Removing oldeander

[RyManUtah]

Does anyone have experience they can share with this? Is it safe to just cut up and dig the bushes out? 

[Silas_Sancona]

42 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

Does anyone have experience they can share with this? Is it safe to just cut up and dig the bushes out? 

Yes to both questions, just be sure to wear good gloves when cutting down / disposing.  If you have access to one, a good quality cap rock shovel will cut out the stumps/ roots pretty easily compared to using something else.  Has been my experience anyway. 

[RyManUtah]

4 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Yes to both questions, just be sure to wear good gloves when cutting down / disposing.  If you have access to one, a good quality cap rock shovel will cut out the stumps/ roots pretty easily compared to using something else.  Has been my experience anyway. 

Thank you. I do have one. The ground isn’t exactly soft so that’s how those of us without tractors plant trees. I have six bushes that I don’t really want, and are in my ideal placement for my sabals. 

[Silas_Sancona]

28 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

Thank you. I do have one. The ground isn’t exactly soft so that’s how those of us without tractors plant trees. I have six bushes that I don’t really want, and are in my ideal placement for my sabals. 

 I hear that.. Still kicking myself for not picking one up before leaving Florida.  With our crappy soil, you'd think they'd be easy to find locally but not even some of the better Landscape / Irrigation supply stores sell them here.  Some people I talked to didn't even know what one was, lol..  No big deal, will order online later.  

Primo spot for X palms/ other cool stuff?, Oleanders.. or whatever other "eh" plants were already taking those spots would be gone stat.  

 

[RyManUtah]

4 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

 I hear that.. Still kicking myself for not picking one up before leaving Florida.  With our crappy soil, you'd think they'd be easy to find locally but not even some of the better Landscape / Irrigation supply stores sell them here.  Some people I talked to didn't even know what one was, lol..  No big deal, will order online later.  

 Primo spot for X palms/ other cool stuff?, Oleanders.. or whatever other "eh" plants were already taking those spots would be gone stat.  

I got mine at the Orange big box, by the rock hammer stuff. You’d think you’d be able to find them locally! You’re pretty rocky as well. 

Yes. Removing the oleander and the “mystery bushes” is gonna be my winter project. So I have ample canvas this spring. It’s prime real estate for palms, it’s already cut into the grass edges with drip lines. Bushes got to go, absolutely.

[bubba]

Always thought St. George, Utah had a climate that would allow some palmy things. I remember going through it and do not remember any palmy stuff. I hope you can shake that up!

[RyManUtah]

3 hours ago, bubba said:

Always thought St. George, Utah had a climate that would allow some palmy things. I remember going through it and do not remember any palmy stuff. I hope you can shake that up!

There’s a few around nowadays 

[Xerarch]

On 11/4/2019 at 11:54 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

 I hear that.. Still kicking myself for not picking one up before leaving Florida.  With our crappy soil, you'd think they'd be easy to find locally but not even some of the better Landscape / Irrigation supply stores sell them here.  Some people I talked to didn't even know what one was, lol..  No big deal, will order online later.  

Primo spot for X palms/ other cool stuff?, Oleanders.. or whatever other "eh" plants were already taking those spots would be gone stat.  

 

A few years ago there was a nursery there in Phoenix selling some good size Sabal uresana. 

[RyManUtah]

Update: I have Three of the six removed. 
One spot isn’t going to be anything, as that’s where my future greenhouse will go. 
 

 

@Silas_Sancona do I need to do a vinegar treatment for the tiny roots left behind? 
If so, would I be safe to plant palms the end of February after doing so? 

[Silas_Sancona]

2 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

Update: I have Three of the six removed. 
One spot isn’t going to be anything, as that’s where my future greenhouse will go. 
 

 

@Silas_Sancona do I need to do a vinegar treatment for the tiny roots left behind? 
If so, would I be safe to plant palms the end of February after doing so? 

Nice, looks like they came out pretty easily too..

