Pests AND environmental PROBLEMS of High Altitude Landscapes
Jessica Hendryx B.S. in Horticulture Science with a Landscape Design Option ~ Montana State University, Bozeman
Pests AND environmental PROBLEMS of High Altitude LandscapesJessica Hendryx B.S. in Horticulture Science with a Landscape Design Option ~ Montana State University, Bozeman
|
|
|
Iron Deficiency Susceptible to Iron Deficiency: Amur Maple (Acer ginnala) More tolerant of higher pH soils: Buffalo Berry (Shepherdia argentea); Curl Leaf Mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency. It is especially common in the high alkaline and lime soils. If a soil pH is high it is called an alkaline soil, while a soil with low pH would be an acidic soil. In alkaline soils, common to the Montana landscape, the micronutrients are just as plentiful as those with a lower pH, however they become unavailable to the plant. The availability of soil iron to plants rapidly decreases as the soil pH rises above 7.0. Symptoms: Broadleaf leaf plants: The young leaves will exhibit yellow leaves with contrasting green stems also known as interveinal chlorosis, while older leaves remain darker green. Leaves that are exposed to the sun will become bleached yellow to white and will eventually show signs of burned edges, known as marginal scorch. The symptoms worsen because of cold wet springs causing leaves and the stem diameter to decrease. When the problem becomes severe the plant will exhibit defoliation and twig dieback. Conifer plants: The new growth will be stunted and chlorotic, while older needles and the lower crown will remain green. Various methods have been tried to treat iron deficiency, however these methods of improvement have often been disappointing. Applying iron compounds to the soil or the plants is usually short term, especially in the Montana area, where almost as soon as the new iron is added, it is bound up in the soil. A foliar treatment of iron chelate can be added to help aid in short term improvement (As seen in Figure A & B). Changing the pH in this area is also a challenging problem. The pH is very high in the Montana area and changing the pH in the soil, because it is such a large amount, would require a lot of sulfur (sulfur is added as an amendment to the soil to lower the pH). The main areas to address are in improving the drainage, reducing high salt content, and the most important is to use plants tolerant of high alkaline soils. Susceptible to Iron Deficiency: Amur Maple More tolerant of higher pH soils:
____________________________________________________ Reference: Harris, R.W. Clark, J.R. Matheny, N.P. Arboriculture. Prentice Hall:1999 pgs 354--355, 559 |
|
Montana State University Extension ServiceDesigned and researched by Jessica Hendryx - B.S. in
Horticulture with a Landscape Design Option
|
