Acid Site - An acid soil has a pH value below 7.0. Clay soils are usually acid and retentive of moisture, requiring drainage. The addition of grit or coarse sand makes them more manageable. Peaty soil is acidic with fewer nutrients and also requires drainage.
Alkaline Soil - An alkaline soil has a pH value above 7.0. Soils that form a thin layer over chalk restrict plant selection to those tolerant of drought.
Bank / Slope problems include soil erosion, surface water, summer drought and poor access (create path using mattock to pull an earth section 180 degrees over down the slope). Then, stabilise the earth with 4 inches (10cms) depth of spent mushroom compost under the chicken wire; before planting climbers/plants through it.
Cold Exposed Inland Site is an area that is open to the elements and that includes cold, biting winds, the glare of full sun, frost and snow - These plants are able to withstand very low temperatures and those winds in the South of England.

Tree/Shrub Shape:-

Narrow Vase-Shaped/ Inverted Ovoid Tree/Shrub Shape

Fan-Shaped/ Vase-Shaped Tree/Shrub Shape

Broad Fan-Shaped/ Broad Vase-Shaped Tree/Shrub Shape

Broad-headed trees usually cast a large area of light dappled shade and have broad spreading branches so loved by birds and animals.

Narrow Weeping Tree/Shrub Shape

Very useful for children to use as a secret den. The narrowness of the tree means that bands of dense shade sweep across the garden - never creating dense shade in one area all day.

Broad Weeping Tree/Shrub Shape

Single-stemmed Palm, Cycad, or similar tree Tree/Shrub Shape

Multi-stemmed Palm, Cycad, or similar Tree Tree/Shrub Shape

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Other uses of plants:-
Crevices Garden Use
Hanging Basket Use
Large Leaves Use
Pollution Barrier 1, 2 Use
Rock Garden Use
Thorny Hedge Use
Trees for Lawns Use
Windbreak Use
Non-Tree Plants in Woodland Use
Gardens by the Bay is the place to find perfect companions for all your bulbs, perennials and ornamental grasses.

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Sun Aspect:-
Full Sun: At least 6 full hours of direct sunlight. Many sun lovers enjoy more than 6 hours per day, but need regular water to endure the heat.
Part Shade: 3 - 6 hours of sun each day, preferably in the morning and early afternoon. The plant will need some relief from the intense late afternoon sun, either from shade provided by a nearby tree or planting it on the east side of a building.
Dappled Sun - DS in Part Shade Column: Dappled sunlight is similar to partial shade. It is the sun that makes its way through the branches of a deciduous tree. Woodland plants and underplantings prefer this type of sunlight over even the limited direct exposure they would get from partial shade.
Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight each day, with filtered sunlight during the rest of the day. Full shade does not mean no sun.

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Seaside Plants that deal with salt-carrying gales and blown sand; by you using copious amounts of compost and thick mulch to conserve soil moisture.
Sound Barrier - The sound waves passing through the plant interact with leaves and branches, some being deflected and some being turned into heat energy. A wide band of planting is necessary to achieve a large reduction in the decibel level.
Wind Barrier - By planting a natural windbreak you will create a permeable barrier that lets a degree of air movement pass through it and provide shelter by as far as 30 times their height downwind.
Woodland ground cover under the shade of tree canopies.

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The following article is very useful and important in your management of your garden.

HOW SOIL WORKS Posted on August 20, 2011 by Rupert Foxton-Smythe from HousePlants Guru:-

"Nature’s plan is to build up the humus year after year and this can only be done by organic matter. There is need to replace and return that which has been taken out. The Chinese, who are the best gardeners, collect, ‘use’, and return to the soil, every possible kind of waste, vegetable, animal and human. In over 4000 years of intensive cultivation they still support more human beings per hectare than any other country in the world! On the other hand in areas like the Middle West of the U.S.A. And the Regina Plain of Canada, where the Wheel of Life has not been recognized, tens of thousands of hectares which once grew heavy crops are now useless, or practically so.

Every flower crop grown reduces the organic content of the ground. Every piece of work done helps to break down the humus. The value of the soil in your garden, therefore, is not the mica particles or grains of sand. It lies in the humus that the soil contains. Humus makes all the difference to successful gardening. Have plenty of humus present and the soil is in good tilth. Humus is the organic colloid of the soil. It can store water, it can store plant foods, it can help to keep the soil open. It can help to ensure the right aeration. It will give ideal insulation against heat and cold.