Don't think you need do do anything to treat left over roots.. Don't think they'll try and re sprout from them ..should just rot away..  If they try to, apply something like concentrated brush/ root killer with a paint brush..  How big of a Greenhouse are you thinking of installing?

[RyManUtah]

7 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Nice, looks like they came out pretty easily too..

Don't think you need do do anything to treat left over roots.. Don't think they'll try and re sprout from them ..should just rot away..  If they try to, apply something like concentrated brush/ root killer with a paint brush..  How big of a Greenhouse are you thinking of installing?

Thanks! 
it wasn’t terrible. The bigger roots I had to saw and channel out after stump removal. This was after I put the surgical area back together.

my soil is a weird clay/sand mixture. It’s fast draining, but hard as rock when it’s hot out. That’s why I wanted to do it in January, when it’s soft. 

I’m going to do one 8 feet deep. Width I’m undecided. It will be on the south side rod the shed, which is about 8’ deep. I have 10’ from the shed to the planting spot tho, however I’m thinking my Sabal mexicana will go there. So it will need some room.

may end up building it myself so it can be lean to and utilize the heat from the shed in the winter. 

[Silas_Sancona]

7 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

Thanks! 
it wasn’t terrible. The bigger roots I had to saw and channel out after stump removal. This was after I put the surgical area back together.

my soil is a weird clay/sand mixture. It’s fast draining, but hard as rock when it’s hot out. That’s why I wanted to do it in January, when it’s soft. 

I’m going to do one 8 feet deep. Width I’m undecided. It will be on the south side rod the shed, which is about 8’ deep. I have 10’ from the shed to the planting spot tho, however I’m thinking my Sabal mexicana will go there. So it will need some room.

may end up building it myself so it can be lean to and utilize the heat from the shed in the winter. 

Your soil sounds a lot like mine, especially in the back yard.. ideal when digging in it this time of year.. bit tougher during the driest part of summer.. Still better than back in San Jose though..  Very few ( if any ) rocks  Almost certain this neighborhood was agriculture at some point before it was developed.

Sounds like a good plan... The shade house i slapped together is roughly a 10w X 12l X 8h Cube.. If i had permission from our land lord, i'd have removed a sheet metal shed no one uses ( there are two sheds on the property, use the sturdier of the two ) and built it in that area, maybe adding a couple feet in length ..or width.. Mesquite over in that part of the yard provides the best area for afternoon shade.   Is a little cramped when filled, but not bad.. Perfect for seedling stuff / smaller cacti i keep in there.  When i re build it later, planning on a more rigid design.. Has held up well thus far, but didn't put the walls together right. Obviously will add a set of plastic panels to make it an official greenhouse also.  Was the original plan but with our summers, and being situated in full sun, constructing just the shade panels worked out better..

[RyManUtah]

12 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Your soil sounds a lot like mine, especially in the back yard.. ideal when digging in it this time of year.. bit tougher during the driest part of summer.. Still better than back in San Jose though..  Very few ( if any ) rocks  Almost certain this neighborhood was agriculture at some point before it was developed.

Sounds like a good plan... The shade house i slapped together is roughly a 10w X 12l X 8h Cube.. If i had permission from our land lord, i'd have removed a sheet metal shed no one uses ( there are two sheds on the property, use the sturdier of the two ) and built it in that area, maybe adding a couple feet in length ..or width.. Mesquite over in that part of the yard provides the best area for afternoon shade.   Is a little cramped when filled, but not bad.. Perfect for seedling stuff / smaller cacti i keep in there.  When i re build it later, planning on a more rigid design.. Has held up well thus far, but didn't put the walls together right. Obviously will add a set of plastic panels to make it an official greenhouse also.  Was the original plan but with our summers, and being situated in full sun, constructing just the shade panels worked out better..

There’s a lot of rocks, but they can be cut. Mostly sandstone. The nice thing about desert soil, you has way too much calcium ha. 
 

