Durango Bill's
Giant Sequoias
Growing Giant Sequoias near Durango, Colorado
This web page is a log of the author’s “horticultural experiment” to
get a grove of Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) trees to grow adjacent to the author’s
home some 6 linear miles west of Durango, Colorado. Hopefully, this log
will also help others (e.g. provide a “how to” guide) who might be
interested in growing Giant Sequoias.
Update: Nov. 29, 2008
The
local district board (Durango West II Metro District) asked me to
remove the Giant Sequoia trees. Since they were located in our local
“Green Belt” and not on my property, they have the right to do so.
Thus, there is a sad ending to the experiment as I have removed them as
per the board’s request. (Details below) There won’t be a grove of
Giant Sequoias, but the experiment will continue with at least one tree.
No, the author’s Giant Sequoia trees aren’t this big . . . yet.
The above photograph shows a real cabin (now a museum) in the Mariposa
Grove in Yosemite National Park. Credit should be given to Charles
Webber © California Academy of Sciences. The original photograph and
photographs of other Giant Sequoias can be seen at:
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-lifeform=any&rel-taxon=equals&where-taxon=Sequoiadendron+giganteum
At one time, Sequoias were native to Colorado as per the picture below
which shows a fossilized stump of a Sequoia in Florissant Fossil Beds
National Monument. (About 185 miles northeast of the author’s home.)
The picture is courtesy of the NPS - the original photo can be seen at:
http://www.nps.gov/imr/customcf/apps/pgallery/photo.cfm?pid=2627&aid=442&gid=442
From http://www.nps.gov/parkoftheweek/flfo.htm :
“The massive petrified Sequoia stumps at Florissant are some of the largest diameter petrified trees in the world.”
They were probably still living in Colorado up to 7 million years ago,
but changes in weather patterns brought about by the “ice ages” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleistocene and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaternary)
finished them off in the local area. As of now, their only native
habitat is restricted to several dozen small groves on the western
slope of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sequoia_groves
The side effects of climate change and pollution (e.g. ozone) are
beginning to threaten their existence in these last groves in the
Sierras. (Please see “The IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species - Sequoiadendron giganteum” at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/34023
) There are multiple locations around the world where they have been
introduced, and seem be living OK. If the author’s efforts are
successful, perhaps we can add “Successfully reintroduced to Colorado”
to this list.
The sections below give more information about:
1) Local climate/Growing conditions for the “Giant Sequoia experiment”
2) Links to Internet sources for information about growing Giant Sequoias
3)
The “Horticultural experiment” - a log of the author’s efforts to grow
Giant Sequoias from seeds as well as seedlings purchased from
commercial nurseries
4)
The sad ending to the experiment. I have removed the Giant Sequoia
trees as per the request of the local district board. As detailed at
the end of this page, it is my opinion that the Giant Sequoias would
have added to local property values as well as providing biodiversity
protection for potential beetle attacks against our singularly
predominant local tree - Ponderosa Pines.
Local climate/Growing conditions
Elevation: 7,400 feet above sea level
Average winter nighttime temperature is about 5 to 10 degrees F with
extreme lows down to 10 below F. (USDA Zone 6) Daytime summer
temperatures
average in the low 80’s with extreme highs near or slightly above 90
degrees F. Precipitation averages 23 to 24 inches per year
(Local average measurement by the author - Giant Sequoias normally
prefer
double this amount.) May and June are dry with average rainfall of
about one inch each while July, Aug., and Sept. average about 2.5
inches each.*
The ground is usually snow-covered from early-mid December
through mid-late March. Humidity is low throughout the year with
summertime dewpoints rarely above 55 degrees F. Winds are mostly light which is important during the critical winter season.
The last frost in spring is usually late May while the first frost in the fall is about late September.
*Climate
change (global warming) appears to be changing previous precipitation
patterns. Winter snowfall may tend to become lighter while the summer
“monsoon” is a local phenomenon that may be expanding its time extent.
(e.g. Historical records show that July used to be drier than what has
been observed recently.)