Using Compost

Garden owners proposing to dig their land shallowly in preparation for flower growing, should realize the importance of adding ample quantities of organic matter before they start. Composted farmyard manure, fine wool shoddy, properly composted vegetable refuse, or hop manure should be added at the rate of one good barrow-load to 10 m2 (12 sq yds) and in addition into the top 25 or 50 mm (1 or 2 in) of soil finely divided sedge peat, non-acid in character should be raked in at about half a bucketful (9 litres) per square metre (2 gallons per sq yd). This organic matter in the top few millimetres of soil gives the little roots a good start and so sends them on to find the organic matter below.

It is when the organic content of the soil has been helped in this way, that the gardener dares to add plant foods of an organic origin. These are usually applied on the surface of the ground and raked in. Fertilizers with an organic base are particularly useful. Fish Manure may be applied at 105 to 140 g/m2 (3 oz to 4 oz per sq yd), or a meat and bone meal or even hoof and horn meal mixed with equal quantities of wood ashes may be used at a similar rate. These plant foods can be supplied not only when the flower garden is first made but every season very early in the spring. A good dried poultry manure to which a little potash has been added is another fertilizer that is very useful when applied at this time.

Minimum Digging

Flower growers must realize that proper soil treatment is the first essential to success. The millions and millions of soil bacteria that live in the ground to help the gardener, much appreciate little or no digging. It enables them to work better, for they need conditions which are natural. So do give them what they need.

Liming

Lime should be regarded as an essential except in very definite cases where acidity is demanded, e.g. the heaths and heathers, rhododendrons and azaleas.

Lime not only prevents soil from being acid but it ‘sweetens’ it, as well as playing its part as a plant food. It improves the texture and workability of heavy soils. It helps to release other plant foods, and it decomposes organic compounds in the soil so that they can be used as plant food also.

Generally speaking it should be applied at about 245 g/m2 (7 oz per sq yd). It should not be dug in, as it washes down into the soil very quickly. It should be sprinkled on the surface of the ground after the digging and manuring has been done. Do not mix lime with organic fertilizers. There are three main types of lime: Quicklime, sometimes sold as Buxton Lime or Lump Lime, which has to be slaked down on the soil; Chalk or Limestone, often sold as Ground Limestone, only half as valuable as quicklime; and Hydrated Lime, which is perhaps the most convenient to handle and is therefore most usually used by gardeners. The quantity of lime mentioned previously i.e. 245 g/m2 (7 oz per sq yd), refers to hydrated lime."

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Guidelines for Using Plants with Colored Foliage from University of Illinois Extension:-

Traditional gardening rules suggest that when you use plants with colorful foliage, use them sparingly. Avoid using too much color and use lots of green to blend and soften. But, when you set out to create a garden of color using foliage, you have to rely more on the colors of the foliage than that of the flowers. Flowers, as nice as they are, come and go, but foliage remains constant. So break the rules. Use masses of the same brightly colored foliage plants in groups of three, five, seven, nine, or more. The effect will be show stopping. But, in order to keep the design from becoming garish, here are a few rules that you should try and follow.

A Passion for Purple

Purple, bronze, red, and black leaves have a common thread of red pigment. Bronze leaves can be very dull and muddy looking. But if they are planted; so that the sun lights them from the side or from behind, the resulting effect is one of a plant that shimmers with highlights of red. Purple-bronze leaved plants are also excellent companions with blue-gray plants. Plants with black leaves stand out when paired with yellow or red leaved plants.

Golden Plants

Plants with gold or yellow foliage tend to mimic the strong rays of the sun when planted in mass or “dropped” into a planting. Yellow hued leaves will “warm up” a garden and when paired with orange or red leaved plants, cause them to “burn” with intense color. Yellow leaved plants are also compatible with purple leaved plants and blue flowers.

The Silver Lining

Silver-white or blue-gray leaves reflect light and act as “blenders” because they go with most other colors. Silver foliage makes a punctuation type of statement when used with hot colors like red, orange, or gold. White foliage also lightens up dark corners of a garden and is visible in the garden at night.