I like your plan. Your summer a a bit hotter than ours, but we still get scorched. We get a lot of relief at night, however. 
there’s nothing worse than a shed that isn’t utilized. Or should he a greenhouse ha. 

the greenhouse will be on mostly sun. It will get shade in the later part of the evening when the summer sun changing angels. But I have a plan for shade cloth. 
the shed is climate controlled to an extent, at least for heat and fans (Electricity is really cheap in Utah) so that could be helpful to do the lean to option. Just get a few windows to the interior of the shed, and a shade cloth for summer.

which I may or may not need. Most my veggies will be outside and I don’t grow many palm seedlings, aside from filifera for people who can’t get them. 
but it would be nice to have a shady spot that doesn’t get so cold at night for sensitive veggies 

[RyManUtah]

I have two more to take out! However. It will have to wait. I’m out of filler soil for the time being 

[Chester B]

One mans trash is another mans treasure. Oleander are very uncommon here, mine are the only ones I’ve seen. Though small I get compliments often on them and plan to propagate to add to my Mediterranean garden. 

[RyManUtah]

17 minutes ago, Chester B said:

One mans trash is another mans treasure. Oleander are very uncommon here, mine are the only ones I’ve seen. Though small I get compliments often on them and plan to propagate to add to my Mediterranean garden. 

I completely agree. I’m going to donate them, not throw them away.
These are rather large. 8’ all around. I’ve cute them down to stumps, but if you’d like one let me know, I’d be happy to send it. They’re the red flowered variety. 
 

I can image you do get compliments, especially if rare. They’re very beautiful and stay green all winter. They’re super common in my neck of the woods.
 

this is my prime location to put my own Sabal row. Very uncommon here. I’ve seen one other Sabal species. 

[Chester B]

If I had to pick one or the other I’d choose the Sabals too. They’re rare here as well. I only know of one minor in a commercial planting  and two palmettos at a nursery. We’ll have to compare notes on the Sabals. I have some minors in the ground for almost 4 years including a pretty big mature one. I also have palmetto, “lisa, Mexicana , uresana and causiarum all growing out in pots. Probably going to plant some palmettos and causiarum as well as the uresana out this year. I don’t think I get nearly as cold as you do but not as hot either.   

The two palmettos that I know of I have been told they grow pretty well but were planted as larger specimens to begin with. 

Edited January 21, 2020 by Chester B

[RyManUtah]

36 minutes ago, Chester B said:

If I had to pick one or the other I’d choose the Sabals too. They’re rare here as well. I only know of one minor in a commercial planting  and two palmettos at a nursery. We’ll have to compare notes on the Sabals. I have some minors in the ground for almost 4 years including a pretty big mature one. I also have palmetto, “lisa, Mexicana , uresana and causiarum all growing out in pots. Probably going to plant some palmettos and causiarum as well as the uresana out this year. I don’t think I get nearly as cold as you do but not as hot either.   

The two palmettos that I know of I have been told they grow pretty well but were planted as larger specimens to begin with. 

Absolutely. Temperature wise, I think we have a pretty similar winter climate. Now that I’ve learned the USDA interactive map a little better, it says my average Extreme low is ~16F. Obviously some years colder, some years warmer like this year. 
I believe my location is a smidge warmer than the weather stations in town. It’s up a little higher and away from canyons. 
I am envious of the Sabal minor. I do plan to incorporate some into a “hedge” area at some point. Maybe in between my larger sabals as they grow. 
I inquired of growing them in the desert a while back and was generously gifted several Sabal palmetto juveniles and a Sabal mexicana seedling, as well as Causiarum seeds.

i am getting really bad spring fever as it warms during the day. I actually planted out a Trachycarpus yesterday, because I know it will be fine. I cannot wait to finally get the Sabals I’m the ground though! They seem to be sleeping in pots haha. I should have enough heat to kick them off really well this summer. It’s usually over 100F for at least 90 days. 
I’m definitely interested to see how your Lisa and Uresana do for you as well. 

[Chester B]

That’s some good heat. We only crack 100 a few times a year and usually average 85f with nights in the 50s and 60s. Pretty sure Sabals like warm nights so I think it definitely slows down their growth. 
 

