Can't get Balsam Fir in Eastern Massachusetts?
CarrieHund
4 years ago
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bengz6westmd
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoKatsura Gardens
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Any upper northern Christmas tree growers, esp balsam growers,her
Comments (9)"Hello again," to anyone and maybe especially maybe to akamainegrower, if you happen still tobe around this forum... Due partly to my having as yet not been able to get much of any reply to somewhat extensive inquiry sent the past year or so to two (I think--having various inquiries and "feelers" out there to various places, it's a little hard to keep exact track) heavily involved in blueberry research , I've elected for now to try contacting that other type of place you mention: Christmas Tree Growers' Association (s). But, so far , a few weeks later, no response. Of course, the timing isn't necessarily the greatest, being around tree selling time, as well as apt to be time already of some freezing already of the ground. That University of Maine department which you mention, also may be of interest. At the same time, maybe "if" I could , before contacting them, run a test myself to , hopefully, get some sort of actual proof begun, of one or more of my specimens actually being immune-maybe that might help make my inquiry to them or to whomever, more intriguing? Sure seems like it couldn't hurt; and in these days of easy photography and easy communicating, maybe I could at least visually document my efforts doing such actual test. But , besides that the bushes involved are somewhat "well out" in the woods...under a foot of snow and ice I guess, around now...I still will have to somehow come up with a few young fir seedlings or young plants that have the disease (to use as source of disease spores to expose the blueberry bushes to...inside on my big plant-growing window sill, I guess). Maybe --by some longshot chance--someone here would happen to know of and have access for digging up ,of a few young "infected" firs trees (any kind of firs, although if it'd be wild firs rather than tree plantation ones, seems to me it'd most likely end up being "balsam" firs). Young or seedling firs "infected" with this fir-blueberry rust, that is...(the Pucciniastrum goeppertianum one...the one that causes broomlike growths on blueberry plants, and I guess as to on the firs, causes just small yellowish or whitish spore capsule happening on some of the needles . I maybe should stress, in case I haven't mentioned it before, about the "other" kind of witches broom happening with fir trees: the "other" kind does make broomlike growth happening on the firs themselves...but that's a totally separate disease, if/when "that happens". The only ones I'd be interested in are young or seedling firs happening to have gotten the first type of "witches broom " disease, the one wherein it's only the blueberry bushes that get the brooms, with the firs , again, just getting some kind of small-to-tiny tag growths on their needles. I do think that likely as not, patches or areas of firs of most any kind , happening to be very near (especially within maybe 50 to 100 feet[ of a bunch of wild highbush blueberry bushes or a patch of lowbush blueberries, IS by my guess, at least pretty likely to be involved with the blueberries with infection of this disease happening between them. Given these two types of plants growing nearby one another, the infection of this disease that I see as likely, might be easiest to spot the likelihood of, by checking whether the blueberry bushes have any if the broomlike growths showing. There would be pictures readily available (I think I'll also see if I can get hold of some images and post links here, assuming that's allowed and that I can figure out the procedure) to check further what to look for, online such as at Google Images, Yahoo Images, etc. (searching for , probably: witches broom, blueberry. or: fir blueberry rust). Which, especially as to possibly making available to me, a few of these prospective "infected" young firs--would be "going some", I realize. Therefore, here's what I think (hoping there's no proscription here "against" it) I think I can offer (if anybody's not already been too bored , here, to read this far): If anyone can find and have or get access (for digging) such an instance of little fir trees and blueberry bushes growing together, or adjacent, such that it's resulted in the occurrence of this disease, and would be willing to try to dig three or so of the infected firs for my use: than, while it'd be apt to need to be "first come, first served " and maybe only one deal available: I believe can try to make it worth your while, monetarily (make an offer?) Pictures "first," please...of the plants on the site, showing infection (typically very obvious when it happens) of some of the blueberries on the site, with the broom-like growths. Also, if possible, pics of the evidence of the disease on the little firs that would be dug. Maybe send COD, for no risk? or otherwise, putting them for me on Ebay? I'll try to follow here, of course, for replies...while I believe my profile page does have a link for privately emailing me, if anyone wants. "Thanks" to all....See MoreMost Heat Tolerant Firs