Wild and Crazy Leaves

Variegated leaved plants offer endless patterns that can be subtle or extremely gaudy and wildly colorful. These irregular patterns can be very complex with the variegations being speckles, spots, blotches, swirls, or lines. Many times, two or more colors are present making them difficult to use. Some leaves even break the color rules and have both warm and cool colors on the same leaf. To use these plants effectively, pick up one color of the leaf and use that color when choosing companion plants. See these different colours in
Coleus Bedding Foliage Trial - Pages
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
26, 27, 28, 29, 30,
31, 32, Index

Color Echoes

Plants with colorful foliage are often used as specimen plants and are allowed to stand alone. Such plants can also be used in groups with other plants if planted next to or with plants that have a similar color in its leaves. This echoing effect, repeating a similar color in different plants, can be used to good effect even when the plants have colors that scream.

Contrasting Texture and Shape

Using plants with contrasting leaf colors, shapes, and texture can make an interesting combination. Avoid using leaves of the same size and texture next to each other. Create textural contrast so the coarse textures will seem coarser and the fine textures seem finer. Texture can also create spatial illusions. Coarse textured plants will appear closer to the viewer and fine textured plants will tend to recede or appear farther away. If you want to make the far end of the garden seem closer, plant coarse textured plants. Fine textured plants can be used to make a shallow garden seem deeper.

The following pages may help:-

Uses of Plant and Flower Shape:-
...Foliage Only
...Other than Green Foliage
...Trees in Lawn
...Trees in Small Gardens
...Woodland
...Pollution Barrier
...Hedge
...Wind-swept
...Adjacent to Water
...Tolerant of Poor Soil
...Winter-Flowering
...Upright Branches or Sword-shaped leaves
...Plant to Prevent Entry to Human or Animal
...Coastal Conditions
Rose:-
...Hedge 1, 2
...Climber in Tree
...Woodland
...Adjacent to Water
...Page for rose use as ARCH ROSE, PERGOLA ROSE, COASTAL CONDITIONS ROSE, WALL ROSE, STANDARD ROSE, COVERING BANKS or THORNLESS ROSES.
...FRAGRANT ROSES
...NOT FRAGRANT ROSES
Damage by Plants in Chilham Village - Pages
1, 2, 3, 4
Pavements of Funchal, Madeira
Damage to Trees - Pages
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13
for trees 1-54,
14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
for trees 55-95,
26, 27, 28, 29, 30,
31, 32, 33, 34, 35,
36, 37,
for trees 95-133,
38, 39, 40,
41, 42, 43, 44, 45,
for trees 133-166
Topic -
Fragrant Plants as a Plant Selection Process for your sense of smell:-
Sense of Fragrance from Roy Genders
Fragrant Plants:-
Trees and Shrubs with Scented Flowers
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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TABLE 4

Ivydene Gardens Photo Damage to Trees in Madeira:
Photos of Damage to Trees in the Pavement of Funchal in Madeira
taken in February 2022.

Planting trees or shrubs in grass is a total waste of time since the grass will absorb every drop of rain in the UK, leaving none for the the trees/shrubs, except what is in the soil. Unfortunately all public bodies think that planting this way or under tarmac is a good idea by the numbskulls in

• Britain as shown on the the Welcome page and
• other countries as shown in Work Details of Ivydene Horticutural Services page.

Because of this, we are depriving ourselves from oxygen being produced by these plants.