Seasonal distribution of average precipitation
Location
Jan Feb Mar Apr
May Jun Jul Aug
Sep Oct Nov Dec Tot
SNP-GF31
7.48 7.70 6.65 4.77 1.79 0.43
0.11 0.17 0.44 1.55 4.10 7.91 43.11
SNP-GF61
6.43 6.19 5.88 5.18 1.71 0.40
0.08 0.42 0.66 1.40 6.43 7.23 42.01
Durango
2.19 2.05 1.85 1.86 1.19 0.92
2.40 2.59 2.37 2.12 1.96 2.03 23.53
Average Snowfall
Location
Jan Feb Mar Apr
May Jun Jul Aug
Sep Oct Nov Dec
Tot
SNP-GF31
37.7 36.2 40.0 25.6 4.6
0.3 0.0 0.0 0.1
1.8 12.8 28.9 187.9
SNP-GF61
N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A
Durango
22.1 21.9 18.6 10.9 0.7
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.2 12.9 16.7 104.1
Notes
N/A = Not Available
SNP_GF31 = Sequoia National Park - Giant Forest - Avg. from 1931 to 1968
SNP-GF61 = Sequoia National Park - Giant Forest - Avg. from 1961 to 1990
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?cagian+sca
(Most Sequoia groves have an underground water supply for the dry summer.)
Durango
= The author’s measurements 6 miles west of Durango. (July 1998 - present) This
location will be wetter and cooler than other local measurements from
valley locations - including observations taken downtown and at the
Durango airport. Durango averages will change with time.
Native vegetation
Primarily Ponderosa Pine ( http://coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Trees/pndrosa.htm ),
Gamble Oak ( http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Trees/gamble.htm ),
some Juniper ( http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Trees/juniper2.htm ),
and open meadows. Shady moist areas have a few native Aspen Trees.
Soil conditions
Local soil is derived from layers of shale and sandstone. The trees
will be growing in decomposed shale which tends to form a very hard,
dry clay. Soil pH is probably slightly alkaline (but not measured). (For example, see: http://www.sanjuanmountainnurseries.com/faqs.php?id=2 ) Giant Sequoias prefer soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. The
local terrain slopes toward the north and east, and is well drained.
Additional information for growing Giant Sequoias
The following websites have additional information for anyone interested in growing Giant Sequoias.
Grow them yourself
http://giantsequoias.blogspot.com/
http://www.treedazzled.com/shoot/2005/05/growing_giant_s.html
http://www.redwoodworld.co.uk/growing.htm
http://trees.martinsvillenj.com/gsseedsummary.htm
Books
http://www.sequoiahistory.org/books/booktree.htm
Nurseries (if you want to order seeds, seedlings via the Internet)
Welker’s Grove Nursery (best source for seedlings) http://www.giant-sequoia.com/homepage/ and http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZkylerkris
http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/SeedlistSA-SH.htm Best seed price (Packet = 100 to 500 seeds)
Also
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=%22giant+sequoia%22&category0=
http://www.plumcreektrees.com/ShowProduct.aspx?ProductID=85
http://www.datreestore.com/
http://www.nwplants.com/plants/trees/seq_seq_gig_index.htm
(Note:
If you are thinking of buying seedlings, “bare root” shipping to reduce
shipping costs will greatly reduce the probability that the seedlings
will survive.)
General information on Giant Sequoias (Cultivation, Horticulture, etc.)
http://www.rngr.net/Publications/tpn/32/32_2_3_8.pdf/file
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Sequoiadendron+giganteum
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_1/sequoiadendron/giganteum.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoiadendron
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/science/hartesveldt/contents.htm
And remember, for more information: “Google is your friend”
The “Horticultural Experiment”
Oct. 4, 2007
While on a vacation trip that included a visit to Sequoia National
Park, I caught a case of “Giant Sequoia Fever”. While browsing through
a gift shop at one of the visitor centers in Sequoia National Park, I
noticed that they were selling seed packets with the following headline:
“From this tiny seed
The world’s largest tree can grow
Grow your own Giant Sequoia”
Package by Sequoia Natural History Association
The seed packets were “talking to me”. The local climate west of
Durango, Colorado is similar to that in Sequoia National Park except
total precipitation averages about 23-24 inches per year (11-year
average as measured by the author) instead of the very heavy winter
precipitation in the Sierras. Our local native vegetation is
predominantly Ponderosa Pine Trees which I also noticed were adjacent
to some of the Giant Sequoia groves in the park. I was wondering:
“Would it be possible to grow Giant Sequoias at home?”
I bought a seed packet with “Approximately 50 sequoia seeds”,
growing instructions, etc. The “horticultural experiment” began.
Mid to late Oct. 2007
After
returning home from my vacation trip, I searched the Internet for
information, growing instructions, etc. for Giant Sequoias. This
included nurseries for supplies/pots.