We don’t seem to drop below 25f in winter and not that many nights below freezing. However we always have the possibility of colder if the Arctic opens up.

Those are some generous friends!  I was lucky enough to have some sent to me from members on the forum but I have located a source locally for large palmettos and minors but I’m running out of room and my better half would kill me. If I had a nickel for every time I heard “no more palms!” I’d be rich. 
 

There definitely seems to be a shift in the weather for the better but I’m holding off until late March. I’m at the airport right now on my way to Palm Springs and off to Florida in a couple weeks so I may be able to bring back some seeds at the very least. 

[RyManUtah]

That’s was a concern for me as well. Our night time cools off significant, even in summer. That’s why the oleander location was my ideal spot for a Sabal row. Besides being irrigated, it is next to a block wall, which I think will radiate heat longer into the night, vs out in the open. 
 

we don’t get “cold” too often. We stay between 22-109 most of the year, obviously with a handful of time above or below those. Daytime keeps warm mostly. We coldest daytime high this year was mid 40s. 
 

have fun on your trip! Palm Springs is my ideal climate. Maybe one day haha. It’s a great time of year to collect seeds! I just re-upped my stock of wild filifera recently, myself. 

[RyManUtah]

Sabals in location 

 

 

[Fusca]

30 minutes ago, RyManUtah said:

Sabals in location 

Looking good!  Is that last one the Sabal mexicana?   

[RyManUtah]

11 minutes ago, Fusca said:

Looking good!  Is that last one the Sabal mexicana?   

Thank you. Sure is!

some massive roots on that one too  

[Fusca]

Good to hear!  They should grow faster in the ground!  The palms are better but I like oleanders also - hope you found good homes for them.

[RyManUtah]

2 minutes ago, Fusca said:

Good to hear!  They should grow faster in the ground!  The palms are better but I like oleanders also - hope you found good homes for them.

I’m really excited. Spring fever has hit in really badly ha. 
I did. A couple went to neighbors, and the rest are being planted at an entrance to a newer housing development. I think they will look nice there. Wide “median” planter so they’ll have room to flourish when they grow back out. 

[Fusca]

9 minutes ago, RyManUtah said:

I’m really excited. Spring fever has hit in really badly ha. 
I did. A couple went to neighbors, and the rest are being planted at an entrance to a newer housing development. I think they will look nice there. Wide “median” planter so they’ll have room to flourish when they grow back out. 

That's great - oleanders are probably my favorite shrub.  I have a white one and a red one I use as a screen in my backyard.  I also planted a Mexican oleander (Cascabela thevetia) with peach-colored flowers.  It's done very well in our heat and drought with minimal irrigation - I really like the glossy leaves on them. 

I understand the spring fever - we haven't gone below freezing yet this new year and not forecasted to freeze through the end of the month.  It will be the first January without a freeze in San Antonio since 1939!  I prefer these types of winter weather records!    February hopefully won't be a different story...

[RyManUtah]

2 minutes ago, Fusca said:

That's great - oleanders are probably my favorite shrub.  I have a white one and a red one I use as a screen in my backyard.  I also planted a Mexican oleander (Cascabela thevetia) with peach-colored flowers.  It's done very well in our heat and drought with minimal irrigation - I really like the glossy leaves on them. 

I understand the spring fever - we haven't gone below freezing yet this new year and not forecasted to freeze through the end of the month.  It will be the first January without a freeze in San Antonio since 1939!  I prefer these types of winter weather records!    February hopefully won't be a different story...

They are beautiful. The thevetia is probably my favorite. I like how green they stay in the winter too.

thats beautiful winter weather! I’m envious, although it’s been warm here also. We’ve stayed 9a this year so far (9b at my house). There’s a couple freezes forecasted this week, but nothing below 30 degrees. Daytime highs are soaring and I love it! 

[Brad Mondel]

Oleander is my favorite shrub also, I have double yellow, hardy pink, a hardy white, hardy red, pink ice and calypso. I need the peach kind!