Comments (84)While this thread was pointlessly bumped, I wanted to thank Dean for sharing that study. I have 2 A. pindrow and they've been just fine here. Also showing enough root rot resistance _for northeastern Maryland_ (elsewhere, YMMV) A. recurvata A. alba (there's a huge one at Longwood Gardens, and a big one at National Arboretum) A. nordmanniana Failures: any western US fir on its own roots - I've tried several of them; although my house came with a Concolor fir that was 40-50' tall, it was in slow decline the whole time and died after one of the mega-wet spells we had in the early 2010s. If you had to chose one as slightly tolerant for the eastern US, it would be that one. And they are common landscaping material up north like the NYC and Boston suburbs. Abies delavayi on its own roots Btw to 'Cliff' ungrafted Noble Fir, Abies procera, is 100% no go for anywhere in the southern US other than the highest mountain towns like Boone, NC. Will probably die the first year of root rot, as did mine....See MoreAny Christmas tree growers with fir trees, and fir-blueberry rust
Comments (4)Thank you, tsugajunkie. That's interesting about the rust you learned about, maybe causing little damage to the firs AND causing, though, yellowing of the needles. Both what I think tends to be the case with the one I'm involved with, the witches broom fungus (Pucciniastrum goeppertianum, scientifically. Maybe that pathologist in fact would know some key things I'm aiming to learn about. Of course or at least not surprisingly, there 'are' other rust diseases of fir trees. One, I read, has the Latin name Uredinopsis pteridis, and between its producing spores that can be cream colored (or white_) AND that the needles affected may naturally tend to turn brownish as they wither or die, I imagine the overall effect on the appearance of the affected firs, could be "yellowing" in this second disease, too. With the witches broom disease, the spores themselves on the fir cohost, seem to be reported to to be yellow colored. I'm not too familiar with the actual appearance of the symptoms on the fir tree end, of witches broom, including how (if there is a way_) to clearly spot it on firs. Wish I was, though, (maybe someone here knows or has tips?), because I'm thinking right now that I may be ready to try to in fact get started with conclusive testing of my candidate blueberry immunity (to the disease_) specimens! Home testing for now, right in a spare room I have which has a big sunlit window. Online pictures seem to tend to show mostly just little growths (spore cases and such, I think_) as what shows in general on infected spruce needles (except maybe, I think, at actual times of big release of the spores, when the spores themselves as they're being released, possibly add some color and noticeability). Here in wintertime, of course it's probably unlikely to be spore-release time, so, so far at least I'm thinking I'm going to sort of be having to , first, search for some somewhat damaged-looking needles or branchlets (a little yellowed or browned_) and then look very closely at the needles themselves and see if there are any of the little dot-like or nib-like growths growths on them. And if some little balsams do seem to have those growths, take them home and study some more to see if any of the balsams do in truth appear to have the disease. If so, then as soon as the blueberries have enough chill hours to bring inside (chill time needed or else they might not be able to sprout into growth once brought inside_)then--I think I've decided--time to begin the "final" testing! And of course continued study of the overall matter....See Moreartificial Christmas tree; Frontgate? Balsam Hill?
Comments (93)Geeze, all this so it's "easier" to put up? Easier than what? Building the Pyramids? I get a fresh tree each year. I buy it from a nearby garden center, take my stand to them, they put the stand on, deliver the tree and set it up. They also move a table for me to the garage. All this for (including tree price) is about $140 for an 8 ft tree. I like a LOT of lights on my tree and I cannot do this by myself, so I hire a woman who charges me $50 to put the lights on. Then the grandchildren come and put the ornaments on the tree. Around New Years, DSIL and the boys come and untrue the tree, remove lights and wind them back up neatly, and then take the tree out to the curb and bring my table back into the LR. My allergist told me that if an artificial tree is not carefully covered, it must be dusted very thoroughly when put up - each branch and all the needles - or it's going to cause the allergic person in the house just as much trouble. He said that most tree allergies are actually an allergy to the stuff the tree companies spray their "cut in Aug" live trees to make them stay fresher for a longer time. If one finds a fresh cut tree with no spray on it, allergies should not be a problem. Now THIS is easy!...See Moreken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoCarrieHund thanked mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)User
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoCarrieHund
4 years agoYardvaark
4 years agoUser
4 years agomaackia
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agokatob Z6ish, NE Pa
4 years agopennlake
4 years agobengz6westmd
4 years agoHenry Z6(OH Zone 6b)
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davidrt28 (zone 7)