Nov. 5, 2007
Ordered 100 more Sequoia seeds from eBay store “Bergs Enterprizes”. The seeds arrived Nov. 14, 2007
http://stores.ebay.com/Bergs-Enterprizes
Ordered sixty one-gal pots from http://www.greenhousemegastore.com
My
game plan for the seeds is to give them a controlled “man made winter”
and germinate them in the spring. (Buzzword is “stratification”.)
Nov. 11, 2007
Ordered five 8-12 inch seedlings from eBay store “PJC98's unique trees and shrubs”. http://stores.ebay.com/PJC98s-unique-trees-and-shrubs This was an attempt to have a few Giant Sequoia trees that had a 2-year head start on my seeds.
Nov. 17, 2007
The five seedlings
arrived from PJC98 - plants looked healthy but were shipped “bare
root”. (Soil had been washed away from the roots to reduce shipping
costs.) I have my fingers crossed about the bare roots. Planted them
outdoors that afternoon. Used “Hyponex, Eco, and Miracle-Gro” potting
mixes for “nest” material. 2 gallons of water (for each) were poured
into seedling nests.
Locations - Approximate Lat. Lon. (and direction from deck) Elevation - about 7,400+ feet.
G.S. 1) 37.26488 N 107.98291 W NNE - subsequently died
G.S.
2) 37.26482 N 107.98285 W NE -
subsequently died - replaced by 29.5-inch tall Welker’s tree on July 9,
2008
G.S. 3) 37.26473 N 107.98273 W ENE - subsequently died
G.S.
4) 37.26451 N 107.98280 W SSE -
subsequently died - replaced by 36-inch tall Welker’s tree on Aug. 10, 2008
G.S.
5) 37.26438 N 107.98303 W S -
subsequently died - replaced by 30.5-inch tall Welker’s tree on July 9,
2008
Nov. 23, 2007
First snow - about 5 inches.
Dec. 1, 2007
Heavy rain, some snow.
Dec. 7, 2007
More
rain and wet snow. Seedlings were bent over from wet snow. The snow was
removed from each seedling and snow was piled up around seedlings to
help them remain upright from subsequent snows. Most of the seedlings had
significant discoloration including browning.
Dec. 9, 2007
Six inches of snow. Seedlings mostly buried.
Dec. 11, 2007
Another snow. If the seedlings weren’t buried before, they are now.
Dec. 15, 2007
Temperature is 2 below. Seedlings covered by snow.
Dec. 28, 2007
Temperature this morning is 8 below. Seedlings covered by snow.
Feb. 4, 2008
Snow depth reaches a maximum of 46 inches. Snow measurements indicate ground is not frozen underneath the snow.
Feb 17, 2008
I
started the “stratification” process for the seeds from Bergs
Enterprizes and “Grow your own”. Soaked all seeds for 9 hours
(overnight) in cool water. Used Hydration Station water (purified
water) for all operations until seeds were in pots. “Grow your own”
advertised “Approximately 50 sequoia seeds” - actual count was 83.
Bergs Enterprizes advertised 100 seeds. Actual count was 100.
Feb 18, 2008
Slightly
dampened “sandwiches” of paper towels with seeds in middle. Both seed
batches were placed in 3.5 x 6 x 12 inch plastic boxes. The top of each
batch was lightly sprayed with Schultz’s Fungicide, and each batch was
placed in the refrigerator. Boxes had ventilation holes, and tops were
left slightly ajar - then checked seeds daily for germination/moisture.
Additional information on starting Giant Sequoias from seeds can be found at:
http://www.rngr.net/Publications/tpn/32/32_2_3_8.pdf/file
March 27, 2008
Snow
cover finally gone from one of the bare root Giant Sequoia seedlings.
Others still buried. Tree is folded over from snow burial and upper
branches may be dead. Lower branches are partially green. All branches
are bent from snow burial.
April 1, 2008
All 5 of the bare root seedlings have emerged from the snow. It is questionable at best if any of them will survive.
April 6, 2008
All
5 bare root seedlings look like they are not alive. Subsequent checks
showed that none had survived, and thus all efforts defaulted to the
seeds. (The bare root seedlings probably never had a chance to survive
the winter. They may have done better if I planted/started them in warm
weather when the roots could adapt.)
Small fungus spots on paper
towels in “Grow Your Own” seed box. Replaced paper towels and sprayed
both boxes with more fungicide.