Just thought that I might read the following from:-

• A. Tree roots Leaflet No. 6 Published by the Arboricultural Association in 1991:-
  "There is a popular misconception that the roots of a large tree growing under typical British conditions
  will penetrate to a depth of several metres. People refer to these as "tap roots" or "anchor roots".
  Under most conditions of soil and climate in Britain this picture is far from the truth. Tree roots need
  to obtain water, nutrients and oxygen from the soil. These are usually most readily available near to
  the surface, and carbon dioxide produced by the roots disperses more readily there. As a
  consequence, most roots are normally found in the upper 600mm (24 inches) or less.
  On poorly drained clay soils in areas with a moderate or high rainfall all the roots of a large tree may be
  in the upper 300mm (1 foot = 12 inches) or less.
  Roots will sometimes penetrate to a depth of 400 or 500cms, particularly in drier parts of Britain, but
  that is the exception rather than the rule; and even there, the majority of roots are likely to be in the
  upper 600mm.
  All roots contribute to the moisture supply and stability of the tree, and there is no meaningful
  distinction between what are often called "feeder roots" and "support roots". The uptake of
  moisture and nutrients takes place mainly through very fine hairlike roots at the ends of the
  smallest woody roots. Many of these fine roots may die in the autumn and grow again in the
  next spring. These could be called "feeder roots", but would not include any roots more
  than 1mm diameter.
  Typical tree on typical soil, in Britain (An indication of root spread of a typical tree, where root
  development is unimpeded by ditches, walls or other obstructions.):-
  • Height of tree about 2000cms
  • Main rooting depth about 60cm
  • Maximum rooting depth about 100-200cm
  • Branch spread about 900cm
  • Main root spread about 1200cm outer limit of root system about 2000cms, or more
• Narrow or fastigiate forms may have a smaller branch spread, but can have a similar root
  spread. The size of the root system is related to the amount of foliage which the tree supports,
  not just to the height or branch spread.
  "Tap roots" are a feature of some tree seedlings, such as oak, which tend to send down a single
  main root; but as trees grow, the main direction of root growth is in a lateral direction, and the
  "tap root" does not continue to develop to such a great extent as the upper parts of the tree. A
  mature oak tree will not therefore be a scaled-up version of an oak seedling, but will hav a differently
  shaped root system.
  The roots of most (but not all) trees sub-divide rapidly, so that most of the roots are relatively
  thin except within 200 or 300 cms of the main stem. It can often be possible to cut through the
  complete root system 300cms from the tree without seeing any roots more than 25mm (1 inch) thick.
  The extent of the root system will vary with the soil, climate, tree species, and other factors, but
  will normally extend further than the branches.
  Ploughing, trenching, raising or lowering the soil level, or digging even the top 200mm (8 inches)
  of soil may destroy a major proportion of the root system of a tree." In other words when service
  repair, renewal or a new service installation is done, then further damage is done to the tree roots.
  
   
• B. The following is from Arboriculture Research Note 36 97 TRL Tree Roots and Underground Pipes by
  G. Brennan, D Patch and F R W Stevens Published in January 1997 ISSN No. 1362-5128:-
  "...Underground services are laid in trenches cut through the soil and then backfilled. ... If a pipe is
  cooler than the surrounding soil, moisture will condense around it creating conditions conducive to
  root growth. When pipes are excavated, a mass of fine roots may be found forming a sheath round
  the pipe, and this may lead engineers to blame tree roots for causing direct damage to the
  service. ... Roots do not break pipes or force their way into pipes to gain access to water and nutrients.
  Apart from the problems associated with clay or mortar packing, why do pipes and their joints fail? On
  highly shrinkable clay soils tree roots may contribute to soil drying, and where as a result a clay
  shrinks pipes may then move. But more important are the design and quality of the pipe materials, the
  standards of workmanship and supervision during construction of the pipeline. In addition, later
  excavations adjacent to the line of the service can result in slumping of soil and distortion of the pipe.
  All of these could cause cracks in pipes or weakening of joints.
  If moisture escapes from a water-carrying underground pipe, a moisture gradient will develop in the
  soil. Tree roots in the vicinity of the pipe may flourish in the moist soil and penetrate the pipe at the
  seepage point. Roots will then proliferate within the pipe; eventually they may create a blockage.
  This is probably the most dramatic and troublesome form of tree root damage to a pipe - particularly
  if the pipe is carrying foul water. However, roots are most unlikely to grow into a pipe that is leaking
  under pressure (e.g. a water main)."
  The above might explain the 2 ways that trees in pavements get their water supply, but not how
  they get gas exchange for the oxygen or carbon dioxide, but may explain the small amount of
  nutrient gained from the surrounding of the storm drain with its detritus.
  
   
• C. The following is from Arboriculture Research Note 59 2012 The effects of Weed Competition on
  Tree Establishment by R.J. Davies and J.B.H. Gardiner Published in June 1989 - Revised with minor
  alterations May 2012:-
  "Many sites are grassed before tree planting to improve their appearance. All plants compete to some
  extent but grasses and clover are particularly competitive. ... The roots of weeds close to the tree also
  compete for moisture and nutrients and on grassy sites this is more important than competition for
  light. ... Mowing often increases the sward's transpiration, and thus the moisture stress suffered by the
  tree. See effect of grass on trees in section 9 of damage to trees in pavements of Funchal, Madeira in
  the second table on the left.
  Moisture and nutrient compeition are interrelated: weeds may compete directly for nutrients or by
  drying the soil render them unavailable to the tree. Trees suffering competition often appear nutrient
  deficient, wheras weed-free trees have larger greener leaves with higher nutrient concentrations. But
  fertilsing alone rarely relieves competition; it often invigorates weeds and the tree suffers.
  Effective weed control must free the tree roots from this competition:-"
  • "Annual rainfall is about 1,000 millimetres (39 in) and up to 2,000 millimetres (79 in) on
    higher ground in South-West England" from Wikipedia.
  • Followed by :-"Most turf grass roots are concentrated in the first 6-8 inches (15-20 cms) of
    soil. Try to irrigate only one or two inches of water per week during the turf growing season.
    You could irrigate the whole amount of water at one time, however most folks have better
    results splitting the amount into two separate applications.  Please note however in sandy
    soils where the water percolates more rapidly it may benefit you to split the applications into
    three separate irrigation cycles.  You do not want to irrigate more than three times a week
    because you would be applying so little water the outcome would be shallow roots."
  • so at 1 inch a week that is 52 inches and at 2 inches a week that is 104 inches,
  • so you can see that turf round tree roots can absorb more than the annual rainfall in
    South-West England, leaving no water for the tree roots.
    
