Question From: Hartford City, Indiana, United States
Q: i put tree spikes too close to my red buds and fire bushes they now appear to be dieing. I tried to find them to remove them but they have dissolved. Is there anything i can do to save them?
A: Irrigate the soil around the bushes by running the hose twice in a day. Then sprinkle a couple of handfuls of garden gypsum on the surface of the soil were you think you put the spikes and water it in. Gypsum will help leach the salts from the soil. There is also a product called Clearex that you can buy on the internet that leaches salts from the soil. Rosarians, who heavy feed their roses to get blooms for showing, use it. They often find their roses begin to decline after three years or so because of the caustic buildup of salts in the soil. I also suggest you get some liquid kelp and treat the trees according to the package directions. It is not a fertilizer, but helps plants in stress. Be sure to keep your bushes well watered this summer, Good Luck and Happy Yardening, Nancy