April 18, 2008
Removed
plastic boxes from refrigerator. Kept slightly damp in dark area at
room temperature. As seeds germinated, carefully removed them (didn’t
touch root) from boxes/paper towels and planted them about 1/4 - 3/8 inch
deep in pots. (One-gal. nursery containers.) Pots were filled with
“Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix” with a “nest” of Perlite.
Pots were initially placed in bright areas indoors but with minimal
direct sunlight. Pots were watered whenever the surface (Perlite
nest) began to dry.
April 30, 2008
So
far 36 “Grow your own” seeds have germinated and 30 Bergs Enterprizes
seeds have germinated. Bergs seeds are running a few days behind the
“Grow your own” seeds. All that have germinated have been planted in
pots. Most were planted in small “nests” of Perlite with the rest of
the pot filled with potting soil. A few were planted in just the
potting soil.
May 2, 2008
4 more Bergs seeds moved to pots. Total of 70 pots so far. Plan on moving them outdoors to the tent on Sunday, May 4.
The
picture to the right shows the white, yellow, and blue temporary
“greenhouse”. The Welker trees (see below) were subsequently planted in
the open meadow in the background. A significant number of the seedling
crop will also be eventually planted in the same meadow.
May 4, 2008
Last
4 of Berg’s seeds planted. Rest of seeds discarded. Total germination
was 36 out of 83 for “Grow your own” and 38 out of 100 for Berg’s. Most
seedlings moved to camping tent today. Have “heat tape” wound through
pots in tent ready to plug in for cold nights.
As seedlings break the surface, I moved them outdoors into an
ordinary 8’ x 9’ (yellow, blue, and white) camping tent. Tent provided
shading from direct sun, protects them from late frosts, and has easy
access and ventilation. Tent is in full sunlight, has open mesh top
(but with cover) with door to north - open during daylight hours. May
temperatures are frequently near freezing at night.
May 17, 2008
As of this date there were 68 seedlings growing in the tent.
May 23/24, 2008
The tent
partially collapsed from 3.6 inches of wet snow. It would have totally
collapsed if I hadn’t placed two card tables inside the tent earlier in
anticipation of snow. At first glance all 68 seedlings look OK.
May 25, 2008
Seedlings/pots
moved from tent to underneath a pine tree. (Gamble Oak is next to
seedlings.) Tent cleaned and stored for future use.
May 26, 2008
Left for vacation trip. A neighbor (Carrie Slifka) watered seedlings while I was away.
June 23, 2008
Returned from vacation trip. Seedlings are in pretty good shape - moved them out into brighter light but still lightly shaded.
June 25, 2008
Ordered
two premium Giant Sequoias from Welker’s Grove Nursery.
http://www.giant-sequoia.com/homepage/
Trees are 3 years old, which means I’ll have something of reasonable
size 3 years sooner than what I’ll get from the seeds. (Joe
Welker/Welker’s Grove Nursery also sells via eBay at
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZkylerkris )
June 30, 2008
Giant Sequoias are shipped from Welker’s Grove Nursery via Priority Mail.
July 3, 2008
Giant
Sequoias arrive. Shipping box was beaten-up “a bit”. Each Giant Sequoia
had a support stake, but one support stake was completely broken and
the other was badly splintered but still in one piece. Giant Sequoias are
OK. Moved Giant Sequoias outside to light shade area next to seedlings.
(They were in a dark box for at least 3 days, and the idea was to let
them gradually get used to light again.) Replaced broken support stakes
with “tomato support stakes”.
July 4, 2008
Started
preparation of planting sites for Welker's two Giant Sequoias. Each will be
planted in a nest/basin. The soil immediately outside the root-ball
area will be potting soil. Then a ~1.5 foot radius will consist of the
following layers. (from the undisturbed ground on up) Potting soil, original dirt from
nest/basin excavation, thin plastic layer using plastic trash bags
(liberally punctured to let rain through), a thin layer of gravel, and
finally a Red Cedar bark mulch on top. The idea is to favor root growth
several inches below the surface, and let rain water in but retard
surface evaporation.
July 5, 2008
Took
photos of the Giant Sequoias. Giant Sequoias from Welker’s Nursery are
3-years old (2005 seedlings) and about 30 inches high. Moved the two
Giant Sequoias to sunnier area. (Welker’s Grove Nursery is highly recommended
for the quality of the trees, speedy shipping, reasonable price, etc.)
Fastest
growing seedlings are about 2 inches high with some already developing
branches. Total surviving seedling count is 65. I expect that some of
the “runts” won’t make it. The “white stuff” on the soil surface is
particles of Perlite which by now have been well scattered by periodic
watering.