     
• D. The following is from Arboriculture Research Note 110 93 ext Water Tables and Trees by
  D R Helliwell Published in February 1993:-
  "Over much of lowland Britain, the annual precipitation (rain and snow) is in the order of 600mm.
  The canopy of a deciduous tree will intercept about 15%, which is evaporated directly back to the
  atmosphere, and cover of evergreen trees will intercept about 30%.
  The precipitation which reaches the ground may enter the surface layers, where it is held initially
  against the pull of gravity in the fine pores and spaces. Any additional water which falls onto the
  surface will enter the ground and move downwards, wetting successive layers. Precipitation falling
  on impervious surfaces is often channeled into drains, and so it may not contribute to the soil
  moisture system - as happens with the rain falling onto the tarmac, concrete or paver covering the
  roots of trees in covered pavements.
  A question is often asked is "If a large tree takes 200 gallons of water from the soil per day, how
  can it survive if it can not draw on the 'water table'?. The answer is that in most locations the soil
  in which the tree is rooted can store sufficient 'available moisture' to keep the tree alive during
  dry weather in most summers. Recharge of soil moisture around the roots is from precipitation.
  A large tree may have roots in an area of 300m2, to a depth of 1m or more. In that volume of soil
  there may be more that 45,000 litres (10,000 gallons) of 'available water' at the start of the growing
  season, which is enough to keep the tree fully supplied for at least 50 days at peak demand, even if
  no more rain falls in that period.
  A typical figure for annual uptake of water in Europe is around 330mm. Assuming that, in an average
  year the soil is at 'field capacity' at the start of the growing season, and taking a rainfall figure of
  600mm, less the amount which is intercepted, there should be sufficient moisture for tree growth if
  there is a moderate depth of retentive soil. There is no need to invoke the 'water table' as an
  explanation for the survival and successful growth of trees. Dieback or death of trees following
  particularly dry years may not be related to the depth of the 'water table'."
  Mature trees in pavements do not have any stored rainwater in the soil or any replenishment of it.
  