The
above photo shows the entire inventory of Giant Sequoia trees as of
July 5, 2008. The seedlings are gradually being moved into greater
sunshine.
July 7, 2008
Late this afternoon I planted the
two Giant Sequoias that came from Welker’s Grove Nursery.
http://www.giant-sequoia.com/homepage/ The diagram below is a
schematic diagram of how they were planted. Thoroughly soaked each tree
immediately after all layers were complete.
G
I
A
N
T
Tree branches
S
E
Q
Tree branches U Tree branches
O
Rim
for
nest/basin
I
Rim for nest/basin
Rim
for
nest/basin
A
Rim for nest/basin
Undisturbed ground Mulch
Potting Original Potting
Mulch Undisturbed ground
/|\
Gravel soil
root soil
Gravel /|\
|
Film Potting ball
Potting
Film |
| Loose
dirt soil
(came) soil Loose
dirt |
Undisturbed
Loose dirt P.S.
(from) P.S. Loose
dirt Undisturbed
ground Potting
soil
(pot)
Potting soil ground
|
<- - - - - - - - Potting soil - - - - - - - - -
-> |
\|/ <- -
- - - - - - Potting soil - - - - - - - - -
-> \|/
<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Undisturbed ground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->
<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Undisturbed ground - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->
The
rim was constructed so that buckets of water could be poured into the
nest/basin, and it would all have to soak down into the soil around the
tree. Diameter of rim was about 5 feet.
Mulch = Red Cedar mulch
Gravel = A thin layer of loose stones/gravel
Film
= A plastic film from an ordinary trash bag with many slits cut into
it. The idea is to let rain water through but to block evaporation from
the ground underneath.
Loose dirt = Dirt that was excavated to make
the nest/basin and then replaced. The plan is to encourage the tree to
develop its root system just under this layer.
Potting soil = This
is the zone where the tree should develop its root system - especially
the layer several inches down under the loose dirt layer.
July 8, 2008
Took
photos of the Giant Sequoias in their new home - to record “The early
days”. The Giant Sequoia to the east of the house is about 29 ½ inches
tall while the Giant Sequoia to the south of the house is about 30 ½
inches tall. Each day (or every other day at worst) each Giant Sequoia
got a bucket (2 gallons) of water. (Thirsty little monsters.) Drainage
is not a problem as each is on slope.
July 15, 2008
Warm
weather fertilization plan. Every 2nd week (1st and 15th of each
month), each Giant Sequoia will be fertilized using the following
mixture. Add one tablespoon of regular Miracle-Gro (24-8-16) and one
tablespoon
of Miracle-Gro for acid loving plants* (30-10-10) to a two gallon
bucket of water. Each Giant Sequoia gets a full bucket. (Alternately,
two tablespoons per bucket of Miracle-Gro Evergreen Tree & Shrub
Food (28-10-10) should work just as well.) They got their first dose
today. First
fertilizer application (each year) will be June 1. Last fertilizer
application (each year) will be Aug. 1. (Cut-off date will let trees
start getting ready for winter dormancy.)
One’s imagination sometimes gets carried away as Scotts Miracle-Gro
advertises: “Grow plants twice as big!” (As trees grow larger in the
future they will get multiple buckets, but
after 5 years or so they will have to make it on their own.)
*Actual
ingredient used was Miracid which is the old name for Miracle-Gro for
acid loving plants. The ingredients (including acidic content) are
identical and Miracle-Gro recommended Miracid for “all evergreens”.
Both
Giant Sequoias have grown about an inch, and both have many new shoots
beginning to grow - including from the main trunk just above ground
level. Overall they look “happy”.
Aug. 10, 2008
Won
an eBay auction for another 3-year old Giant Sequoia from Welker’s
Grove Nursery. The two earlier trees from Welker continue to look
healthy. One of them had a double top. (Right tree in the first Welker
photo.) One of these tops was clipped off and currently is in a pot in
an attempt to root it. The seedlings (see photo below) are separating into groups of fast
growers (3 to 4 inches high), slow growers, others that probably won’t
make it, and casualties. (Casualties include several that deer sampled
before they concluded they weren’t too enthused about them. There have
been several recent mountain lion sightings within a few miles -
including in downtown Durango. I may start rooting for the cats as they prey on deer.)
The above photo shows the fastest growing seedlings as of Aug. 16, 2008.
Aug. 16, 2008
The
new 36-inch tall Welker tree was shipped on Aug. 11, 2008 and arrived late on Aug.
14. As per usual with Welker’s Grove Nursery, it’s a great looking tree
and arrived in good shape. (e. g. Rootball still was still damp.) It
was thoroughly watered and given mostly shade on Aug. 15 (to recover
gradually from a dark box), and about 5 hours of direct sunlight on
Aug. 16. Late on the 16th it was planted in an area that gets full
sunlight. Planting methodology was similar to the earlier trees except
I didn’t bother with the gravel layer.
The first two Welker
trees appear happy in their new home. They have grown a few inches
vertically, have active growth on all branches, and even have large
numbers of new shoots sprouting from the trunk as low as two inches
above the soil level. So far there’s minimal if any “brownout” on the
older branches/trunk, but brownout is expected to begin in the not too
distant future as nighttime temperatures are already dipping into the
40s.
The
trees were subjected to their first hailstorm today with brief hail to
5/8 inch diameter. A couple of small twigs were broken off the first
two Welker trees, and one of the seedlings was split. Overall, they
faired pretty well. The new Welker tree hadn’t been planted yet, and
the author dashed outside to move it under cover before the larger
hailstones fell. They will have to get use to occasion hail storms as
the local area tends to be “hail city”.
Oct. 13, 2008
55
of the original seedlings are still growing in pots although growth has
stopped for the year. They are currently back in the tent undergoing a
gradual winterization. (On cold nights the tent is covered with a tarp
and the heat tape is plugged in.) Their temperature environment will be
gradually reduced to the 35 to 45 degree range, and about Nov.1 they
will be moved into the garage for the winter. They will be placed in a
sheltered area, and the heat tape (see tent, above) will be used to
keep them slightly above freezing. (Temperature will be monitored.) A
“grow light” will be used for minimal lighting (normal daylight hours -
via a timer), and they will be watered occasionally just so they don’t
dry out.
The three 3-year old trees from Welker will of course
have to spend the winter outside. “Tomato/plant stakes” have been
inserted around the periphery of each tree, and eventually plastic
trash bags will be placed over the stakes (and tree) to help protect
the trees from cold winds and heavy winter snow. The north side of each
bag will be left open. The purpose will be to prevent the trees from
being bent by winter snow and shade them from winter sunshine. (Note: A
completely closed bag could get too warm during daylight hours.)
Also,
the ground within a 2 foot radius of the trees has be protected from
early winter cold by covering it with cut branches from a large Juniper
bush. (The temperature on Oct. 13 got down to 15 degrees.) It’s a long
winter here, and the ground on shaded north-facing slopes usually
freezes about the first week in November. (The Juniper bush is actually
an “ugly”, nondescript looking bush, and the @#$%^&* thing needed
major trimming anyway.)
The 3 Welker trees still look healthy
although they are not as bright a green as they were during warmer
weather. So far there hasn’t been any winter discoloration (brown, red,
purple colors) although this may show up later.
Finally, a year
ago, my wife bought a seed package with a mixture of Giant Sequoia and
Coast Redwoods seeds. She hasn’t done anything with it and has said
that I can use it. I don’t have much hope for the Coast Redwood seeds
(Coast Redwoods couldn’t survive in the local climate), but will run
another stratification/germination sequence for these seeds this winter
to see what happens.
Nov. 10, 2008
First
significant snow - about 5 inches. The 55 Giant Sequoia seedlings are
safe and sound for the winter in a sheltered area under a stairway
adjacent to the garage. They are in their own private indoor greenhouse
completely enclosed by a tarp. (Perhaps “bluehouse” might be a better
name.) In any case their temperature will be held in the 35 to 45
degree range for the winter. They get several hours of artificial light
per day (controlled by a timer), and the heat tape is wound
around/through them if/when it starts to get too cold. They will need
water about every 2 weeks through the winter, but will be checked
weekly.
The three (outdoor) Welker trees have been mulched for
the winter. They have a slight browning on their south and southwest
sides due to a combination of sunshine, our normal low humidity, and
several nights of temperatures that have already hit the single digits.
Overall they appear to be in pretty good shape. The snow arrived sooner
than expected so I haven’t put up their “trash bag roofs” yet (see
above), but I’ll have these in place before full winter sets in.
The Sad Ending
The Giant Sequoia tree shown to the right is growing in a park in Santa
Fe, New Mexico. It is an example of what might have been. The original
photo along with a reader’s comment of “What a whopper!! Beautiful
tree” can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnarlodious/2344307375/
The local district board (Durango West II Metro District) has informed
me that I must remove the Giant Sequoia trees as they are “non-native”.