  Nobody involved in roads or public spaces like parks appears to know, care or maintain the plant
  requirements upon which they depend for the oxygen that keeps them alive, but keep on finding
  ways to damage that plant world.
  Solutions:-
• 1."Competition reduces the survival and growth of newly planted trees
  The results of an experiment planted with sycamore, hawthorn and Italian alder transplants on the
  grassed verges of a newly constructed trunk road at Ripley, Derbyshire, illustrate that assertion.
  The treatments where no weed control and 54, 76 and 106cm diameter areas around the trees
  sprayed with paraquat once each summer for three years. The figure (page) shows survival growth
  after 3 years. The annual paraquat applications gave incomplete weed control; better control
  would probably have produced greater responses. The shapes of the graphs suggest that spots
  larger that 106cm diameter might have given greater responses. Many weeding experiments using
  broadleaved species on grassy sites over the length and breadth of England have produced similar
  survival and growth responses.
  Tree growth is related to the area weeded around the tree. A one metre diameter herbicide spot
  size is often appropriate for transplants, although larger areas usually give more growth. Larger
  planting stock should receive larger weed-free spots."
  Instead of chemical control, why not use plants as shown in section 9 in the second table on the left?
  "The roots of this tree are at ground level where they compete with the grass and other plants.
  Replace the grass with GREEN MANURE such as everlasting spinach to provide nitrogen to the tree
  roots as a legume rather than the grass which takes away the water and any application of fertiliser
  or nutrients in an organic mulch. The roots of the tree can then migrate below ground.
  The area where the above tree is planted is not usually trafficked by the public,
  • since it is within an enclosed public space.
  • The same is true when there is a tree within a high raised bed also surrounded by grass
    as outside a shopping centre in Funchal, or
  • where trees/shrubs are planted within a grassed area like on a bank or in a central reservation
    of a dual carriageway near the Forum in Funchal,
  • or in between old graves with less than a mower's cutting width between them in cemeteries, or
  • You are unable to do any more gardening like mowing in your home garden, but you then
    employ a gardener to just cut your lawn on a regular basis,
  • Why not kill off the grass and replace with Clover Green Manure. The tree/shrub roots will get
    fed and maintenance will only be required once or twice a year to strim/cut the foliage down
    before flowering and leave on the ground for the worms to take into the soil?"
• 2. Provide 'Available Water' for trees in pavements
  Install a French Drain under the pavement to release the water into the surrounding soil and return
  the other end to the Aco drainage system to allow for overflow. Use a silt trap between this perforated
  pipe and the Aco Drainbox to prevent silt from blocking the French Drain. This should vastly reduce the
  volume of stormwater being output to the local rivers or the sea.
  Plant the new tree at least 50cms (18 inches) away from pavementedge to road.
• 3. Provide gaseous exchange and nutrients for these trees in pavements.
  Why not put a 300 cm (120 inch) radius from each tree trunk in the pavement of peashingle locked
  in a Gravel Stabilisation System, so that at least oxygen and moisture can get to the roots? Then,
  collect the green waste from the homeowners and dead leaves from the trees on public land, mix it
  with 5% seaweed for the trace elements, compost it, shred the result, create a slurry of it and feed
  that slurry on top of the Gravel Stabilisation System, followed by a spray of clean water to clean the
  top-most pea-shingle, once a month throughout the year.
   

A '£134,000 disaster of 95% of 12,800 saplings planted to help tackle the climate crisis
have died because they were not watered in the summer drought' created by a
Gloucester Council that did not have a clue

"A twig waste of money as trees die in heatwave by Joel Taylor in the Metro of Friday, September 23, 2022.

Thousands of trees planted to help tackle the climate crisis have died because they were not watered
in the summer drought.

Some 12,800 saplings were dotted across Gloucester by the city's council, which promised a 'thriving
network of sustainably managed trees' when it announced the £130,000 scheme in February as part of
the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

But the council admitted in July that, due to the tough jobs market, it had struggled to employ a tree
officer, whose job would have involved checking on the saplings.

And Cllr Alastair Chambers said 95 per cent of the trees have now died due to lack of water during
the heatwave.

He added "This is such a waste of taxpayers' money. I am all for trees and a better environment so I
voted for the trees to be planted. Sadly, that didn't include park management of the trees. When I was
in Ukraine, even under a time of war, they had cleaner streets and parks.'

The council said the summer heatwave was unprecedented.

A spokesperson added:' It's disappointing this led to the loss of trees in the city and we will be looking
to do some replanting where resources allow with a more robust watering/care schedule.'

It had a budget of £16,000 for the trees and secured £118,000 in outside grants."

Let us look at the 3 photos in the article from GloucestershireLive. of these newly planted trees.

• Photo 1 has a 72 inch(180cm) stake which is not a Machine Round tree Stake inserted
  into the ground inside, and 12 inch (30cm) diameter of Stock Fence (Pig) (Medium)
  800mm High to protect the dead whip inside. The whip is attached to the stake possibly
  with a Rainbow Semi Mature Tree Tie.
  This whip has been planted into ground covered in grass and so when you read the
  information in the row above on Competition reduces the survival and growth of newly
  planted trees you can understand why this whip never stood a chance, because the grass
  took up 2 inches depth of water a week if any fell and it took all the nutrients in the ground.
  
  A circle with diameter of 120cm (48 inches) of grass should have been removed and it
  placed round the edge of the circle upside down to rot with a 1200mm Diameter Cor-Ten
  Garden Ring inside the edge of the circle to stop the grass from re-entering the circle.
  Then the whip should have been planted as specified in Planting Bare Root Whips from
  Chew Valley Trees using a cane instead of the stake, a rabbit guard instead of the
  Stock Fence (Pig) (Medium) and 4 inch depth of mulch from Melcourt. Then sow clover
  as a green manure on the mulch to provide nitrogen to the whip roots as a legume and
  stop the wind and sun from drying out the ground within the Cor-ten Garden Ring.
  The outer circle of upside down turf stores the rainwater within it and the mulch prevents
  the sun and wind from drying out the ground where the whip has been planted. Spray
  4 gallons of water onto the mulched area to thoroughly soak the mulch and the ground
  beneath.
  It is better to plant these whips in the autumn, like October instead of February. It is
  likely in England for the period from October to March to have rain or snow on most days
  and during the late autumn/winter when the temperature falls below 5 Centigrade, then
  the whip will grow its roots instead of growing above ground level as it does for
  above 5 Centigrade. So it should not have a watering problem in the Autumn/Winter.
  Trees and Shrubs absorb rainwater in August to use in the production of Spring foliage
  the following year, so thoroughly soak the ground in August and again in April and allow
  the mulch to stop the trees from wilting during the summer.
  
  Melcourt some years ago did an experiment with fruit trees. Half a field they planted fruit
  trees and thoroughly soaked the ground in April. The other half of the field they also planted
  fruit trees, thoroughly soaked the ground and then covered the soil with a mulch in April.
  They then measured the soil moisture level each month, but did absolutely nothing else
  for these fruit trees. In August the fruit trees without a mulch were showing signs of
  distress, whereas the the fruit trees with a mulch were fine. The experiment was
  carried out during a very hot summer.
  
  
  A water ring is a mound of compacted soil that is built around the circumference of a planting
  hole once a shrub/tree has been installed. The water ring helps to direct water to the outer
  edges of a planting hole, encouraging new roots to grow outward, in search of moisture. The
  height of the mound of soil will vary from a couple of inches for 10 ltr potted shrubs, to almost
  a foot (30cm) for balled and burlapped trees, especially those planted on a slope. Mulching over the
  ring will help to further conserve moisture and prevent deterioration of the ring itself. Once a
  plant is established, the water ring may be leveled, but the mulch should continue beneath
  the plant during each spring and summer.
  Water when normal rainfall does not provide the preferred 1 inch (2.5 cms) of moisture most
  plants prefer per week from March to October. The first two years after a plant is installed,
  regular watering is important. It is better to water once a week and water deeply using drip
  irrigation (thoroughly soaking the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches
  (15-18 cms)), than to water frequently for a few minutes. With container grown plants,
  apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes, or preferably put the
  pot inside a larger pot on pot legs to raise it 1 inch above the bottom of the outside pot with
  a wick from the bottom of the outer pot up through to the middle of the inner pot and
  replenish the 1 inch (2.5 cms) depth of water in the outside pot. The outside pot has a hole
  2 inches (5 cms) above its base to allow for drainage of excess irrigation water or rain. Water
  plants early in the day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant
  stress. Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leaves prior
  to night fall. This is paramount if you have had fungus problems. Do not wait to water until
  plants wilt. Although some plants will recover from this, all plants will die if they wilt too
  much (when they reach the permanent wilting point). Mulches can significantly cool the root
  zone and conserve moisture.
  Waterlogged soil occurs when more water is added to soil than can drain out in a reasonable
  amount of time. This can be a severe problem where water tables are high or soils are
  compacted. Lack of air space in waterlogged soil makes it almost impossible for soil to drain.
  Few plants, except for bog plants, can tolerate these conditions. Drainage can be improved
  by creating a French Drain (18 inch x 12 inch - 45 x 30 cms - drain lined with Geotextile like
  Plantex or Weed Control Fabric filled with coarse gravel and the weed control fabric overlaid
  on the top before mulching the top with 3 inch depth of Bark) in the boggy area and extending
  this drain alongside an evergreen hedge. The hedge will abstract the water over the whole
  year. Over-watered plants have the same wilted leaves as under-watered plants. Fungi such
  as Phytophthora and Pythium affect vascular systems, which cause wilt.
  A small yew tree was planted on a slope in a lawn in our local churchyard for the millenium.
  After 8 years it had hardly grown, so I removed the lawn from about 24 inches from the trunk
  and upended the cut lawn to make a water ring round it on the slope below the tree. I then
  applied a mulch of compost to the exposed soil and now that yew tree is quite happily growing,
  since the water ring traps the rain as it goes past the tree trunk.
• Photo 2 does not have any rabbit protection and it appears to have been pollarded. YOU DO
  NOT POLLARD WHIPS, and the side branches are too short, since perhaps they have also
  been pollarded.
• Photo 3 has the same problems as the other 2.
  