Since they were planted in our local “Green Belt” and not on my
property, I of course have complied.
A
quote from a representative from the Arbor Day Foundation. (The ADF is
the organization that awards “Tree City USA” certifications.)
“Sequoias
are native to the USA and to say that they're not native to this tiny
corner of Colorado is uninformed. There are non-native trees
which don't belong in Colorado forests, that's for sure. But
these are from China or invasive or otherwise dangerous to the existing
eco-system.”
It is my opinion
that a small local grove of Giant Sequoia trees would have added to
local property values within our development. Sequoias are unique. They
designate national parks (also state parks) for them. It seems
reasonable that a local grove of Giant Sequoias would have enhanced the
desirability of living in our development. Thus the banning of the
Giant Sequoia trees by the Durango West II district board may have
depreciated real estate prices from what might have been.
It is also my opinion that the biodiversity of having Giant Sequoia
trees would have added an insurance policy that would increase the
probability that we would still have green trees in case our local
Ponderosa Pine trees were wiped out in a beetle attack. There is a case
study of exactly this happening.
A Los Angeles Times newspaper article (“A Lofty Plan to Reforest” http://articles.latimes.com/2003/dec/28/local/me-trees28
) describes what happened after a “bark beetle” attack wiped out the
Ponderosa Pine trees in the San Bernardino Mountains. After much
controversy, the local residents decided to reforest the area with
something with properties that were “drought-, bark beetle-, ozone- and
fire-resistant, grow three feet a year, and live thousands of years”.
The local Masonic Lodge brought in 30,000 Giant Sequoia seedlings for
the reforestation project. Think of the green trees they would have had
if they had started the Giant Sequoias 20 years before they “were hit
hard by wave after wave of bark beetles”.
Added Jan. 26, 2009
The potential threat of a bark beetle attack that could kill most of
our existing Ponderosa Pine trees was outlined at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090122141222.htm
along with related news stories in many newspapers.
“A
new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey and involving the
University of Colorado at Boulder and Oregon State University as well
as other research institutes indicates tree deaths in the West's
old-growth forests have more than doubled in recent decades, likely
from regional warming and related drought conditions.”
“The
increase in tree mortality rates documented in the study is further
compelling evidence of ecosystem responses to recent climate warming,”
said Veblen. “The findings are consistent with other well
documented, climate-induced ecological changes, including increased
wildfire activity since the mid-1980s and bark beetle outbreaks that are occurring at unprecedented levels in western North America forests, including Alaska.”
Winter 2008/2009
The three Welker trees were dug up and placed in large pots. One of
them was given to a friend (a “master gardener”) who will plant and
take care of it, so it’s in good hands. The two other Welker trees and
the crop of seedlings were moved to a small area under a stairway off
the garage. A makeshift “greenhouse/tent” was set up using assorted
trash cans, pieces of lumber, lawn tools/furniture, etc. with an
ordinary tarp covering the sides and top. All the trees were moved
inside along with a couple of table lamps that were hooked up to a
timer to provide several hours of light per day. Finally, the
60-foot-long gutter heat-tape was wound among the pots to provide heat
if/when as needed. A remote thermometer was used to keep track of the
temperature.
Thus the entire crop spent the winter
at about 40 to 45 degrees. The seedlings had been green all along as
they had been sheltered from freezing weather. The two remaining large
trees had turned moderately brown from cold weather before they were
dug up. Over the course of the winter they gradually turned back green
again.
Spring 2009
About late April the tent was set up again and the two remaining Welker
trees and the crop of seedlings were moved outdoors. Once again, the
heat tape was wound around the inside of the tent for use on cold
nights. (The tarp was also used as an extra cover over the tent on cold
nights.) The two large trees and most of the seedling crop survived the
winter in good shape.
Of the two remaining large
trees one was subsequently given away to another friend. She is an
“avid learner” and I helped her plant the tree. It is also in good
hands.
The Last Welker Tree
The last of the three Welker trees was replanted the first week in
June. This time it is on private land and hopefully it will have a
chance to live long and prosper.
The Giant Sequoia
Tree shown below is the same tree that was pictured earlier just above
the July 8, 2008 label. Over the last year, the tree has endured:
1) Packaged in a carton and shipped nearly 1,000 miles from California.
2) Beaten up en route so that the support stake was broken.