   

Best Watering Practices for newly planted trees may help from the point of watering, but if the
ground has a sufficient mulch and it is soaked in April and August, then you may be okay.
Esagono Irrigation System might work for soaking the ground in April and August.
Amvista L9 Liquid Seaweed could be added to the water in the Easagono to provide the trace
elements to the green manure and the trees in either April or August. GreenWaste Management
Services Ltd may also have a soluble product that could be used in either April or August to
supplement the Seaweed product.

The UK is producing food which will affect us humans, cattle and wildlife, so visit us and get poisoned.

"Guy's News on Monday 15th April 2024
The madness of maize

While most of Devon is bright green, an emerging patchwork of fields is turning yellow. This is the kiss of death from glyphosate, the 'world's favourite herbicide'.
Most agriculture starts by removing any competing vegetation. In this case, the fields need to be cleared to sow maize, grown as seed for dairy cows. The choice is normally either to plough (inverting the top 15-25cm of soil), costing around £25 per acre, or to spray with glyphosate, costing around £15 per acre. Some argue that because glyphosate kills weeds without disturbing the soil, it is less damaging to the environment - and have even branded no-plough farming, facilitated by glyphosate, as 'regenerative'. At college, I was taught that glyphosate breaks down quickly and harmlessly on soil contact, has zero mammalian toxicity, and is harmless in our waterways. All of this turned out to be untrue. Whether glyphosate is less harmful than the soil dsturbance caused by ploughing is unclear. Like all artificial pesticides, glyphosate is banned in organic farming.
Every year, I watch these fields die. What upsets me is that bcause maize likes a deep, loose seedbed, the fields will almost always be ploughed anyway. This begs the question: why spray as well? To add to the madness, much of the land wwill soon be covered with clear plastic film, to warm the soil and boost early growth. Since 2021, the EU (European Union) has only allowed biodegradable film, which breaks down into Carbon Dioxide and water. But in the UK, most of the film is oxo-degradable - which breaks down into microplastics that remain in the soil indefinitely. The effects are largely unknown, but initial research shows substantial changes to soil biology and uptake into the crops we eat. I am bemused that such widespread plastic pollution is deemed acceptable, while we congratulate ourselves on banning plastic straws. Some maize even goes to fuel subsidised anaerobic digesters to make 'green' electricity, despite having such a catastrophic environmental footpring.
My point here is not to demonise farmers, but to plead for a food and farming policy that accounts for environmental as well as financial costs. Farmers are not philosophers; they must make a living in the world as they find it. It's the goverrnment's job to create the framework, so that food production is not achieved at the cost of the planet."

"Toxic Effects of Glyphosate on the Nervous System: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Glyphosate, a non-selective systemic biocide with broad-spectrum activity, is the most widely used herbicide in the world. It can persist in the environment for days or months, and its intensive and large-scale use can constitute a major environmental and health problem. In this systematic review, we investigate the current state of our knowledge related to the effects of this pesticide on the nervous system of various animal species and humans. The information provided indicates that exposure to glyphosate or its commercial formulations induces several neurotoxic effects. It has been shown that exposure to this pesticide during the early stages of life can seriously affect normal cell development by deregulating some of the signaling pathways involved in this process, leading to alterations in differentiation, neuronal growth, and myelination. Glyphosate also seems to exert a significant toxic effect on neurotransmission and to induce oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, processes that lead to neuronal death due to autophagy, necrosis, or apoptosis, as well as the appearance of behavioral and motor disorders. The doses of glyphosate that produce these neurotoxic effects vary widely but are lower than the limits set by regulatory agencies. Although there are important discrepancies between the analyzed findings, it is unequivocal that exposure to glyphosate produces important alterations in the structure and function of the nervous system of humans, rodents, fish, and invertebrates." by the National Library of Medicine - An official website of the United States government.

"In recent years, a silent menace has emerged, threatening the environment and human health. Microplastics, tiny particles of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size, have infiltrated our oceans, soil, and even the air we breathe. With their omnipresence, microplastics have become a matter of growing concern for the environment and human health.
Recent evidence indicates that humans constantly inhale and ingest microplastic through contaminated seafood, including fish and shellfish, Additionally, microplastics have been found in tap water, bottled water, and even commonly consumed beverages, such as beer and salt. In fact, a new study estimates that the average adult consumes approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt.
Different chemicals can leach from our plastic water bottles, knives and dermatologic products to enter our bodies. These compounds are linked to serious health issues such as endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, decreased reproductive health, and cancer." from Microplastics on Human health: how much do they harm us of UNDP - United Nations Development Programme