3) Taken out of its home (the original pot) and planted.
4) Dug up and placed back in a large pot for the winter.
5) Replanted again. (Similar planting technique to the earlier description)
The good news - compare what it looks like now (below) vs. what it
looked like a year ago. (The earlier July 8, 2008 photo)
The above photo shows the last of the Welker trees as of July 15, 2009.
So far “the world’s most pampered Giant Sequoia” has 7 inches (and
counting) of new growth this year. The branches have filled in
considerably since a year ago. The trunk is an inch and a quarter in
diameter and beginning to look like a “Louisville Slugger” - including
new branches that keep popping out all the way down to ground level.
In addition to being watered frequently, it gets fertilized every two
weeks according to the fertilization schedule given earlier. I have
great hopes that this will become a “Legacy Tree”, and will update this
page from time to time in the future.
There is
still one big test to go. It will have to spend this next winter
outdoors. I will be putting something around its base to help protect
its roots from freezing, but it’s a forgone conclusion that the top
portion of the tree will turn brown from the cold. The big test will
come about next April/May.
The picture above shows the seedling crop as of July 2009. (The
makeshift barrier is to discourage deer.) A few more seedlings from the
original crop have died off over the last several months, some are
alive but are obvious runts, and others are growing rapidly. I haven’t
any plans yet as to what I will do with them, but they will have to
spend the next winter inside similar to the way they spent last winter.
Disaster
On the night of Oct. 22, 2009 a male (buck) deer used what had been a
very vigorously growing tree as a “scratching post”. While deer rarely
eat the foliage of a Giant Sequoia tree due the prickly nature of the
leaves, it appears that in the fall (rutting season) male deer will rub
their antlers against the trunk of small tree to remove velvet from
their antlers.
The last of the Welker trees, which
over the summer had grown well over a foot and had added nearly an inch
to its trunk diameter, has suffered severe damage from such an attack.
Over one half of the branches have been broken off. Worse yet, a large
amount of bark has been scraped off including about a four inch portion
where the bark has been removed all the way around the tree.
(Completely girdled)
While I have tried to patch
the tree as best as possible using tree wound paste and banding
material, there is little chance the top half of the tree can
survive. There is a reasonable chance that surviving branches near the
base can take over and eventually start a new main trunk. However, even
if the tree can recover, it may look more like a Giant Sequoia “bush”
until a new trunk can take over.
If you live in an
area that is populated by deer, an ounce of prevention may very well
save your tree from similar damage. Put some kind of fence around the
tree that is strong enough to prevent male deer from reaching the tree.
I still have a large number of potted seedlings with many of them now
over a foot high. I’ll try planting a couple of these next year
followed by planting the rest in 2011. Thus I’ll be continuing the
experiment to see if Giant Sequoias can grow in our local climate.
Two days later, a buck deer was killed in a car-deer collision on U. S.
highway 160 (65 MPH speed limit) just a few hundred yards from the
author’s home - which appears to close out the deer’s portion of the
story.
Winter 2009/2010
A couple of days after the “Deer Disaster” I bought a small roll of
48-inch high welded wire fence and support stakes at a local farmers
coop supply. These were used to construct a 5-foot diameter fence
around the tree with one end of the wire only loosely fastened to
complete the circumference. (This allows easy access for weeding, etc.).
In mid November, a temporary insulating layer of tree-branch mulch and
pieces of tarp were spread around the base of the tree to protect the
root system from early cold weather. (These will be removed in the
spring.) The first big snow fell on Dec. 8, 2009, and there has been
over one foot of snow on the ground for the rest of the winter. By late
January even the battered top of the tree was buried, and it’s still
buried as of late Feb. (Snow depth peaked at over 4 feet - but this is
normal for Giant Sequoias’ native growing area in the Sierras.) It’s
most unlikely that the top of the tree will survive, but the lowest 15
inches of the tree and the root system were not damaged. When spring
finally gets here, it’s highly probable that it will be able to start
over again.
Meanwhile, the seedlings have been
“enjoying” another winter in the garage in their own private storage
area. A tarp has been used for a makeshift tent. Ordinary gutter heat
tape is wound through the array of pots and turned on whenever the
temperature in the storage area threatens to go below 40 deg. Ordinary
table lamps have been hooked up with a timer to give them a few hours
of light per day. Finally, they are watered every few weeks just so
they don’t dry out. As of late Feb., I still have more healthy looking
seedlings than I have room to plant them. I’ll give most of them away
when they are ready to plant.
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